Obama Vetoes Keystone XL Oil Pipeline Bill

President Barack Obama has vetoed the Republican-backed Keystone XL oil pipeline bill.

The controversial legislation approving the construction of the Canada-US pipeline arrived on the President's desk on Tuesday.

Mr Obama wasted little time in vetoing the bill and sending word to the Senate.

"Through this bill, the United States Congress attempts to circumvent longstanding and proven processes for determining whether or not building and operating a cross-border pipeline serves the national interest," the President wrote to the Senate.

He said the legislation was vetoed because it "conflicts with established executive branch procedures and cuts short thorough consideration of issues that could bear on our national interest - including our security, safety, and environment."

The pipeline, being built by TransCanada Corp, would run more than 1,100 miles (1,770km) from Canada to refineries along the Texas Gulf Coast.

Opponents worry that spills could contaminate water supplies, and claim the project would increase air pollution around refineries and harm wildlife.

Supporters say the project will create thousands of jobs and that TransCanada has changed its route to minimise impact on environmentally sensitive areas.

The President's move to put a freeze on a top Republican priority comes as little surprise based on previous warnings from the Obama administration.

It was only his third such act in six years in the Oval Office.

House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the veto serves as another example of how the White House refuses to listen and find common ground with Republicans.

"It's the same kind of top-down, tone-deaf leadership we've come to expect and we were elected to stop," the two Republican leaders wrote in an op-ed article in USA Today.

Republicans could attempt to override the veto, but they have so far been unable to muster the necessary two-thirds majority in both chambers of Congress.

Republican Senator John Hoeven said Republicans are about four votes short in the Senate and 11 votes short in the House.

Last month, the Nebraska Supreme Court threw out a lawsuit challenging the route of the $7bn (£4.6bn) project.

Mr Obama said prior to the ruling that he would await the state court's decision as well as an assessment by the State Department before deciding on a course of action.