It doesn't make sense that President Barack Obama would veto the Keystone XL pipeline bill, because it will "create over 40,000 jobs," California Rep. Mimi Walters tells
Newsmax TV.
"We so desperately need jobs in this country, and I just don't understand why he would veto a bipartisan piece of legislation like this," Walters, a member of the House Commerce and Energy Committee, told "America's Forum" hosts J.D. Hayworth and Miranda Khan Thursday.
"President Obama's own state department had conducted five reviews of the Keystone pipeline, and they concluded that this is in the best interest of our economy and the environment," Walters, a Republican lawmaker, said.
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"The latest environmental review found that there would be greater ... environmental risk in not building the pipeline," she said. "This is the best thing for us to build."
The
House passed a Keystone XL pipeline measure Wednesday by 270-152 with bipartisan support, sending the measure to Obama, who has vowed to veto it.
"I'm just stumped as why the president won't support it," Walters said.
If Obama does veto the legislation, she said that she's doubtful that there will be "enough votes to override the presidential veto.
"When you ask members of the same party as the president to override a veto, it gets a little bit more difficult," she said. "I don't, unfortunately, think we're going to be able to have the support to do that."
However, Walters says that it doesn't mean that Republicans will "give up" on getting the bill passed.
"This is too important for us ... we will continue to try to push the passage of Keystone XL pipeline," she said.
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