GOP to Vote on Party’s Priority Bills Despite Presidential Veto Threat

The Republicans are expected to push forward on three of the party’s priority jobs bills despite US President's veto threat for the two of them.

WASHINGTON, January 7 (Sputnik) – US Republican members of Congress are expected to push forward and vote on three of the party’s priority jobs bills including the Keystone Pipeline XL construction, despite US President Barack Obama’s veto threat for two of the bills, the new Republican House members said during a press conference on Wednesday.

“By week’s end we plan to pass three bipartisan bills to grow this economy and create jobs, the Hire More Heros act, the Save American Workers Act and approval of the Keystone XL Pipeline,” Republican Representative of Kansas Lynn Jenkins said.

“Unfortunately the President [Obama] has not acknowledged the call of the [US] people and has already threatened to veto the Keystone XL pipeline and the save American workers act,” she added.

This week members of Congress will vote on two key jobs bills which include the construction the cross border Keystone XL Pipeline, restoring the 40 hour work week and one that would help small businesses hire more US veterans, which the House passed on Tuesday.

“Unfortunately, by threatening two of these bipartisan jobs bills the President [Obama] essentially is telling the American people he really doesn’t care what they think,” 3rd term serving Speaker of the House John Boehner said during the press briefing.

Ahead of the Congress’ vote on the two remaining key jobs bills, the White House issued two formal statements on Wednesday warning that President Obama would veto the Keystone XL Pipeline and 40 hour work week bills if passed by the House this week.

“I would encourage the President to look at signing that [Keystone Pipeline XL] bill to create those good jobs to get our economy moving forward,” Republican Louisiana Representative and Majority Whip Steve Scalise said during the press conference.

On Wednesday, the US Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources announced that the hearing on the Keystone XL bill’s approval would be postponed until the next day.

The Keystone XL pipeline would connect Alberta, Canada and the US Gulf Coast. According to Energy and Commerce Committee estimates, the pipeline would bring an additional 830,000 barrels of oil per day to US refineries.

Earlier, the White House confirmed that Obama strongly opposed the Keystone XL Pipeline bill, stressing that bill "would cut short consideration of important issues relevant to the national interest" including serious security, safety and environmental issues.

The newly elected 114th Congress began its first session on Tuesday and elected Republican Representative of Ohio John Boehner as their Speaker of the House for his 3rd term.

After winning the majority seats in the House and Senate during the November 2014 midterm elections, Republicans now hold control of both chambers of US Congress.