Boehner: Keystone veto threat shows Obama ‘hopelessly out of touch’

Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) called President Obama “hopelessly out of touch” on Tuesday after the administration indicated it plans to veto legislation that would approve construction of the Keystone XL oil pipeline.

“After years of manufacturing every possible excuse, today President Obama was finally straight with … [the American people] about where he truly stands,” Boehner said. “His answer is no to more American infrastructure, no to more American energy, and no to more American jobs.”

{mosads}”This is simply another sign that President Obama is hopelessly out of touch and has no plans to listen to the American people or champion their priorities,” Boehner added.

GOP leaders in both chambers vowed to bring legislation that would give the go-ahead to the $8 billion oil sands project within the first few weeks of the new Congress. 

Hours after legislation was introduced in the Senate on Tuesday, White House press secretary Josh Earnest said Obama “won’t sign it.” 

Boehner accused Obama of siding with “fringe extremists” in the Democratic Party over the American people on the Canada-to-Texas pipeline. 

Despite the veto threat, Republicans say they are moving forward to bring the Keystone bill to the Senate floor, making it the first item of business for the 114th Congress.