Keystone delayed again: Senate fails to override Obama's veto

The Senate on Wednesday failed to override President Barack Obama's veto of legislation that would approve the Keystone XL pipeline, marking the end of the legislative effort to force Obama to approve a project that has been stalled for more than six years.

Obama vetoed the legislation last week, knowing that his veto was safe given that the Senate approved the bill in a 62-36 vote. A two-thirds majority vote is needed to override a veto, and last week's vote indicated that there was not enough support to accomplish that goal.

The Keystone pipeline will have to wait, again.

Wednesday's vote confirmed it — the Senate voted 62-37 in favor of an override, again short of a two-thirds majority.

Republican leaders expected the result, and said that even if the override attempt failed, they would continue to push for approval of the long-stalled project.

"Your vote for common sense can release this special-interest stranglehold," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said. "It can return a little more sanity to Washington."

"So I hope you'll join the new majority in that effort," he added. "Because no matter what happens today, this new Congress is not going to stop working for good ideas."