It is, in fact, true that the Republicans are moving ahead with plans to tack on the Keystone XL pipeline as part of a package to extend the payroll tax cuts for next year. It is equally true that President Obama is not happy about this turn of events and has threatened to block any such effort.
Obama said, about the plan, “If the payroll tax cut is attached to a whole bunch of extraneous issues … then it’s not something that I’m going to accept. I don’t expect to have to veto it because I expect they’re going to have enough sense over on Capitol Hill to do the people’s business and not try to load it up with a bunch of politics.”
In return, House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) called the move “the most political thing” that he’s ever seen the President do.
There’s no word yet on whether the final package will actually include the Keystone XL provision or if there’s enough support to override a threatened veto.
Stay tuned.
