Pipeline approval a key policy priority for many associations

President Barack Obama's veto Tuesday of legislation greenlighting construction of the Keystone XL pipeline was a veto against "jobs and U.S. energy security," several associations said shortly after the announcement.

"Instead of standing with 72 percent of Americans, including a majority of Democrats, who support the pipeline, this decision continues us down the path of indecision and delay," said Jack Gerard, CEO of the American Petroleum Institute. "Voters spoke loud and clear last fall, saying they wanted Washington to work together. Unfortunately, the veto today demonstrates some are not listening."

The veto is only the third of Obama's presidency, but it quickly proved the most divisive. Several business groups have made passage of the Keystone pipeline one of their top priorities in the new Congress.

"By vetoing this legislation and continuing to delay a decision on the Keystone XL pipeline, it is becoming harder and harder to take President Obama's commitment to job creation and energy security seriously," U.S. Chamber of Commerce CEO Tom Donohue said.

Obama stressed in his veto message that he objected to the way Congress was allegedly trying to bypass his executive authority in its legislation, and the veto wasn't an indication on whether the pipeline would ultimately be approved or rejected. Still, many environmental groups celebrated the decision.

"President Obama said he'd veto this attack on his executive authority, and he kept his word," Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune said. "That's what he said he'd do from the start, but Republicans in Congress continued to waste everyone's time with a bill destined to go nowhere, just to satisfy the agenda of their big oil allies."