Boehner warns Obama: Don't veto the Keystone pipeline bill

House Speaker John Boehner fired off a warning to President Obama Tuesday: If the Senate approves a bill to fast-track the Keystone XL pipeline, don't veto it.

"Let's be clear about this: A Keystone pipeline veto would send the signal that this president has no interest in listening to the American people," Boehner said at a press conference with the rest of the House Republican leadership. "Vetoing an overwhelmingly popular bill would be a clear indication that he doesn't care about the American people's priorities. It would be equivalent of calling the American people stupid."

The House passed a bill last week to expedite construction of the oil pipeline, and the Senate has a vote scheduled on the same measure Tuesday evening.

Administration officials have been sidestepping the question of whether the president would veto the Keystone measure if it reaches his desk. The White House wants to wait for the agency review process to wrap up.

Sens. Mary Landrieu, D-Louisiana, and John Hoeven, R-North Dakota, the cosponsors of the bill, have said that they think they will get the 60 votes needed to overcome any filibuster and pass the bill in the Senate.

• Can a Keystone pipeline vote help Mary Landrieu?
• How would the Keystone pipeline affect U.S. gas prices?

"I have 59 who are out there publicly, you know who they are, and I think we'll get a couple more," Hoeven told reporters Monday.

Other Republican leaders were optimistic about working with the President. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-California, said, "In divided government we achieve big things," citing tax reform under Ronald Reagan and welfare reform and a balanced budget under Bill Clinton.

Boehner had little to say about how the House would respond to Mr. Obama's expected executive action to defer deportations for millions of immigrants in the country illegally.

"There are a lot of options that we're considering. We are talking to our members. And when we have something to announce, we'll let you know," he said.