Using pocket vetoes, Obama rebuffs GOP attempt to kill Clean Power Plan

Gregory Korte | USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — President Obama has vetoed attempts by the Republican-controlled Congress to kill the Clean Power Plan that's a cornerstone of his climate change initiatives, the White House announced Saturday.

"The Clean Power Plan is a tremendously important step in the fight against global climate change," Obama said in a veto message signed late Friday. Reversing those regulations "not only threatens ongoing progress toward cleaner energy, but would also eliminate public health and other benefits" in reducing premature deaths and childhood asthma, he said.

The new rules aim to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from power plants 32% by 2030 — a key bargaining chip in the recently completed United Nations Climate Conference in Paris.

The two vetoes — on separate resolutions that would have rescinded emissions regulations on both new and existing power plants — bring the total number of Obama vetoes to seven, including five this year. Seven years into his presidency, he's now issued fewer vetoes than any president since Warren G. Harding, who issued six.

The vetoes were dated Friday, but announced early Saturday morning from the White House as the president was departing San Bernardino on his way to a two-week family vacation in his native Hawaii.

Obama issued pocket vetoes of the resolutions under a constitutional provision that prevents bills from becoming law when Congress adjourns and the president fails to sign them. Both the House and the Senate adjourned for the year on Friday.

But for good measure, Obama used a controversial form of veto in which he refused to sign the bill but sent it back to Congress anyway with a veto message. Recent presidents have used the belt-and-suspenders approach to the veto in order to remove any confusion about their intent.

Pocket vetoes can't be overridden, but that was nearly impossible anyway because the Senate is 15 votes short of what would be needed.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., had attempted to use a form of legislation called a resolution of disapproval to overturn the regulations, which have already been implemented by the Environmental Protection Agency. Republicans could still derail the plan via the judicial route. Twenty-four states are challenging the regulations in court.

Obama also signed 13 bills into law Friday, including a $1.1 trillion spending bill to keep the government operating through next Sept. 30.