Republicans in the U.S. House might soon try to force action on the Keystone oil pipeline from Canada after President Barack Obama said Wednesday he had environmental and safety concerns and would not approve the pipeline.

 Iowa Congressman Steve King, a Republican from Kiron, says there could be legislation to move the pipeline ahead, but he says the president still stands in the way.

“Anything we might pass through congress faces a presidential veto and requires a two-thirds majority to override a presidential veto,” King says. “That’s possible that that could happen in the House of Representatives, but it’s very, very unlikely that it would happen in the Senate.”

King says there is an alternative to get around the president’s decision. “My suggestion would be this — and it might be a bit of brash recommendation — that we really just need the permit, everything else is cleared as I understand this, we need the permit to go across the border with Canada,” King said.

“Why not just build that pipeline right on up there to Canada and lay that last section of pipe out on there ground in the United States. I’ll go up there myself and swing that piece into place when we have a president that’ll sign that agreement with Canada.”

King said earlier the President Obama’s decision to stop the pipeline was a political one made under pressure from environmentalists.

By Woody Gottburg, KSCJ, Sioux City