Oklahoma lawmakers divided as House fails to override veto
Oklahoma’s congressional delegation split sharply last week as the U.S. House failed to override President Donald Trump’s veto of federal financing for a 130-mile water pipeline project in Colorado, a long-delayed effort known as the Arkansas Valley Conduit.
Rep. Tom Cole, R-Oklahoma, joined Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colorado, and 35 other Republicans in voting to override the veto. However, Oklahoma Reps. Josh Brecheen, Stephanie Bice, Kevin Hern, and Frank Lucas sided with the president, opposing the override effort.
The House vote on H.R. 131 ended 248–177, falling well short of the 288 votes required to overturn a presidential veto. All House Democrats supported the override, along with a minority of Republicans.
Boebert vows to continue fight for pipeline funding
Rep. Boebert, who has led the charge to secure funding for the Arkansas Valley Conduit, expressed frustration after the vote failed.
“I’m obviously disappointed by the outcome of today’s vote. Promises made should be kept,” Boebert said. “My work here isn’t finished. Stay tuned.”
The veto effectively halts federal participation in the project’s financing, at least for now.
A decades-old project with soaring costs
The Arkansas Valley Conduit has a long and complicated history. First authorized by President John F. Kennedy in 1962, the project did not begin construction until 2023, after decades of delays.
The pipeline is designed to deliver clean drinking water to 39 towns and cities in southeastern Colorado’s lower Arkansas Valley. Initial construction included $100 million in state funding and more than $500 million in federal dollars.
However, projected costs have ballooned dramatically. Current estimates place the total cost at up to $1.39 billion, more than double earlier projections, according to Colorado Politics.
Senate criticism highlights political tensions
The failed override also drew criticism from Colorado’s U.S. senators. Sen. John Hickenlooper, D-Colorado, called the outcome “Washington at its worst.”
“Every single U.S. House member supported this bill to bring clean water to southeastern Colorado before Christmas — Democrats and Republicans,” Hickenlooper said. “But today they refused to stick to their guns and override President Trump’s retaliatory veto. Rural Colorado is paying the price for these political games.”
Hickenlooper accused House Republicans of abandoning rural communities and described the decision as an “outrageous abdication of duty.”
Oklahoma votes reflect broader federal energy and infrastructure debate
The split among Oklahoma lawmakers underscores broader tensions in Congress over federal infrastructure spending, water projects, and executive authority, particularly as the Trump administration continues to scrutinize large-scale, high-cost projects across the western United States.
While supporters argue the pipeline is essential for long-term water security, opponents point to escalating costs and fiscal responsibility concerns.
For now, the future of the Arkansas Valley Conduit — and its federal funding — remains uncertain.