“Last week Democrats in the Committee voted for this bill, talked about how important it is. The Keystone XL pipeline application has been pending more than five years…We should not delay this project any longer.”
Click here to watch Sen. Barrasso’s speech.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) went to the floor of the U.S. Senate to call on Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) to allow a roll call vote on Senator John Hoeven’s (R-ND) bill to approve construction of the Keystone XL pipeline.
Excerpts of his remarks
“I will tell you, just think about what happened last week—extremists from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, a terrorist group, attacked the largest oil refinery in Iraq. The terrorist group that was actually kicked out of Al Qaeda for being too extreme.
“And it’s a striking reminder to all of us, all of us in this chamber and all of us in this nation how important it is for the United States to take swift action to increase energy production here in North America, energy security is key.
“President Obama essentially conceded the point last week during the press conference when he announced he was sending troops back into Iraq.
“He said he was asked what Iraq’s civil war is in terms of national security interests of the United States and he gave a couple of reasons, he said ‘Obviously issues like energy, and global energy markets continue to be important.’
“You know, I would just say, despite the urgency, the President refuses to take steps to reduce the effect that Iraq’s oil can have on America’s national security in the future.
“The President admits that energy is a national security interest of the United States but refuses to do anything about it that is meaningful. What does the President and the Administration think should happen?
“The President was asked a week or so ago as a result of a huge spike in oil prices, a barrel of oil as a result of what was happening with Isis in the Middle East, said what about all this. He said he was concerned, he said ‘That the Gulf should pick up the slack and produce more oil.’
“Not North America, not the United States, the Gulf. He’s talking about the Persian Gulf should pick up the slack. Vice President Biden put out a plan last week to support energy production, but not in the United States— in the Caribbean
“You know, Americans shouldn’t be asking more energy from the Caribbean or the Persian Gulf.
“We should be producing more energy on our own, in our own Gulf you Gulf coast, offshore, on federal lands, in Alaska, and that’s why last week the Energy and Natural Resources Committee passed legislation approving construction of Keystone XL pipeline.
“The bill passed the Committee as the ranking member said, bipartisan support, even Democrats voted for it. That bill will send oil from Canada and states like North Dakota and the Senator from North Dakota is here on the floor, will send oil from Canada and North Dakota to refiners in Texas and Louisiana.
“Last week Democrats in the Committee voted for this bill, talked about how important it is. The Keystone XL Pipeline application has been pending more than five years.
“The State Department has done five environmental reviews of the project. All five have been found that the Keystone XL pipeline will cause no significant environmental impacts.
“We should not delay this project any longer. Democrats should push their party leaders to vote on this important bill.
“You know, I’m disappointed, I know my colleagues are, that Senate Democrats up to this point from have chosen to block this important bill.
“I think it’s outrageous the way a small group of Democrats refuse even to consider having a debate on this vital measure, energy security for our country, energy at home, America needs the jobs, we need the energy.
“According to the U.S. State Department, this bill would support thousands and thousands of jobs. Energy is a national security issue for the United States and this bill would help produce energy here in North America, not where the President said they’ll pick up the slack, in the Persian Gulf.
“The bill is on the calendar right now, the Democrat Majority Leader can bring it up for a vote and we’re going to ask him to do so today.
“The Chair of the Energy Committee should be calling on the Majority Leader and demand that he act on the bill. We are here in the Senate—we get elected to the Senate to vote.
“The Keystone XL pipeline is important, this bill is important, Democrats who want to vote against it can make their arguments, cast their vote.
“So I turn to my friend and colleague, the Senator from North Dakota, a Senator who has been an incredible leader, as a former Governor of the state, a Senator who knows the issue well, who knows the value of American energy, U.S. Energy, North American energy, the impact on jobs, the impact on our economy, the impact of energy as a geopolitical weapon in what’s happening around the world.
“So I ask my friend and colleague from North Dakota if he thinks there is any reason whatsoever to delay action on this bill or if we should just move ahead. I see the Senator from Oklahoma has also joined us.
“So there is obviously significant and growing voices coming to the floor to say it’s time to vote now. Not additional delay, not additional studies, not additional talk. Time to vote.”
###