Nelson: Instead of Cutting the Deficit, Congress is Adding to Delays on an Important Energy Project
Press Release
Today, Nebraska's Senator Ben Nelson said Congress should focus this year on reducing the federal deficit, not continue getting distracted by politics and side issues, such as whether to try to force approval of the Keystone XL pipeline.
"People want Congress to work together and focus like a laser on reducing the deficit and debt," Senator Nelson said during his weekly conference call with members of the Nebraska news media. "But Congress goes off on distractions. And one of them is the latest version of legislation related to the Keystone XL pipeline. Congress' political games sure haven't worked so far, so this probably won't either."
Nelson noted that a new Congressional Budget Office report says that for the third straight year, the federal deficit will exceed $1 trillion. He said he's eager to find ways to reduce that deficit, but some in Congress keep pushing other matters, such as the pipeline.
TransCanada, which is seeking to build the Keystone XL pipeline, had an application pending. Last fall, the Nebraska Legislature passed legislation requiring state review of a new route to be selected away from Nebraska's Sand Hills. Then, in December Congress set an arbitrary 60-day deadline to approve the project. That prompted the Administration to reject the pipeline application because environmental and safety reviews could not be completed within Congress' time frame on a route not yet identified.
Now, there is no pending application. Nebraskans don't know where the route will be. It's not clear which state agencies would determine whether it's safe. And the Nebraska Legislature may have to amend legislation it passed just a couple of months ago.
"It seems to me that Congressional meddling has caused enough delays and additional uncertainty already," Nelson said. "Rather than politicians in Washington deciding they are for or against it, why not let TransCanada offer a new route and let a fair and thorough process move forward?
"So, instead of reducing the deficit, Congress is adding to delays on an important energy project. Go figure."
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