Lankford: President Audaciously Reverses Policy on Keystone Pipeline

Statement

Representative James Lankford (R-OK) issued the following statement today regarding President Obama's visit to Cushing, Oklahoma, to speak about the Keystone XL pipeline.

"President Obama's remarks on the Keystone pipeline today in Cushing mark a dramatic reversal of policy from the last 44 months," said Representative Lankford. "The President's visit was nothing more than a taxpayer-funded campaign photo-op in front of a small, hand-selected group of supporters, where he executed a complete reversal on a pipeline project he has spent three years opposing. The President tried to create a ribbon-cutting moment for a project that would already be complete--had he not unilaterally delayed its progress. It is beyond audacious for the President to claim credit for what he previously worked to shut down. His position is now official: he is for it after he was against it.

"Our nation is finally approaching a point where we produce our own energy or acquire it primarily from North America; now is not the time to derail our progress. Oklahomans know we have enough oil in our country and North America to fuel our country for 50 years. If the President truly supports all-of-the-above American-made energy strategies, he should give the rest of his administration a heads up," he added.

"For the past 44 months, we have heard of the President's intentions to block the Keystone XL pipeline for one reason or another," continued Representative Lankford. "States like Oklahoma and North Dakota are eager to sell our oil, but there is no way of moving it because the administration has done everything in its power to stand in the way of traditional American energy production.

"I am pleased that the President made this election-year conversion," Representative Lankford concluded.

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