Keystone XL Pipeline Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. MARKEY. Mr. President, my amendment is very simple. It would
require that before the Keystone XL Pipeline is deemed approved, we
should determine whether carbon pollution, including the carbon
pollution from tar sands oil production, will contribute to an increase
in more extreme weather events. We should know if carbon pollution is
going to put another climate change card in a deck that is already
stacked for more extreme rainfall and snowfall and for more dangerously
hot summer days.

Since 2010 there have been 49 weather and climate disasters in our
country that caused at least $1 billion in damages across the United
States. We should not be making energy policy decisions that increase
the risk of costly, extreme weather events.

I urge an ``aye'' vote.

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Mr. MARKEY. Mr. President, right now the Canadian pipeline company is
receiving a ``get out of Canada free'' slip. They do not have to pay
taxes into the oilspill liability fund.

My colleagues may remember that last week the Republicans objected
because they said the amendment of Senator Wyden had a blue slip
problem from the House because the tax has to originate in the House.
You might remember that last Thursday night Senators on the Republican
side objected to my amendments--late at night and, again, on procedural
grounds. Well, the good news is we have been able to find a way to have
a straight up-or-down vote on the substance of whether the Canadians
have to pay into the oilspill liability fund. So this is going to be
the vote that determines whether they are going to be able to build a
pipeline right through our country--where we are running all the
environmental risk--and if a spill occurs, they have not contributed to
the oilspill liability fund.

This is a pure vote. It is not procedural. It is yes or no--do they
contribute or not to that fund. I urge an aye vote.

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