Pompeo Reacts to White House Rejection of Keystone Pipeline

Statement

After an afternoon press conference announcement by the State department, Congressman Mike Pompeo, a Member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, today reacted to President Obama's sudden decision to formally reject the permit for the Keystone XL Pipeline. Prior to the holiday recess, the Administration and the Congress agreed to include a 60-day timeline for the President to consider the Keystone Pipeline, as a part of the two-month payroll tax extension. If it had been accepted by the President, the pipeline would have immediately created 20,000 new jobs while supplying an additional 700,000 barrels of oil a day from Canada to the Gulf Coast.

Congressman Pompeo issued the following statement:

"The nation's unemployment rate is 8.5% and the average price per barrel of oil is over $100. Americans in Kansas and across the nation are struggling under the Obama economy. Keystone XL would contribute to two key priorities for Kansans: job creation and making the United States a leader in global energy production.

"Regrettably, today the President has rejected both of these goals in favor of his own narrow political ideology that treats jobs and fossil fuels as the enemy. He has sent a clear signal to companies looking to transport North American energy and employ Americans that our country is not open for business.

"Today, the President proved that he will kowtow to the radical environmentalist sector of his political base at the high opportunity cost of 20,000 American jobs. That's not leadership and that's not what Americans need right now. My colleagues and I will continue to work on a solution to the President's obstruction that will promote job growth and domestic energy production," stated Pompeo.

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