Keystone XL Pipeline
Floor Speech
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Mrs. ROBY. I very much thank the gentleman from Colorado. I appreciate you holding this very important leadership hour tonight. And, of course, Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my extreme disappointment over President Obama's decision to block the Keystone pipeline by rejecting an application to build and operate the oil pipeline across the U.S. and Canada border.
I think every American should be aware of the consequences. More than 100,000 jobs could be created over the life of the project, including an estimated 20,000 immediate American jobs in construction and manufacturing.
Oil accounts for 37 percent of U.S. energy demand with 71 percent directed to fuels used in transportation. That is equally true of a mother who drives her children to school as it is the businessowner who operates a fleet of delivery vehicles. When the price of gasoline increases, Americans hurt. And the price of gasoline increased 81 cents per gallon in 2011 alone.
I support an all-of-the-above approach to energy, which includes opening up new areas for American energy exploration, transitioning to renewable and alternative energy, and using more clean and reliable nuclear power.
In his State of the Union address, the President stated, ``This country needs an all out, all-of-the-above strategy that develops every available source of American energy, a strategy that's cleaner, cheaper and full of new jobs.'' In my opinion, his decision on the Keystone pipeline is blatantly inconsistent with this very statement.
The door is now open for this Canadian oil to go to China. Canada's Prime Minister announced his ``profound disappointment with the news.'' While the Chinese Government has ensured its future supply of oil and other energy resources, the United States has rejected a new source of energy that was laid at our doorstep. Mr. Speaker, I ask, how does the fact that China could receive this energy supply not serve our national interests? Mr. Speaker, I consider President Obama's decision a grave mistake. And on behalf of the American people who want secure oil and new manufacturing jobs, I hope that the Congress will continue to push him to reconsider this error in judgment.
Again, thank you to my friend from Colorado for holding this important hour tonight on this very important topic to the American people for job creation.
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