Keystone XL Pipeline

Floor Speech

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Mr. REED. Well, I thank my colleague from Colorado for hosting this Special Order tonight and for truly engaging in a conversation we need to have with America.

And I would like to associate myself with the words of the gentleman from Ohio, when Mr. Johnson spoke so

eloquently about the need for a comprehensive energy policy, an all-of-the-above approach to getting us off of foreign sources of energy once and for all. I think Mr. Johnson really hit the nail on the head with his description of the American Dream, or exceptionalism, and the ability that in America we develop a plan; when we have a vision, we can accomplish anything.

And I don't know if you noticed, Mr. GARDNER, I'm over here on the other side of the Chamber tonight. You know, I'm an individual who is proud to be a member of the Republican Party, and many of the times I'm standing on that side of the Chamber. But I am willing to come over on this side of the Chamber to speak tonight to say to my fellow colleagues across the aisle that my hand is open for us to join together on this issue and many issues that face Americans back at home, and this issue in particular because it impacts all of us, all 300 million people across America; because when we can commit ourselves, as the President did at the State of the Union, to developing a comprehensive energy policy of all of the above, I am confident that we can achieve that energy independence.

And tonight's discussion on the Keystone pipeline is an example of an administration and of folks engaging in old-school politics rather than focusing on good, sound policy that is going to achieve that dream of energy independence because, as my colleagues have articulated, this project has been fully vetted, years of environmental studies and reviews. The primary agency, FERC, who had the responsibility to oversee the project, came to the conclusion that there were no significant environmental impacts that were associated with this project.

And it was on the verge of approval at the Department of State whose, if I remember correctly, primary mission is to deal with diplomatic issues. Because this pipe crosses an international border, the President used the final act from an agency who is focused on diplomatic issues to reach in and, for political purposes, say no.

I applaud the gentleman from Arizona, and I associate myself with his words, that we have given another chance to the President to do what is right in our and my opinion. This is a project that is ready to go. It will put 20,000 people back to work, and that's what we've been talking about here for months is improving this economy: jobs, jobs, jobs. And with the stroke of a pen, the President said no to 20,000 jobs and 100,000 jobs on top of that. And he put an obstacle in the barrier of his own State of the Union message that we are going to accomplish energy independence with an all-of-the-above approach by taking action a week before and saying, for political purposes, we're not going to be able to achieve that goal.

That has to stop, ladies and gentlemen. I'm proud to be part of this freshman class that has come in November 2010, and I fundamentally believe that we are changing the conversation in Washington to focusing on policy over politics. And this is an example, under this pipeline project, that is going to be directly related to that change in conversation in Washington because it's a commonsense type of approach to the job.

It's about focusing on people, getting them back to work, committing ourselves to a vision of energy independence, which is so critical to our future, and also so critical to our future in the manufacturing sector, because if we can get energy from domestic supplies here, and we can secure those energy sources long term, we're going to have lower utility rates, manufacturers are going to invest in America again, and we're going to start building things again. That has to be the cornerstone of what we're talking about. And the Keystone pipeline is but an example of that.

One last point I would like to address. We here in Washington can impact people every day, and this is an example of that impact in a positive way, because if we put the Keystone pipeline online, every time an American goes to the pump to fill up his gas tank or her gas tank, you will see the immediate results of it in a lower price, unless we continue down the policy that the President has committed us to in not constructing this pipeline. Every penny counts in this economy.

So I'm proud to be down here on the floor tonight to talk about this key issue and also the bigger issue of making sure that we stay focused on the American Dream of energy independence.

And with that, I wholeheartedly join my colleagues tonight.

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