Keystone Vote Puts Jobs, Energy Independence First

Statement

Rep. Phil Gingrey voted today to finally allow construction on the Keystone XL pipeline, which will put the United States on the path towards energy independence while creating tens of thousands of private sector jobs. The bipartisan Northern Route Approval Act, H.R. 3, passed the House of Representatives by a 241-175 vote. This legislation removes the presidential permit requirement, no longer allowing President Obama to delay approval of this vital, privately-funded project. The bill also streamlines the federal permitting process, removes bureaucratic roadblocks, and eliminates layers of government red-tape.

"Achieving energy independence is paramount to our economic prosperity and national security. The pipeline, which is privately funded and truly "shovel-ready," is a step towards that goal," said Gingrey. "Construction of Keystone XL will put American workers who've been hardest-hit by the recession -- welders, mechanics, pipefitters and others--back to work. It will also decrease the national security threat of relying on oil from unstable or unfriendly nations. But for more than four years, the pipeline has been held hostage to partisan politics and liberal special interest groups. House Republicans put an end to the Obama administration's games today."

The Keystone XL pipeline would create 7,000 jobs in Georgia. Read Rep. Gingrey's op-ed "A Keystone economy versus a Solyndra economy."

Keystone XL pipeline background:

Since the application was submitted to the State Department in 2008, this project has been one of the most studied pipeline construction efforts in U.S. history. According to an Energy and Commerce Committee report, Canada's growing oil production holds the potential to provide the U.S. with a much needed additional energy supply from a reliable ally and trading partner. However, the existing pipeline system linking the two countries is close to capacity and thus unable to take advantage of this opportunity. TransCanada, a Canadian energy company, has proposed the Keystone XL pipeline expansion project to carry nearly a million additional barrels of oil per day. The pipeline would create 20,000 direct jobs and 100,000 indirect jobs. Despite this, the Obama administration has repeatedly delayed and attempted to derail this vital infrastructure project.

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