Although the Keystone XL Pipeline was stripped from the Highway Bill, advocates will not give up the fight for thousands of new jobs and a valuable new source of oil. In fact, it is time to double down on efforts to build this new pipeline. Yesterday Committee on Energy and Commerce Chairman Fred Upton issued a statement reiterating this sentiment, writing:
“While Republicans were successful in achieving significant regulatory and spending reforms, President Obama and congressional Democrats continue to stand in the way of important jobs and infrastructure policies like approval and construction of the Keystone XL pipeline and efforts to protect the safe management and re-use of coal ash. The Energy and Commerce Committee continues to push for these important job-creating policies, with Representative Lee Terry working to expedite approval of Keystone XL and Representative David McKinley working to protect workers and families from costly new coal ash regulations. Our fight for these jobs is far from over. The House has now endorsed Keystone with strong bipartisan majorities six times, and approved the coal ash reforms three times. How many more times are the Democrats going to say no to shovel-ready jobs and affordable energy?"
Led by the Obama Administration, Democrats continue to block the pipeline and thousands of jobs tied to the construction project. After killing the project in the 11th hour last fall, Senate Democrats continue to strip out or kill Keystone-approval language included in legislation. Undeterred, yesterday a senior Senate GOP aide told Politico, “This is not the last you’ve heard of this issue…Not by a long shot.”
Keeping the pressure on Senate Democrats, Chairman Upton and other Republican leaders will not give up on the project and will continue to include Keystone-approval language in forthcoming legislation. Until Democrats allow Keystone to move forward, the pipeline will be at the forefront of voters’ minds.