Congresswoman Virginia Foxx today issued the following statement upon voting for the immediate construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline through H.R. 3, the Northern Route Approval Act. Foxx is a cosponsor of the measure:  

“The Keystone Pipeline and the 40,000 jobs it’s expected to create have been waiting for President Obama’s approval for the better part of five years, and with no good reason. The Northern Route Approval Act will ensure that those senseless delays end immediately. Americans need these jobs.

“The American people have coalesced behind the Keystone XL Pipeline because it will spur job creation, help us on our way to energy independence and increase access to affordable North American oil. There is a reason Democrats, Republicans and organized labor are counted among its supporters.”

President Obama and his State Department have delayed and blocked the Keystone XL Pipeline proposal since its first application was filed nearly five years ago. Keystone XL is the most studied pipeline in our nation’s history with over 15,500 pages of review having been issued by the State Department showing it is safe and in the national interest. Similar pipeline projects requiring a Presidential Permit usually take 18 to 24 months to review and approve.

H.R. 3 will end the Obama Administration’s delays by removing the need for the Keystone XL Pipeline to receive a Presidential Permit. Additionally, this legislation satisfies all National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements, and streamlines the review and approval process for all other necessary federal permits.

H.R. 3 is bipartisan bill with over 130 cosponsors. It received bipartisan support in all three committees of jurisdiction during the markup process.

Video

Congresswoman Foxx spoke in favor of the immediate construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline on the floor of the House of Representatives this week. Video of her remarks are linked below:

Let’s Build Keystone TODAY

“Job killers win, American workers lose," is how the Laborers International Union of North America, a rare critic of the Administration, summed up the President's call to block the Keystone XL Pipeline.”

Why is the President Rejecting Jobs?

“American families expect government to pursue the least expensive, most reliable domestic energy. Jobless Americans expect that their President won't stand in the way of economic relief. But on both fronts President Obama's choice to cede to environmental special interests and block the Keystone pipeline did the opposite”

Who Would Stand in the Way of Jobs?

“The President continues to play favorites in the energy sector and block domestic energy with onerous regulations. Red tape only makes it harder to capitalize on economic growth opportunities and harder to achieve energy independence.  If the President were just to sign-off on the Keystone XL Pipeline today, he'd open up thousands of American jobs.”

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For more information, please visit Congresswoman Foxx’s website www.foxx.house.govor call (202) 225-2071.

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