MSNBC " Ed Show" - Transcript: Hoeven On Keystone Pipeline

Interview

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SEN. JOHN HOEVEN, (R) NORTH DAKOTA: Hi, Ed.

SCHULTZ: How are you going to get this done? Do you think that putting
this with the Highway Trust Fund is going to tip enough off votes to get
Keystone?

HOEVEN: You know, I think that`s an option. I think we`ll look to attach
Keystone either to infrastructure bill and another energy bill or an
appropriations measure. Highway Bill would be one option and I think it
could help actually bring votes to the bill.

SCHULTZ: Senator, would you hold up funding to the Highway Bill and
infrastructure for Keystone?

HOEVEN: Ed, I want to pass a highway bill and I think we`re going to get
it done this year and I need I long term six-year highway bill that funds
our roads and bridges.

Now, I think Keystone can be a part of that but at the end of the day I`m
going to make sure we pass the Highway Bill no matter what. But remember,
Republicans overwhelming support Keystone and even in his stated union, the
President kind of referred to Keystone and a Highway Funding Bill as both
infrastructure projects.

So, you know, we`ll see there are maybe some opportunity here to actually
bring votes to the bill.

SCHULTZ: Well, I don`t think there`s any a lawmaker that wants to be held
up in front of the public saying, this is the elected official that did not
vote for the Highway Bill. So, it`s almost as if you have the perfect
issue here.

Now, we did some checking in the State of North Dakota where I used to
reside and you have been for a long time. You got.

HOEVEN: Right.

SCHULTZ: . 726 bridges that need repair. I mean.

HOEVEN: Right.

SCHULTZ: . how did you say no that? Is Keystone worth it as you see it?

HOEVEN: Well, number one, we have to do a highway bill. So that is a
number one priority for me, I think we have to do at this year. It has to
be a long-term bill. So at the same time, we need energy infrastructure to
have the right energy plan for this country. That means the right mix of
pipeline, rail and roads. So I think we need to do both.

But if you`re asking me what I -- at the end of the day, stop a highway
bill of Keystone, highway bill is a bigger priority. We need to get that
done. So that`s not the case.

I think though, we can find legislation that will have more than 67 votes
that we can include Keystone as a part of in passing.

SCHULTZ: So you think that there might be another five votes out there in
the Senate that would view the infrastructure and Highway Bill as so
important if they would tip on Keystone? I mean, it`s very clear ...

HOEVEN: Oh yeah.

SCHULTZ: ... that looks like what the strategy is.

HOEVEN: Sure. They`re both infrastructure. You know, you`re talking
roads, you`re talking bridges, you`re talking rail, you`re talking
pipelines, you`re talking transmission lines, that`s all infrastructure
that this great country needs.

SCHULTZ: If it doesn`t work on Keystone or should I say, if Keystone
doesn`t work on the Highway Bill, where else would you put it? Is this
going to be a standard operating procedure.

HOEVEN: Yeah. Yeah.

SCHULTZ: . and you`re going to put it everywhere?

HOEVEN: I`ll find the right fit where it gets us more than 67 votes so
that we can pass it. And that could be an appropriations measure, as I
say, that could be another energy bill.

Look, Ed, I have tried this before. Actually the last time we bill, I was
on the conference committee.

SCHULTZ: Yeah.

HOEVEN: And I hand Keystone until the very end and then we dropped it out
when we made the final deal. So this is not the first time, but we`ll find
the right fit.

SCHULTZ: All right. What is the President says no? There`s a lot of
rumors out there, he is very close to a decision and of course you have the
property rights issue in Nebraska. What about those two issues?

HOEVEN: Well, really the litigation that has been settled in Nebraska and
as far as him saying no -- I expect he will say no, you know, he`s delayed
these six years. I don`t think he do that if you were going to say yes.

SCHULTZ: So you think he`s going to say no then?

HOEVEN: Right. I do.

SCHULTZ: OK. Well, as I understand it, it`s been widely reported that in
Nebraska, the property rights issue, eminent domain is in the courts after
taking other couple of years.

HOEVEN: Well, again with litigation, as you know that can -- that`s always
ongoing. So I don`t that you can ever say there would be no future
litigation that relates to any project. The issue is getting the approval
so that you can actually go forward to construction. That`s what we do
with the bill that was passed in Congress.

SCHULTZ: All right. Senator Hoeven, good to have you with us tonight. I
appreciate your time.

HOEVEN: Thanks Ed.

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