North American-Made Energy Security Act

Floor Speech

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Chair, I rise in opposition to H.R. 1938 and object to this majority's repeated attempts to circumvent environmental law and prioritize special interests over sound science.

The Keystone XL is a proposed pipeline project from Alberta, Canada to Port Arthur, Texas. Since the project crosses national boundaries, it requires Presidential approval to proceed. By Executive Order, President Obama has delegated that authority to the State Department, which is in the process of reviewing public comment so that it can finalize the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) required by the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA). Once an EIS has been completed, the State Department will receive final input from other relevant federal agencies, as well as the general public, before making a final determination as to whether the Keystone XL pipeline is in the national interest. According to the State Department, this review--which appropriately includes a thorough evaluation of the project's environmental, marketplace, national security and community impacts--should be completed by the end of the year.

However, rather than allowing that process to come to a timely and considered conclusion, today's legislation sets forth its own demonstrably inaccurate and woefully incomplete findings in order to justify the majority's preferred outcome--and then directs the President to make a final permitting decision by November 1, whether the required evaluation is complete or not.

In truth, one need look no further than the errors and omissions throughout this legislation's findings to understand why an objective, complete, scientifically-based review of the proposed Keystone XL pipeline project is so necessary.

Accordingly, I urge a "no'' vote.

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