Providing for Consideration of H.R. 1938, North American-Made Energy Security Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. WEBSTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support this rule and the underlying bill. House Resolution 370 provides for a structured rule for consideration of House Bill 1938, the North American-Made Energy Security Act.

The rule makes 11 of the 13 amendments submitted to the Rules Committee in order for robust debate here on the floor of the House of Representatives. All 11 amendments made in order are Democrat amendments, and this legislation passed out of Energy and Commerce with bipartisan support, gathering "yes'' votes from six Democrats on the committee, including the former chairman, Mr. Dingell.

This bill has moved through the committee process with bipartisan support because it does not require anything in the extraordinary to do. Distilled in its simplest form, it directs the President to make a decision. It does not prescribe his decision one way or another; it just simply asks him to act, say "yes'' or say "no.''

After nearly 3 years of review, study, and comment, the President would have to decide whether or not to issue a Presidential permit permitting the Keystone XL pipeline.

This bill does not allow any corners to be cut, any environmental considerations to be glossed over. In fact, not only has it required an Environmental Impact Statement to be executed, but several supplemental statements have been performed as well.

Furthermore, upon receipt of the final Environmental Impact Statement, but not later than November 1, the President still has an additional 30 days to weigh the evidence and make up his mind. After nearly 3 years, he does not have to approve the project nor disapprove the project; he simply has to make a decision.

And what exactly is at stake? What hinges upon the approval or disapproval of this monumental infrastructure project? American job creation, overdue economic growth, and increased national energy security.

TransCanada believes that the approval of the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline will create about 20,000 shovel-ready construction and manufacturing jobs, adding about $6.5 billion in personal income for those workers. It injects more than $20 billion in private sector investment in the U.S. economy.

It generates more than $585 million in new taxes for States and communities along the pipeline route. It pays more than $5.2 billion in property taxes during the life of the pipeline; undeniably strengthens America's energy security by enabling expanded importation of 830,000 barrels of oil a day from our U.S. neighbor and ally instead of importing it from other unfriendly sources.

In fact, according to the United States Department of State, if the pipeline is not approved, "the U.S. would not receive a reliable and cost-efficient source of crude oil from Canada and would remain dependent upon unstable foreign oil supplies from the Middle East, Africa, Mexico, and South America.''

Once again, Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this rule and the underlying legislation. Relevant committees of jurisdiction have worked to provide us with a bipartisan bill which, at its core, is quite simple. It simply directs the administration to make a decision on America's energy and security and job creation.

I encourage my colleagues to vote "yes'' on the rule and "yes'' on the underlying bill.

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Mr. WEBSTER. Mr. Speaker, this rule provides for ample and open debate, allowing our colleagues from across the aisle to offer their legislative proposals to this bill.

Furthermore, the underlying bill addresses two critical concerns, if you listen to speeches made in this Chamber every day, of every Member of this House: unemployment and dependence on OPEC oil.

As I have stated, 20,000 shovel-ready jobs can be created with the approval of this infrastructure project. Approval of the Keystone XL pipeline will also serve to increase oil imports from our friend and neighbor in the north, Canada, while driving down our dependence on oil from countries that, quite frankly, do not share our ideas about democracy and freedom.

Most important, this bill does not force the President to approve this job-creating infrastructure project. It simply asks him, requires him to make up his mind after coordinating with all of the appropriate stakeholders.

I ask my colleagues to join me today in voting in favor of this rule and passage of the underlying bill.

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