Approval of the Keystone XL Pipeline

Floor Speech

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Mr. SCALISE. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Whitfield for yielding, and I especially want to thank my colleague from Louisiana, Congressman Cassidy, for the leadership that he had in fighting hard to get this bill brought to the floor so we can finally get the Keystone pipeline built.

If you look at this issue, this is all about jobs, and it is all about American energy security, Mr. Speaker. What does the Keystone pipeline mean for America? According to the Obama administration, 40,000 jobs will be created here in America, good jobs that our economy needs.

In fact, this is not a partisan issue; this is a very bipartisan issue. Republicans and Democrats alike have come together and said, "Build the Keystone pipeline.'' Even the labor unions have said, "Build the Keystone pipeline.''

Unfortunately, just a small group of radical environmental extremists have held this project hostage, and President Obama has hidden behind studies and subterfuge to say, "Don't do it.''

Now, Congress can come together in a bipartisan way and say, "Let's get this thing done.'' Let's actually work with Canada, who is a friend, Mr. Speaker, and bring almost a million barrels a day of oil from Canada that we will no longer need to get from countries who don't like us. This isn't about a million new barrels coming into America; it is about deciding who we are going to do business with.

When we trade with Canada, we get about 80 cents on the dollar back. When we send billions of dollars to Middle Eastern countries, sometimes that money is used against us, against our troops, and we get less than 50 cents on the dollar back.

Everything about this says do it, says "yes.'' Stop staying "no'' to American jobs. Stop saying ``no'' to American energy security.

This is an issue that brings people together, and there was a message that the American people sent last week. They don't want a go-alone President. They want a Washington that can work for them. This is a classic example of how Republicans and Democrats can come together and say "yes'' to a project that creates good jobs for our country and creates American energy security for our Nation.

The time for studies is over. This has been studied to death for 6 years. Everybody that looks at this says, "You have got to do it.'' All we are saying is let the United States agree with Canada to cross the border. They still have to get the permits from each State that this pipeline would go through and all those great jobs that would come with that pipeline and the billions of dollars of private investment.

The time for studying is over, Mr. Speaker. It is time for action. It is time for those great American jobs. It is time to say "yes'' to the Keystone pipeline. I urge approval from my colleagues for this bill.

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