Providing for Congressional Disapproval of a Rule Submitted by the National Labor Relations Board

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, the Keystone XL Pipeline means opportunity
for the American people. The President is standing in the way of jobs.
He is standing in the way of affordable energy. He is standing in the
way of our Nation's energy security. His recent veto threat and now
carrying through with the veto sent a clear message that he is more
concerned with political games than increasing opportunity for the
American people.

We are here today to send a strong message that this fight is far
from over.

The Keystone XL Pipeline is a lifeline for many Montana communities.
In fact, the Keystone Pipeline enters the United States through
Montana, and that is why I will keep fighting to get this project
moving forward.

In fact, in our State of Montana alone, the Keystone Pipeline means
$80 million to Montana counties and schools per year. Now, $16 million
per year of that goes directly to our Montana university systems. This
is how we continue to fund our infrastructure, our schools, and our
teachers.

A couple of weeks ago I got a call from Rion Miles. He is the
business manager for the Operating Engineers Local 400 in Montana. He
told me the Keystone XL Pipeline will create 300 good-paying jobs for
his union members in Montana alone. Like most Montanans, Ryan is
scratching his head. He doesn't understand why the President is
standing in the way of these good-paying union jobs.

A while back, I was in my pickup traveling in eastern Montana in the
town of Glasgow. I stopped by the NorVal Co-Op. This co-op supplies
electricity to a few thousand Montana families in northeast Montana.
They told me over a cup of coffee that morning that they will keep
electric rates flat for the next 10 years if the Keystone Pipeline is
approved. Why is that? That is because the NorVal Co-Op is supplying
the electricity to a couple of the pump stations on the Keystone
Pipeline. That extra volume of electricity will help keep costs down
for everybody.

I asked: What happens if the Keystone Pipeline is not approved? They
said electric rates would go up about 40 percent over the next 10
years. That is nearly $500 a year of increase per family. These are
hardworking Montana families living month to month. These are senior
citizens living on fixed incomes, where we can hold their utility
rates, electric rates flat for the next 10 years by passing the
Keystone Pipeline bill.

What about North American energy independence? Up to 830,000 barrels
a day of oil will be transported through this pipeline. Contrary to
what the President has said, 100,000 barrels a day from the Bakken,
which is shared between North Dakota and Montana, will be put into that
pipeline close to Baker, Montana.

The President was just given four Pinocchios by the Washington Post
yesterday for claiming that the Keystone Pipeline bypassed the United
States.

I would like to have the President come to Montana. I will pick him
up in Billings, and we will drive in my pickup. I will show him where
the proposed siting is for the Baker onramp where 100,000 barrels a day
of made-in-Montana and made-in-North Dakota oil will enter the Keystone
Pipeline. The people of Montana and the people in the Bakken region
know the President's claim is absolutely false.

With gas dropping under two bucks a gallon where I am from, that has
been a welcomed change for many, many hard-working Montana families.
Why are gas prices dropping? It is because we are seeing more made-in-
America energy. Again, this lowering in gas prices will result in approximately $750 a year of savings for the average American household. That is a good thing. But rather than hitting pause on our energy production, it is time to encourage it.

Just this morning we were reminded by Israeli Prime Minister
Netanyahu that we are living in an increasingly dangerous world. Our
energy security isn't just about jobs and low energy prices. It is
directly tied to our national security. Whether it is ISIS, whether it
is Boko Haram in Nigeria and Chad, whether it is the Russian aggression
in Eastern Europe or the growing threat of a nuclear Iran, it is
vitally important we move forward with more made-in-America energy
because many of these regions that are filled with turmoil supply much
of the world's oil and natural gas.

I remember just a year ago when we were having some challenges and we
looked at the numbers of what is going on in Ukraine. Nearly 40 percent
of the natural gas that is supplied in Europe comes through pipelines
going through Ukraine. Thankfully, as the United States becomes the
world's largest oil producer this year, surpassing both Russia and
Saudi Arabia, these are positive steps forward towards a more secure
future for our children and grandchildren. We need more made-in-America
energy, not more made-in-the-Middle East oil. The Keystone Pipeline
will help us do just that.

Looking forward, the President's veto isn't the end. This week we
will vote to override the President's veto. I hope we can get three or
four more Senators onboard for this veto vote, and we can do it in the
Senate. I call on my colleagues on both sides of the aisle. It was
encouraging to see a good bipartisan vote in the Senate and in the
House in support of the Keystone Pipeline. Let's stand together, and
let's stand with the American people and override the President's
shortsighted veto. Regardless of the vote, the fight is not over.

This week the President himself said he would make a final decision
on this pipeline. I hope he does. You realize it took the Canadians
just 7 months to approve the Keystone Pipeline--7 months. It has now
taken our President over 6 years without approving the pipeline. We
must keep the pressure on this administration. We must continue to
fight for American jobs, American opportunity, American energy
independence, and low energy prices.

I yield back my time.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source