Keystone XL Pipeline Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. HOEVEN. Madam President, I wish to thank the Senator from Alaska
and the Senator from Washington as the bill managers. I think they have
done an exceptional job. I know that is not just my opinion, but it is
the opinion on both sides of the aisle. It is not just that they were
able to do the work on this bill, but actually to facilitate the debate
that really enabled us to move through an open amendment process and a
return to regular order. It is not easy to do. Because, obviously, we
had people who had ideas on a whole variety of issues, and, clearly, we
have strong support for legislation, but there are those who oppose
legislation as well. So to find a way to keep that amendment process
going and with more than 40 amendments and, of course, to get to a
final vote and pass the legislation is a real testament to both of the
bill managers.

I thank all of the Members of this body who supported the
legislation. A bipartisan vote getting more than 60 votes is no small
achievement for any piece of legislation. Of course this bill already
passed the House.

We are already conferring now with the House on whether we will need
to go to conference or hopefully get their concurrence, but obviously
our objective is to put it on the President's desk as soon as possible.
This is an important step in building the kind of energy plan this
country needs. We can't get to energy independence or energy security
without building the infrastructure we need to move that energy from
where it is produced to where it is consumed.

We have to remember that, yes, this is about working with our closest
friend and ally, Canada. Some of the oil in the pipeline will be moved
from oil production in Canada, but it is also about moving our domestic
oil in this country from States such as mine and from the State of
Montana and moving that oil as safely and as efficiently and
effectively as possible and moving it in a way that actually produces
less emissions than if we try to move all that oil on trains, which is
what is being done now.

Moved on trains, we are talking 1,400 railcars a day instead of
moving it through a pipeline. It is not only a safety issue, it is not
only a cost issue, it is not only an efficiency issue, it is about
producing less emissions and making sure we don't create congestion on
our railroads to move all of the other goods we want to move. This is
about building the kind of infrastructure plan for energy and other
things we want for this country. I hope the President now will join
with us. Clearly we are going to move this to his desk, and I hope he
will work with us. That is what the American people want.

If we look at this legislation, if we look at this Keystone XL
Pipeline project, it is about energy. It is about jobs. It is about
helping to grow our economy. It is about working to achieve national
security in terms of energy security. It is about building the right
kind of energy plan for the future of our country.

Here is where we are. This process was started over 6 years ago. Not
only has this Congress, both the House and the Senate, now advanced
this bill in a bipartisan way with strong bipartisan majorities in both
Chambers, but every State on the route, all six States on the route
have approved this project as well. We have the Congress that has
approved it on a bipartisan basis. We have all six States that are
included on the route. They have approved it through their processes.
We have the supreme court in the State of Nebraska which has
adjudicated, legislated in that State. That has been resolved.

Our closest friend and ally, Canada, wants us to work with them on
energy security for North American energy security, but most important
of all the American people want this done. In poll after poll, the
American people overwhelmingly support this project. Over the last 3
years, the support has ranged from 65 percent to 75 percent. Even in
the most recent poll that came out this month, 3 to 1, 65 percent to 22
percent, the people want the President to sign this bill. Again, I hope
the President will join with us and work with us and support this
legislation as we work with our leader on the energy committee and with
our ranking member.

We don't agree on everything, obviously, but there are things we can
work on together. We are working to build the right kind of energy plan
for this country to get energy security. There will be more work to do,
but I hope the President will join us in a bipartisan way and sign this
legislation.

Again, my thanks to the bill managers, to the Members of this body
who supported the legislation. I appreciate it very much.

I know the good Senator from Texas has a few words, but I will first
yield the floor back to the Senator from Alaska.

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