Republican Senators Request "Yes" or "No" from Obama on Keystone

U.S. Senator David Vitter (R-La.), top Republican on the Environment and Public Works Committee, along with Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas), and Senator John Thune (R-S.D.), wrote to President Obama requesting his opinion on legislation that would authorize and build the Keystone XL Pipeline.

"Multiples attempts to have the Senate vote to approve the pipeline over the past 2 years have been rejected by Democratic leadership prior to the recent November election. Now that they are planning to hold a vote, it is essential that we understand your position on this legislation," wrote the Senators. "The American people deserve to know if the effort by Democratic leadership to finally make good on our request to vote to approve the Keystone XL Pipeline is a serious attempt to build the pipeline and grow our economy, or if this is a shell game designed to give certain Democratic Senators cover as they meet with constituents to discuss this issue."

The House of Representatives is expected to vote today on H.R. 5682, introduced by Representative Bill Cassidy (R-La.), which would authorize building the Keystone XL pipeline. The Senate is expected to vote on Keystone next week, and an arrangement has been made in the Senate to send H.R. 5682 to the President upon passage.

Vitter was the 1st member of the Senate to introduce legislation to expedite the Keystone pipeline. The Keystone XL pipeline will carry 830,000 barrels of oil a day to U.S. refineries. According to the U.S. State Department, its construction will create 42,000 jobs. Vitter also reintroduced legislation this Congress. Click here to read more.

Click here to read today's letter.

-30-

There are currently no comments for this story. Be the first to add a comment!
Click here to add a comment about this story.