Senator Seeks To Expedite Keystone XL Pipeline

February 1, 2012

Convenient Store Decisions

CSD Staff

Senator John Hoeven (R-ND) has introduced legislation, which would expedite the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline by granting Congress the authority to move the project forward without the President’s consent.

Citing Congress’s authority enumerated in the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution, Article 1, Section 8, Senator Hoeven, along with Senators David Vitter (R-LA), Richard Lugar (R-IN) and 42 other Senators, introduced the legislation to allow work to being immediately on the pipeline. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), was the lone democrat who signed onto the bill. The legislation will give the Nebraska state government time to find an alternative route through the state.

Meanwhile, Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX) introduced a pro-Keystone bill last week. Rep. Poe’s bill is similar to Senator Hoeven’s bill. H.R. 3811, “The Keystone for A Secure Tomorrow Act (K-FAST),” now has 32 House cosponsors. While H.R. 3811 is likely to pass the House, it faces an uncertain future in the Senate. Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) has indicated that he’s open to attaching the pro-Keystone bill to the Highway reauthorization bill, which Congress will consider next month.

Approval of the Keystone XL pipeline would greatly enhance America’s energy security. According to experts, the proposed pipeline could bring up to four million barrels of Canadian crude oil per day by 2020, which is twice what the U.S. is currently importing from the Persian Gulf. Most labor unions, along with API and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, support the Keystone XL Pipeline.

PMAA was disappointed in the President’s recent decision to deny the permit and will continue to supports efforts in the House and Senate to have the pipeline approved as soon as possible. Senator Hoeven and Rep. Poe’s bill will help create thousands of jobs and will bring needed oil supplies to the Gulf of Mexico.

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