[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 183 (Thursday, December 1, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8081-S8082]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE

  Mr. McCONNELL. Yesterday, Republicans drew attention to one of the 
greatest fumbles of this administration yet, and this is astonishing. I 
don't know how many Americans are familiar with the proposed Keystone 
XL Pipeline, but this is an issue every single American is soon going 
to learn a lot about. The Keystone XL Pipeline is the single largest 
shovel-ready project in our entire country--the single largest shovel-
ready project in our entire country. It would transport oil from 
Canada--our friendly neighbor to the north--to the gulf coast. It is 
privately funded, so it would not cost the taxpayer a dime, and we are 
told that its approval would lead to the creation of 20,000 jobs, not 
some other time but immediately, right now.
  This project is enormous. It is a huge job creator, and it is ready 
to go. Labor unions love this project. Folks in the Heartland love this 
project. The Chamber of Commerce loves this project. But here is the 
problem: President Obama is getting heat from his base over this 
project, especially from the very young and very liberal voters he will 
need knocking on doors before November. So the State Department now 
says they are going to delay the approval--even though previously they 
were seemingly ready to approve it after a 3-year review that has 
already occurred, including two exhaustive environmental evaluations.
  Here is the bottom line. The President has said time and time again 
that his top priority is jobs. Yet here we have the single largest 
shovel-ready project in the country ready to go, and he is delaying its 
approval--interestingly enough--until after the election next year. He 
is saying he doesn't care so much about jobs in States such as 
Nebraska--that he doesn't think he will carry next year--so he can keep 
the enthusiasm up in States he hopes to carry. So I think it is pretty 
clear the President cares less about this particular boon for job 
creation than his own job preservation, and it is wrong.
  There is no reason whatsoever to delay this project and these jobs by 
another day. As the President recently put it, we have to decide what 
our priorities are. We have to ask ourselves what is not just best for 
me but what is best for us. What is the best way to grow the economy 
and create jobs? It was President Obama who said that. That is why 
Republicans are proposing legislation today that would require the 
President either to approve this massive job-creating project within 60 
days or to explain clearly why he doesn't think it is in the national 
interest to do so. We will give the President 60 days--not after next 
year's election but 60 days--to decide why this should not be approved 
and explain it to us. We think the people who want to start hiring 
deserve action or a straightforward explanation from the President 
himself as to why he opposes it.

[[Page S8082]]

  Get this pipeline going right now or get out of the way.
  I yield the floor.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Pennsylvania.

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