[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 5 (Monday, January 12, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E51]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE ACT

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                               speech of

                         HON. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, January 9, 2015

  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 3, which 
would circumvent the legal approval process and grant blanket automatic 
authority for TransCanada to ``construct, connect, operate, and 
maintain'' the Keystone XL pipeline and cross-border facilities.
  Every cross-border pipeline must undergo a vetting process to make 
sure that it is in the national interest. This process has been ongoing 
at the State Department and has been complicated by disputes over the 
route, most notably in Nebraska, where their Supreme Court ruled on the 
issue just this morning. Today's legislation would provide a special 
deal for one company to bypass federal permitting requirements.
  Additionally, the oil that would be transported by Keystone XL, tar 
sands oil, is currently exempt from the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund 
that is used to fund the response to leaks and accidents. This means 
that the American public would bear the risks for the immediate cleanup 
costs from any potential accidents or leaks from the pipeline. 
Congressman Earl Blumenauer introduced legislation last night, which I 
am proud to cosponsor, to close that loophole and ensure that 
TransCanada and other companies transporting tar sands oil share 
responsibility for those costs by paying into the Oil Spill Liability 
Trust Fund. Democrats are offering a motion today to address this issue 
for the oil that would be transported through the Keystone XL pipeline, 
and I hope my Republican colleagues will work with us to close this 
loophole.
  Ultimately, there is no reason to give special treatment to a single, 
foreign company, which would be exempt from permitting requirements and 
from paying into the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund. We should reject 
this bill and allow the State Department to complete its ongoing 
review.

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