[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 5 (Monday, January 12, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S133-S134]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, last week the House of Representatives 
voted on a bipartisan basis to pass a Keystone jobs and infrastructure 
bill. Meanwhile, the Senate energy committee got the process moving in 
this Chamber as it debated and approved a bipartisan Keystone measure 
as well. The committee consideration allows Senators from both parties 
to offer amendments and make their voices heard. It is the kind of 
serious legislating many Senators have been waiting a long time to see. 
It is the latest example of Congress getting back to work under a new 
Republican majority.
  Later this afternoon we will consider a cloture motion that will 
allow us to proceed to a similarly open debate here on the Senate 
floor. I know Senators from both sides are hungry for a real Senate 
debate. I know they want to offer amendments. I know they are anxious 
to finally have their voices and the voices of the people they 
represent heard here on the Senate floor. I expect the cloture motion 
to pass on a bipartisan basis.
  Of course, we originally hoped to start this process last Thursday. 
We wanted to spend Friday working on this bipartisan jobs bill, but the 
Senate lost that opportunity when some colleagues across the aisle 
objected to beginning the debate.
  Now, moving forward, what I would urge is for our Democratic friends 
to work with us as the new Republican majority continues to bring more 
openness to the Senate. The changes we are making are ones that many 
Democrats have indicated they want to see as well. The reforms we are 
implementing will give a real voice to constituents represented by 
Democratic Senators. We need to work together to ensure positive change 
takes hold. I am hopeful that will happen.
  Here is one consequence of that delay I mentioned. The Nebraska 
Supreme Court has since eliminated what has to be the last conceivable 
pretext to veto the Keystone jobs bill, so we will be starting the 
Senate's debate at a time when the rationale for building this pipeline 
has almost never been more obvious.
  I know the American people would welcome a change in posture from the 
President. I know supporters in both parties are determined to get a 
bipartisan jobs and infrastructure bill to his desk as soon as 
possible. We will take the next step in the process at 5:30 p.m. today, 
and then we will have an open floor debate on jobs, the middle class,

[[Page S134]]

infrastructure, and energy. At the end of this process, we will send a 
bipartisan jobs bill to the President. We will fulfill our pledge to 
stop protecting him from good ideas. It may force the President to 
finally make a difficult choice between jobs and the middle class 
versus the demands of powerful special interests, but President Obama 
now has every reason to sign the bipartisan jobs and infrastructure 
bill we will pass.
  I yield the floor.

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