[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 8]
[House]
[Page 10604]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE MEANS SAFER COMMUNITIES

  (Mr. FITZPATRICK asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. FITZPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, as U.S. oil production continues to 
grow, the increased burden of moving these resources is falling upon 
our Nation's railways. In 2013, American railroads shipped more than 
400,000 carloads of crude oil by rail, compared to under 10,000 just 6 
years ago.
  Increasing the amount of oil being transported has left communities 
like those I represent in danger of potential accidents. Increased 
domestic energy production remains a critical part of a strategy to 
decrease energy costs and reduce our dependency on foreign oil. We must 
not, however, wait for another accident to take preventative measures.
  We need the infrastructure and protections to safely transport these 
resources across our country. Recent steps to ensure the safety of 
crude oil transportation through our communities are an improvement, 
but more can be done. Building the Keystone pipeline will help to 
safely move resources.
  Our Nation is blessed with vast energy potential. We can safely and 
responsibly take advantage of these resources, and I look forward to 
working with all involved to making transportation safer for 
communities in our district and across our Nation.

                          ____________________