The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“IT'S TIME TO APPROVE THE KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H1362 on March 13, 2013.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
IT'S TIME TO APPROVE THE KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Montana (Mr. Daines) for 5 minutes.
Mr. DAINES. Mr. Speaker, 1,636; that's how many days it has been since the application to build the Keystone XL pipeline was filed. It took Canada just 7 months to approve the pipeline. President Obama has taken 4\1/2\ years.
Study after study has shown that not only is the pipeline safe, but it will provide a means of transporting oil that is safer than using trains or trucks. It is also environmentally safe. In fact, when compared to other means of transportation, it is perhaps the most environmentally friendly way to transport oil across our country. It will create thousands of jobs--at least 800 in my home State of Montana--and he still won't make a decision.
Earlier this month, the U.S. State Department issued its Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the Keystone XL Presidential permit application, which confirmed what we already knew. The Keystone XL pipeline will have no significant impacts on the environment. In fact, this is the fourth environmental review of the Keystone pipeline--with a final report still to come--even though report after report has stated that the pipeline will not have significant environmental effects.
This report also comes after Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman approved a new route through his State for the Keystone XL pipeline project. Just this past January, I joined 150 other House Members in calling on President Obama to quickly approve the permits for Keystone in light of this new route. That was two months ago, and we have yet to hear anything back from the President.
As a member of the House Energy Action Team, I understand how important this project is to our Nation and to my home State of Montana. Let me be clear--this project means jobs for Montanans. This project could directly create more than 800 good-paying jobs in Montana and thousands more across the Nation.
It means coming one step closer to North American energy independence. The Keystone XL would be able to move up to 830,000 barrels of oil per day. That is about half the amount that the U.S. presently imports from the Middle East. And of the oil moved each day, 100,000 barrels will come from the Bakken formation, which spreads across Montana and North Dakota.
This isn't about politics. Republicans and Democrats alike support the pipeline. This is about our Nation's security. This is about lowering energy costs for American families. This is about American jobs.
Enough is enough. We can't afford to wait any longer. It has been 1,636 days. It's time for President Obama to approve the Keystone XL pipeline.
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