WASHINGTON, DC - The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy and Power, chaired by Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-KY), today approved legislation to strengthen America’s energy security and create tens of thousands of new jobs. The North American-Made Energy Security Act (H.R. 1938) was approved by the subcommittee by voice vote. The bipartisan bill now moves to the full Energy and Commerce Committee for consideration.
The North American-Made Energy Security Act, introduced by Rep. Lee Terry (R-NE), would expedite a final decision on the Presidential Permit for the Keystone XL pipeline, an expansion of an existing pipeline that would bring oil from Alberta, Canada and North Dakota to U.S. refineries. Completion of the pipeline expansion will bring nearly 1.3 million barrels per day of safe and secure oil into U.S. markets. In addition to bringing more oil online, the pipeline expansion project is estimated to directly create 20,000 jobs for its construction and many thousands more related to the effort.
“With Canada’s oil sands coming online and the enormous untapped resources residing here in the U.S., North America appears to have the capacity to break free from unfriendly sources of oil and bring down prices at the pump. There’s only one thing standing in the way - the Obama administration," said Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI). “This legislation will end the delays and require this administration to make a timely decision on this pipeline. I look forward to advancing this bill through the full committee and the House."
“Is it better for the U.S. to get its oil from North American sources or from countries that are hostile to us? If we let this opportunity slip by because of delaying this decision, this North American energy supply will go to other countries and be returned to us at a premium. Not only that, we will lose jobs that could have been created both in construction and refining. We cannot afford to continue to delay," said Terry.
