A large group of House Republicans, led by North Dakota Congressman Kelly Armstrong, introduced legislation that aims to preserve the Keystone XL Pipeline. The Keystone XL Pipeline Construction and Jobs Preservation Act greenlights construction and operation of the pipeline, and deems a presidential permit unnecessary. The resolution is a direct rebuke to President Biden’s move to pause construction of the pipeline, which will cause an influx of job loss.
The legislation is co-sponsored by a total of 85 House Republican lawmakers, including GOP Leader Kebin McCarthy (CA), Whip Steve Scalise (LA), and Conference Chair Liz Cheney (WY).
E&C Republican Leader?@CathyMcMorris on the Keystone XL Pipeline Construction and Jobs Preservation Act:
— Energy & Commerce GOP (@HouseCommerce) February 2, 2021
“Thanks to @RepArmstrongND’s leadership our bill saves jobs, protects U.S. national security, keeps energy costs low, and promotes American-led energy innovation.” https://t.co/IYYeOcqEMP
Today I introduced legislation to construct the Keystone XL Pipeline.
— Congressman Kelly Armstrong (@RepArmstrongND) February 2, 2021
Pipelines are safe and Keystone XL has earned all necessary permits.
Let’s build it.
Scalise accused the president of engaging in an “all-out assault” on American jobs.
“President Biden has initiated an all-out assault on American jobs, starting with his day-one decision to cancel the Keystone Pipeline. President Biden had a choice of whether he would support our recent progress toward American energy independence, lower household energy costs, and the creation of well-paying American jobs, and instead he sold out those hard-working families to appease the most radical left base of his party,” the GOP Whip said in a release. “By revoking the Keystone XL pipeline permit, President Biden has chosen the opposite path, harming hard-working families, and placing American energy security at risk, while forcing us to be reliant upon countries who emit more carbon to produce the same energy, thus increasing global carbon emissions while crushing thousands of good American jobs.”
While signing a climate-related executive order, Biden said that the nation has “waited too long” to deal with the “climate crisis” that he used to justify killing thousands of well-paying American jobs.