01.29.15

Hoeven Statement on Senate Passage of His Keystone XL Approval Legislation

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven today issued the following statement after the U.S. Senate passed bipartisan legislation authored by the senator to approve the cross-border Keystone XL pipeline project. The measure passed 62 to 36.

“Today, the U.S. Senate passed bipartisan legislation I authored and introduced to approve the Keystone XL pipeline based on Congress’s authority under the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution. The administration has delayed this important infrastructure project for more than six years. Despite a series of environmental reviews, all of which conclude that the project will have no significant environmental impact, President Obama has repeatedly postponed a decision.

“Both the U.S. Senate and House have now passed legislation approving the Keystone XL project, and the American people have repeatedly expressed their support for it. In a recent poll, 65 percent of registered voters said they believe the president should sign our bill approving the pipeline, and only 22 percent believe he should veto it. In fact, public support for the Keystone XL pipeline has been consistently strong for years. At the end of last year, 68 percent expressed support for the project; in 2013, 70 percent expressed support for it; and in 2012, 67 percent said the project should be built.

“This is about energy, jobs, economic activity, national security, and building the right kind of infrastructure we need to achieve all of these things. The will of the American people and Congress is clear. I encourage the president to sign this legislation and work with us not only to build this vital infrastructure project, but also to help us develop a true comprehensive, all-of-the-above energy plan for our nation.”