Marathon Pundit: GOP statements about Obama ruling against job-creating Keystone XL pipeline

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

GOP statements about Obama ruling against job-creating Keystone XL pipeline

Will Feb. 2011 be viewed as the good-
old-days this summer?

President "We Can't Wait" Obama can't wait to please his Hollywood environmentalist cronies. Luckily, Republican officials view things differently and they may control the White House and both chambers of Congress a year from now. And the White House.

If gasoline hits $5 a gallon this summer--you know who to blame. Obama and his anti-fossil fuel administration.

Here are some GOP statements about Obama's cave-in to the environmental extremists.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY):

Since when is the creation of thousands of jobs not in the national interest as the President now claims? His decision to block the development of the Keystone XL pipeline, thousands of jobs, and increased energy security is stunning. His decision shows a fundamental disconnect with job creation in this country, and sadly, that his focus is on appealing to his liberal environmental base rather than taking steps that can lead to thousands of jobs and energy security for our nation.

Chief Deputy Whip Peter Roskam (R-IL):

This Administration is proving to Americans they just don't understand what will help middle class employment. Even with the American economy starved for jobs, the President chose to side with political allies over thousands of reliable, middle-class American jobs. The expansion of the privately-funded Keystone XL Pipeline would have brought more reliable energy from an American ally – marginalizing hostile foreign powers – and created 20,000 new American union construction and manufacturing jobs. A no-cost project like Keystone is exactly the type of low-hanging fruit that Americans expect Washington to support. For a president that talks about uniting, he’s squandered a rare opportunity to join with Republicans, Democrats, unions, American businesses, and his very own jobs council.

Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL):

It's appalling to see the President's Administration block the Keystone XL Pipeline - particularly after his own jobs council yesterday called for an "all-in approach" to energy policy that incorporates expanded oil and gas drilling in addition to advancing energy projects such as pipelines.

The report stated: "The Council recognizes the important safety and environmental concerns surrounding these types of projects, but now more than ever, the jobs and economic and energy security benefits of these energy projects require us to tackle the issues head-on and to expeditiously, though cautiously, move forward on projects that can support hundreds of thousands of jobs."

The Keystone XL Pipeline would have done just that. This pipeline would directly create 20,000 manufacturing and construction jobs and 118,000 total jobs. In addition, we would see 830,000 barrels of safe and secure oil each day from our friends to the North, which means we will need less oil from countries we can no longer rely on and are not friendly to the interests of the United States.

The Keystone XL extension has bipartisan support in Congress and across the country. Manufacturers and union organizations alike are also supportive. And, last summer, the State Department announced this extension passed environmental reviews.

Unfortunately, this missed opportunity is yet another major example of the President placing politics before the people. The fact is that someone will benefit from the oil out of Alberta. If it’s not the United States, it will be China - and it will be American businesses and consumers who will suffer the consequences from our inaction.

The freshman from Manteno spoke on the House floor this morning praising the benefits of a project that will create at least 100,000 jobs.

One of those GOPers who will likely be part of the post-2012 Republican-majority Senate is George Allen of Virginia. His campaign office issued a statement as well.

This negative, political decision is a disappointing continuation of the counterproductive energy policies that are punishing working families and small business owners with unnecessarily high fuel and energy costs. These harmful approaches, which Tim Kaine supports, are causing higher costs for farmers, high food and gasoline costs for struggling families and fewer job opportunities for Americans. Virginians deserve a U.S. Senator who will put jobs and lower energy costs over partisan politics. It's time for America to take control of our own destiny by unleashing our plentiful energy resources to help create millions of jobs, increase our supply of affordable energy, allow Americans to access secure sources of energy, and keep our money here in the U.S.A. while generating trillions in revenues to the government – without raising taxes.

Rep. Don Manzullo (R-IL):

The president's decision today to kill the Keystone XL pipeline project is outrageous. The president had an opportunity to support the project and put more than 100,000 Americans to work while ensuring our nation a stable energy supply from our friends in Canada. Instead, his denial will keep those Americans on the unemployment lines and ensure the United States remains dependant on costly, foreign oil from unstable sources overseas. Two of the largest challenges standing in the way of America's return to prosperity are unemployment and high gasoline prices, and the President denied a great opportunity to make progress on both fronts today.

As the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific and the chairman of the U.S.-Canada Interparliamentary Exchange, I am also concerned that the president's denial today will push Canada to partner with China on this additional energy source. Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper previously warned President Obama that his denial of Keystone would force the Canadians to seek new customers in Asia, and that would be a disaster for American manufacturers trying to compete with their Chinese competitors.