Press Release

February 11, 2015
Cardin Denounces House Passage of Keystone XL

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), a senior member of the Environment and Public Works and Foreign Relations committees, decried passage today of S. 1, a bill that overrides the regulatory process and approves an extension of the TransCanada Keystone XL pipeline.

 

“Political theater and false promises should never supersede the rule of law and good science. That is exactly what happened today when the House passed legislation approving the expansion of the Keystone Pipeline.  At a time when oil prices are plummeting, and an oil company can still generate $6.6 billion in quarterly profit, and $87.3 billion in revenue- what is the rush to make is easier for big oil to export some of the dirtiest fuel on earth? ”

 

“America has never been more energy independent and the energy industry has been creating jobs without the northern leg of Keystone. Despite these indisputable facts, Republicans in both Houses of Congress have been insistent on wasting time on a bill that the President rightfully said he would veto. And at what cost? The Republicans have wasted more than a month achieving what amounts to an economic and environmental Pyrrhic victory.  We could have been developing an energy plan that creates jobs, takes into account the real threats associated with climate change, and does not make our heartland an expressway for dirty oil and Canadian money.”

 

“If Republicans are serious about creating jobs and becoming more energy independent, I would suggest looking at any number of infrastructure projects across our country. Namely, the ?Purple Line transit project in ?Prince George’s and Montgomery Counties, MD which would provide more construction work hours, over a longer period of time, and employ more than five times as many people on a permanent basis as Keystone. ”

 

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