WASHINGTON (May 11) – Congressman Spencer Bachus (AL-6) is giving his strong support in favor of expediting construction of the Keystone oil pipeline between the U.S. and Canada

            Bachus said completing the pipeline is critical to jobs and American energy security. With 110 House colleagues, Congressman Bachus has signed a letter urging House and Senate negotiators to authorize construction of the pipeline in a transportation bill now being finalized.

            “President Obama’s refusal to allow the Keystone pipeline to be built is inexcusable at a time when gas prices are high and the U.S. remains dangerously dependent on oil from hostile regimes in the Middle East. The Keystone pipeline would bring up to a million barrels of oil a day to the U.S. from Canada. If we do not act soon, the oil might go to China instead. There should be no more delays in building the Keystone pipeline and it is proper for Congress to move it forward,” said Bachus.

            The text of the May 7 letter to Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chair Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Ranking Member James Inhofe (R-OK), House Transportation Infrastructure Chairman John Mica (R-FL), and Ranking Member Nick Rahall (D-WV) appears below.

Dear Conferees:

As you work to reconcile differences between House and Senate versions of the transportation bill, we write to urge you to ensure the inclusion of language relating to the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline without adding obstacles to the flow of U.S. energy imports and exports.

Constructing the Keystone XL pipeline would increase American national and energy security while helping to stabilize and lower gas prices. Reliable oil imports from our northern neighbor and ally, Canada, would counter the uncertainty in energy markets produced by political and economic unrest in other major oil producing nations. Analysis conducted by EnSys Energy for the Department of Energy projects that, in the long-term, reduced U.S. demand for petroleum products in combination with increased imports of Canadian crude could “essentially eliminate” Middle East crude imports. Increased imports of Canadian crude would also allow the termination of imports from countries like Venezuela, preventing American dollars from propping up dangerous regimes like that of Hugo Chavez.

Keystone XL would create jobs and have a positive impact on the American economy. Energy Policy Research Foundation, Inc. estimates that 15,000 construction jobs will be created to install the pipeline, and five major labor unions have endorsed the project. Thousands of jobs will be created as refineries expand and contractors build equipment to construct the pipeline. The project will also funnel millions of dollars of indirect activity into the economy and to States along the pipeline route through property taxes.

In addition to the bipartisan support in the House and Senate, a solid majority of Americans support construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. The Conference Committee has the opportunity to ensure the Keystone XL pipeline is built quickly and properly through the transportation bill. We hope you will ensure that language to allow for its construction is included in the conference report.

We appreciate your attention to this pressing matter.