Ed Whitfield: “Thank you very much for yielding. And I would reiterate, once again, that the application to build the Keystone pipeline…”

“Thank you very much for yielding. And I would reiterate, once again, that the application to build the Keystone pipeline was filed on September 19, 2008. Since that time, over 15,500- and-some-odd pages of environmental studies have been conducted. As a matter of fact, the Secretary of State, who is involved because this pipeline crosses international boundaries between Canada and America--and by the way, if this pipeline was to be built only in America, it would have been approved a long time ago. The only reason it has not been approved is because President Obama has made a decision not to approve it. Labor unions support it. Every time we've had a hearing, the four international labor union presidents have come and said, We want this pipeline. Not one dime of Federal or taxpayer dollars will be in this pipeline, a $8 billion project, 20,000 jobs. We have the opportunity to be independent for our energy needs in America. The International Energy Agency said just recently that more oil will be produced in America by 2020 than even in Russia today. And with this pipeline coming in, the additional pipeline oil that will be coming from Canada, we have an opportunity to be independent even more quickly perhaps. {time} 1510 Our friends on the other side of the aisle say, Well, one reason we are opposed to this is because this oil, when it gets to Port Arthur, Texas, will be exported.…”