On the recordJanuary 20, 2015
I have the greatest respect for the Senator from Alaska. I wish to say a few things about this private company. This company is asking us to do an extraordinary thing. We are debating this on the floor because they are asking us to circumvent the environmental and safety process here and possibly expose the United States--and the path of this pipeline--to tremendous environmental damage. This is very different. The Senator asked: Why won't this extend to every private enterprise? This is something we are here debating and voting on, and that should say something about the nature of this issue. The United Steelworkers have endorsed my amendment. This is about American jobs. The question is: If we do build this pipeline, should it be built with American steel or should it be built with steel from other countries? Again, in the bill, we make sure this is compliant with our trade obligations. There is nothing to stop us from doing this. This is a private foreign company that is asking us to circumvent our normal processes, and because of that, I feel we have the right to say this should be made with American steel and with jobs in the State of Ohio and in the State of Minnesota--American jobs. If this is about American jobs, let's make it about American jobs. Again, this is a company that is asking us to circumvent our normal processes. So all I will say is that TransCanada has said the pipes that have been made for this can be used in other projects in Canada.…
