Political Quotes

“Since 1968, oil pipelines that cross international borders have been reviewed and authorized by the Department of State. That is nearly 50 years. This is common sense. After all, the State Department handles diplomacy, the State Department manages treaties related to our international boundaries, and the State Department is responsible for the security of pathways for our pipelines. But the bill we are considering today would shift decisionmaking authority for those pipelines from the State Department, which is equipped to handle all aspects of this issue, to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which isn't equipped. So it just doesn't make any sense to me, Mr. Chairman. It seems quite arbitrary and quite foolish and moving in the wrong direction. This is change for change's sake, and it wouldn't improve the process. My amendment would prevent this mistake. It would simply ensure that permitting authority for cross-border oil pipelines remains with the Department of State. That is the permitting authority for cross-border oil pipelines to remain with the Department of State. In each of the past two Congresses, my friends in the majority agreed. They passed substantially similar legislation to change the cross-border pipeline permitting process, but they kept the final approval authority where it belongs, with the Department of State.…”