Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share my grave concern about the Keystone XL pipeline and H.R. 3, the Northern Route Approval Act, which, unfortunately, passed through committee this past week. It will allow accelerated building of this pipeline and give certain advantages to a foreign country--Canada--against our citizens that otherwise would have rights to go to court, which are being deprived. The world's foremost climatologist, former NASA scientist Dr. James Hansen, was one of the first scientists to warn of the dangers of burning carbon fuel. He has likened the building and the use of the Keystone XL pipeline to the lighting of the ``fuse to the biggest carbon bomb on the planet,'' and nothing less. Dr. Hansen warns that the completion of the Keystone XL pipeline will only reinforce our dependence on fossil fuels, not strengthen our Nation's energy independence, which has been argued by some on the other side. By furthering our dependence on fossil fuels, we only push Earth farther and farther away from the point of no return. Just last week, the highest rating of carbon in our atmosphere ever was recorded in Hawaii--400 points. This portends a hotter summer even than the hottest summers we have ever faced on this planet. Building a pipeline that carries the dirtiest of oils--tar sands-- from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico on their way to China is exactly the opposite of addressing climate change in America. So, next week, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on H.R.…”