Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I would like to address the Senate on the subject of the Keystone XL Pipeline, which has been reported to be part of the proposed package that would contain the extension of the payroll tax holiday and the expiring unemployment insurance benefits. There have been some who have raised questions about the pipeline and some who have said they object to it being included in the package, but I would like to hopefully shed a little light--maybe not so much heat-- on the subject, coming from a State such as mine, which is an energy- producing state. We are very familiar with the oil and gas pipelines and the safety measures that need to be undertaken to keep them safe and to keep them from contaminating the environment. This is not some sort of alien technology or something the industry does not have the expertise to deal with in a safe and secure and appropriate manner. The legislation that is being proposed in the payroll tax holiday would require the Secretary of State to issue a Presidential permit within 60 days of enactment--and this does not take the President out of the equation--unless the President publicly determines this project is not in the national interest. So if for some reason--really beyond my comprehension--President Obama were to determine that building this pipeline was not in the public's interest, he could, under the terms of this legislation, essentially veto it.…”