Political Quotes

“This bill is a charade. It purports to increase oil production in America, yet it would direct construction of a pipeline designed to export oil. There is already one Keystone pipeline from the tar sands of Alberta into America. That pipeline terminates in Oklahoma and supplies America with oil derived from tar sands. If the Republicans wanted to bring a bill to the floor that would increase domestic access to this oil, then it would support it. In fact, Mr. Markey and I introduced an amendment to ensure that oil from the Keystone pipeline would benefit American consumers, and it wasn't allowed on the floor. The Republican leadership wouldn't even let this amendment come for debate. They claim this pipeline will deliver oil to America but have used a backdoor procedural trick to block debate on it. The amendment Mr. Markey and I introduced was the only germane amendment which was blocked by the Rules Committee. Why? Because it gives lie to the real intent of this bill: oil for export, not for domestic consumption. Our amendment met all of the parliamentary tests necessary to come to the floor and didn't increase spending. All it would have done was ensure that Keystone pipeline oil would flow to America rather than China, Cuba, or some other country. The fact that the Republicans blocked this simple amendment shows that the bill before us today isn't about energy security or gas prices but about oil company profits and exports.…”