Keystone Pipeline JOBS JOBS

  Representative Paul Cook Votes To Construct Keystone Pipeline 

  WASHINGTON D.C. ___  Rep. Paul Cook (R-Apple Valley) voted in favor of H.R. 5682, a bill to approve the Keystone XL Pipeline. This bill passed the House of Representatives with bipartisan support.

H.R. 5682 authorizes TransCanada to construct, connect, operate, and maintain the Keystone XL pipeline, which would carry oil from Canada to Texas. Building the pipeline will create an estimated 20,000 jobs across the country, and will protect the national security interests of the United States by reducing our dependence on oil from overseas. Today’s vote is an important step toward building this crucial pipeline.

An estimated 380,000 barrels of oil will move through the pipeline per day, about half the amount of oil the U.S. imports from the Middle East. TransCanada plans to invest $7 billion in building the pipeline which will generate tax revenue in several states and boosting gross state product by billions of dollars.

Cook said, “The House has acted on behalf of the majority of Americans that support building the Keystone XL Pipeline. This is about jobs, jobs, and more jobs. I’ve always said that we can find ways to protect the environment and still boost the economy. This project will help accomplish that goal. The pipeline will directly create an estimated 20,000 good paying jobs as well as indirectly create thousands of additional jobs nationwide.

“Building the Keystone XL Pipeline is not just good environmental and fiscal policy; it’s good national security policy. The more energy America buys from close allies like Canada, the less dependent the country is on sources of foreign oil from unfriendly places like the Middle East, Venezuela, and Russia.

“I urge the Senate to do the right thing and pass this bill. If the Senate passes the bill it will head to the President’s desk. President Obama can create tens of thousands of American jobs and strengthen our energy security with the stroke of the pen.”