WASHINGTON, D.C. — Thursday, the U.S. Committee on Energy and Commerce, chaired by Cass County’s congressman, U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, passed bipartisan legislation to create jobs, lower energy prices and fortify American energy security by supporting the expansion of the Keystone XL pipeline.
Upton is an original cosponsor of H.R. 1938, the North American-Made Energy Security Act, which would expedite a Presidential Permit for a 1,661-mile extension of the energy pipeline from Alberta, Canada, to refineries in the United States.
Expansion of the pipeline would allow for transportation of 1.3 million barrels of oil to the United States each day as well as create more than 100,000 jobs.
H.R. 1938 passed the Energy and Commerce Committee Thursday afternoon by a bipartisan vote of 33-13 and now awaits action before the full House.
“This is yet another instance of government bureaucracy impeding job creation and compromising our energy security,” said Upton.
“While our growing energy needs must be met with increases in domestic production, Michigan families would much rather look to our energy-producing allies to the north than a hostile regime overseas.
“Shifting our oil imports to a friendly neighbor while also creating countless jobs here at home is a matter of common sense.”
Upton had sent a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton last November, urging the administration to promptly approve the Presidential Permit application.
A resolution was also introduced in the Michigan Legislature last month by state Sen. John Proos of Berrien County, calling on Secretary Clinton and the U.S. Congress to push for approval of the Keystone pipeline project.