WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., said he was “outraged with the president’s decision to further delay this shovel-ready project”  in response to President Barack Obama’s rejection of the Keystone XL pipeline project.
Upton and fellow House Energy and Commerce Committee leaders today outlined new plans to move forward on the job-creating pipeline, scheduling a hearing next week and announcing their intent to move forward on legislation that will restart the project.
The Keystone XL project, which is projected to create 20,000 construction and manufacturing jobs, is a proposed 1,700-mile extension of an existing pipeline linking energy supplies in Canada to the United States. When complete, the Keystone pipeline system is expected to carry 1.4 million barrels of oil each day to refineries in the United States, significantly expanding North American energy supplies and reducing the country’s need to import oil from unstable regions of the world.
“Folks in Michigan are eager for real solutions to create jobs and secure our energy future,” said Upton, of St. Joseph.  “The American people cannot wait any longer.”
“Gasoline prices have nearly doubled over the past three years and they are only expected to go higher moving forward. Canada is our ally and closest trading partner, and it would be foolish to let this pro-jobs, pro-energy project slip through our fingers now. Canada is developing these resources one way or another.”
If we don’t work with Canada on this, then China will.  I am outraged with the President’s decision to further delay this shovel ready project.  Be assured, I will continue to focus my efforts on jobs and our economy.”