Press Releases

Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Ranking Member Sam Graves (R-MO), Committee on Natural Resources Ranking Member Bruce Westerman (R-AR), and Committee on Energy and Commerce Ranking Member Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) today released the following statements on the incoming administration’s expected revocation of a permit to build the Keystone XL pipeline between Canada and the United States:

Ranking Member Graves (Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure): “Revoking the permit for this critical infrastructure project would be a massive mistake.  Pipelines provide the safest, most efficient, most environmentally friendly means of transporting energy.  Pulling the plug on this project won’t eliminate the need to transport energy resources between Canada and the United States.  Killing Keystone XL will only serve to roll back the progress made toward North American energy independence and eliminate many good jobs.  At this pivotal time for our recovery, I strongly caution the new administration against rolling back good projects that help spur the economy.”

Ranking Member Westerman (Committee on Natural Resources): “The Keystone XL pipeline will be an essential part of American infrastructure, providing safe and reliable energy from one of our strongest allies.  If President-elect Joe Biden halts construction as one of his first acts in office, he will not only be hampering our energy independence, but he will also be putting thousands of well-paying American jobs at risk in the middle of a pandemic.  Pipelines are one of the safest, cheapest ways to transport our natural resources, and stopping their progress would deliver a gut-punch to the economy without instituting any real environmental change.”

Ranking Member McMorris Rodgers (Committee on Energy and Commerce): “President Joe Biden's expected decision to revoke the Keystone XL pipeline permit will hamper America's economic recovery and energy security.  As we recover from the health and economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 shutdowns, there couldn't be a worse time to double down on Obama-era and Green New Deal policies like this.  Is this the beginning of another painfully long recession, where the American people are asking ‘where are the jobs?’ Let's hope not because more than 10 million Americans are out of work.  To win the future and ensure a stronger American comeback, House Republicans on the Energy and Commerce Committee will continue to lead and build on our bipartisan work for projects like Keystone XL for an all-the-above energy strategy to remove regulatory barriers to innovation, create jobs, keep energy costs low, and protect our national security.”

Note: The North America’s Building Trades Unions, International Union of Operating Engineers, United Association, and National Association of Manufacturers sent this joint letter on January 17, 2021 to President-elect Biden in support of the Keystone XL project.