Press Releases

Today, the Obama Administration announced it was rejecting the permit application for the Keystone XL pipeline. 

Congressional Western Caucus Chairman Steve Pearce (R-NM) released the following statement following the Administration’s announcement:   

“Once again, the Obama Administration has decided to capitulate to special interests instead of fighting for American jobs and energy security.  It is incredibly frustrating to watch as this Administration kills so many potential jobs while the country’s unemployment rate remains so high.

“This Administration claims its top job is to get American’s back to work. Just yesterday, the President’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness stated in a report that we need an “all in” approach to energy policy, including new pipeline construction. However, their actions today are yet another example where their loyalties lie. Unless they are government created jobs that do not interfere with the agenda of their special interest supporters, this Administration is clearly not interested in employing people, even if it means sending precious resources to China while risking our economic and national security by continuing our dependence on oil from unfriendly nations. ”

The Keystone XL pipeline is a 1700 mile, $7 billion non tax-payer funded pipeline which would deliver over 700,000 barrels of oil from Canada to refineries in the United States. Last August, the State Department issued a complimentary Environmental Impact Statement on the project.  The project would create an immediate 20,000 jobs.