Barack Obama Draws Fire From David Rivera on Energy

Florida Republican U.S. Rep. David Rivera tore into President Barack Obama on Tuesday over the administrations decision to postpone the Keystone XL project.

President Obama has decided to play politics with an issue that intersects at the avenues of jobs, foreign affairs and energy, said Rivera. By postponing the approval of the Keystone pipeline, out of a concern for his own electoral future, the president has jeopardized 20,000 American jobs --something we can ill afford at a time of 9 percent unemployment.

Ironically, while the Obama administration is preventing our neighbor and friend, Canada, from completing the Keystone pipeline project, it is facilitating drilling less than 90 miles from the coast of my home state of Florida by a designated state sponsor of terrorism, added Rivera. The Obama administration is sending a mixed foreign-policy message that seems to say that America is willing to offend our allies while allowing enemies like Cuba to engage in activities that could harm our nations environment and economy.

The presidents decision to postpone the Keystone pipeline project until after he attempts to win re-election has forced TransCanadas hand to find alternatives for where to sell their substantial oil reserves, continued Rivera. The company has primarily been looking at building a pipeline to Canadas west coast that would allow them to sell oil to the Chinese.As Americas opportunity to decrease our dependence on oil from the Middle East slips through our fingers with the postponement of the Keystone project, China is picking up our slack and taking advantage of the situation.

Mr. President, this is not a time to put politics ahead of our nations economic wellbeing, Rivera said in closing. This is a time to lead.