Despite a veto threat from President Barack Obama, the U.S. House voted to authorize construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline on Friday.
The House passed HR 3 authorizing the pipeline on a 266-153 vote. Not a single Republican in the chamber voted against the bill and 28 Democrats -- including Florida U.S. Reps. Gwen Graham and Patrick Murphy -- crossed party lines to join the GOP majority.
After the vote, U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., said Obama has blocked the authorization for too long and the economy has suffered.
The Obama administration has delayed the Keystone XL Pipeline for 2,303 days that is more than six years, Bilirakis said on Friday. Those delays are withholding the prospect of more than 40,000 jobs and $2.1 billion in earnings. Now, more than ever, it is important that we create a long-term, all-of-the-above energy plan, which addresses energy costs that drain family budgets. Energy production has decreased on federal lands the last six years. Thanks to state and private energy development, we have seen an increase in domestic energy production and a dip in energy prices. It is time for the federal government to do its part to help America achieve energy independence.
The House has once again acted on a bipartisan basis to pass legislation to approve the Keystone XL Pipeline, which will create thousands of jobs, move the United States closer to energy independence, and strengthen our national security," said U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla. This project will contribute billions of dollars to communities across the nation and bolster our economy. Building the pipeline would decrease our dependency on foreign oil, continuing to protect our national security. Though President Obama has threatened to veto this significant piece of legislation once it is passed in the Senate, I urge him to reconsider for the millions of families and communities that will benefit from its construction.
The passage of this bill marks a productive beginning to the 114th Congress, and I look forward to working with my colleagues in the House as we continue to work for the good of the American people, Diaz-Balart added.
Graham, one of two members in the Florida delegation, explained her reasons for breaking with her party and backing the bill on Friday.
While drivers across North Florida are enjoying low gas prices today, energy policy must be planned with long-term goals in mind, Graham said. Keystone XL will play an important role in keeping energy prices low, which benefits our countrys economy and national security.
Im supporting this pipeline with the expectation it will be built as one of the safest in the world, Graham added. Democrats and Republicans came together to pass this legislation, now we must continue to work together to protect our countrys natural resources. North Florida is home to beautiful treasures from the beaches of Panama City to Wakulla Springs, and we need to ensure theyre safe for generations to come.
But every other Democrat in the Florida delegation besides Graham and Murphy voted against the authorization.
There are better, less risky ways to deliver bigger paychecks to hard-working families, insisted U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, D-Fla. Along its route from Canada to Texas, a ruptured pipeline of tar sands could pollute drinking water and destroy ecosystems. To make matters worse, current law exempts TransCanada, the owner of the proposed pipeline, from paying into the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, which is used for cleanup efforts and to pay claims of those who suffer damages. This would leave American taxpayers on the hook, and, as we learned from the BP catastrophe in Florida, that figure could run into the billions of dollars.
The U.S. Senate, now controlled by the Republicans, is expected to pass the bill next week. On Friday, Bilirakis expressed optimism that the Senate will send the bill to the White House.
Cheaper energy prices mean lower bills at the gas pump and the grocery store, Bilirakis said. Reducing gas prices, reducing the costs to heat or cool your home, and reducing the costs of feeding your family are good things. The Keystone XL Pipeline is a step toward doing that, and with a new, Republican majority in the Senate, I look forward to seeing this bill on the presidents desk.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
