Senator John Walsh Introduces New Bill To Authorize Keystone XL Pipeline

Senator John Walsh late last week introduced legislation to authorize the construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline and reform approval of future infrastructure projects to prevent the President from unilaterally stopping projects from moving forward.

The Removing Repeated Executive Delays to Transboundary Approvals of Pipelines and Engineering Act – Removing RED TAPE Act – identifies critical infrastructure projects that have become politicized, removes authority for making decisions on those projects from the President, and delegates that responsibility by Congress under its Constitutional authority to regulate commerce with foreign nations.

“Washington is so broken that politics prevented the President from making a timely decision on Keystone, and we can’t afford to wait any longer on a project that will bring jobs to Montana,” said Walsh. “This bill will expand oversight and jumpstart decisions that can be stalled for years in the Executive Branch. It’s time to show leadership, take responsibility to reform how we approve projects that are right for our country, and do the work Americans expect us to do."

Walsh supports the Keystone XL Pipeline because the project will create jobs, reduce reliance on hostile countries like Russian and Venezuela, and safely transport oil, including Montana oil from the Bakken Formation.  Walsh has called for the best possible materials to be used in the construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline while preserving protections for landowners and implementing effective emergency response plans.  He believes construction of the pipeline is necessary to reduce the reliance of delivering oil by rail, which is increasingly dangerous.