WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today cosponsored legislation to remove the requirement for presidential approval of the Keystone XL pipeline, which has been delayed for more than five years. The State Department has yet to approve construction of the final section of the pipeline, which, if completed, will have the capacity to transfer more than 800,000 barrels of oil per day from Canada to refineries on the Gulf Coast of the U.S.
“After extensive environmental reviews over the last five years, the president still refuses to approve the Keystone XL pipeline without any logical reason, despite the many benefits to our economy and energy security,” said Corker. “This bill will allow us to move ahead with construction on the pipeline so we can expand access to North American energy, create jobs and promote economic growth, all while providing a safer and more environmentally friendly method of transporting oil.”
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