Bill Shuster

Mr. SHUSTER

Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Once again, I ask my colleagues to support this bill, this pipeline, that is said to have been the most studied and will be the safest pipeline. It will help out one of our great allies, and it will help us keep energy costs down in this country. It will create over 40,000 infrastructure jobs. Yes, they are temporary, but as we all know, those jobs will go to helping the families of the construction workers. They will move on to other jobs, and these will also be a spinoff to other jobs to help keep this pipeline viable for years to come. Let me finish with a final quote from a well-known American--an American respected by the other side of the aisle, an American trusted by the other side of the aisle, an American listened to by the other side of the aisle. He says: The pipeline increases the diversity of available supplies among the United States' worldwide crude oil sources in a time of considerable political tension in other major oil producing countries and regions; it shortens the transportation pathway for crude oil supplies; and it increases crude oil supplies from a major non-Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries producer. Canada is a stable and reliable ally and trading partner of the United States with which we have free trade agreements which augment the security of this energy supply. The approval of the permit sends a positive economic signal, in a difficult economic period, about the future reliability and availability of a portion of the United States' energy imports, and in the immediate term, this shovel-ready project will provide construction jobs for workers in the United States. That American, ladies and gentlemen, is President Barack Obama. He said that in 2009, but he was talking about the Enbridge Alberta Clipper. I don't know what has changed, but this quote could go right towards this pipeline. It does all of the same things, and it has all of the positive impact that that pipeline has. I urge my colleagues to support this bill, to send it to the President, and to ask the President to reconsider his veto threat. Mr. Speaker, how much time do I have remaining?

Mr. SHUSTER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Mimi Walters).

Mr. SHUSTER. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Denham), the chairman of the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials.

Mr. SHUSTER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 1, the Keystone XL Pipeline Approval Act. S. 1 passed the Senate by a bipartisan vote of 62-36. This bill is based on H.R. 3 which, last month, the House passed by a bipartisan vote of 266-153. S. 1 does not change any of the House provisions regarding the Keystone pipeline. Here we are again on the floor with a bill that has been approved on a bipartisan basis three times in the last 4 months. It is time for the President to approve the Keystone pipeline. His own administration has found the pipeline would have minimal impact on the environment. Congress has shown that there is Republican and Democrat support for the pipeline. The last remaining excuse for delay--pending litigation in Nebraska--has been resolved. I hope the President reconsiders his veto threat on this bill. I think he should sign this bill because we all agree we need to invest in our Nation's infrastructure, and pipelines are critical to the economy. America's pipeline network is immense--2.6 million miles of pipe transporting natural gas, oil, and other hazardous materials. Pipelines transport more energy product than any other mode of transportation in this country. Keystone will be a critical addition to the pipeline network, increasing our Nation's supply of oil and enhancing our energy independence. This project will create good-paying American jobs. As the President has stated, ``First-class infrastructure attracts first-class jobs.'' Indeed, six unions representing over 3 million workers support this project, including the United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters, the International Union of Operating Engineers, the Laborers' International Union of North America, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, the building and construction trade, and the Teamsters. It is simply time to move forward on this project, so I urge all my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote for S. 1, and I urge the President to sign this bill and allow infrastructure to be built in this country. With that, Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SHUSTER. I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind my friend from Chicago that all infrastructure jobs are temporary. Based on that argument, we shouldn't build roads, bridges, highways, or pipelines. All infrastructure jobs--construction jobs--are temporary. Second, I would like to remind my colleague that he voted against the appropriations bill to fund Homeland Security. With that, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Weber).

Mr. SHUSTER. I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentleman.

Mr. SHUSTER. Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 100, I call up the bill (S. 1) to approve the Keystone XL Pipeline, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. SHUSTER. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on S. 1.

Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Upton) control the remainder of my time.

Mr. SHUSTER

Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Chair, America is a nation of immigrants, but we are also a nation built on the rule of law, and those who enter our country illegally disregard those laws. Unfortunately, our President does not feel the same way. Upon discovering he could not get support from Congress, he decided to circumvent the legislative branch through executive action and grant amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants. He disregarded the separation of powers that our Founding Fathers laid out for our government, but more importantly he disregarded the American people. That is why I am proud to stand here today with my colleagues to put a stop to this executive overreach, and to tell this President that he is not above the law.

Mr. SHUSTER

Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, as the Co-Chairman of the Congressional Azerbaijan Caucus, I want to honor the people of Azerbaijan by recognizing the tragic events of 1990 commonly referred to as ``Black January.'' Twenty-four years ago yesterday, approximately 26,000 heavily armored Soviet soldiers poured into Azerbaijan's capital city of Baku and, with total indifference to human life, launched an assault on a crowd of peaceful demonstrators. Ultimately 131 civilians were killed by the aggressing Soviets. In addition, over 600 were injured, 841 arrested, and 5 went missing. The Human Rights Watch report ``Black January in Azerbaijan'' described the Soviet's approach as though they were attacking ``an enemy position intended for military destruction.'' It states Soviet soldiers fired on clearly marked ambulances, crushed civilians with armored tanks, and used both automatic weapons and bayonets on the civilian population. Many believe that the destruction inflicted on Baku was a warning to other Republics of the Soviet Union in an attempt to stop the dissolution of Communist rule. Ultimately, the atrocities of Black January united Azerbaijan like never before. The brutal show of force erased any residual hope for a reformed Soviet Union, such that Azerbaijan declared its independence twenty months later. I thank the Azerbaijan people for their continued friendship with the United States and extend my deepest sympathies to the family and friends of those who lost their lives for the independence of Azerbaijan.

Mr. SHUSTER

Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, America is a nation of immigrants. Since the earliest days of our nation, countless generations have come from around the world to build a better life here for themselves, their children and their families. But we are also a nation built on the rule of law, and those who enter our country illegally disregard those laws. Illegal immigration is an injustice to every single person who followed the proper procedure when they came to the United States, and in an age of international terrorism and global pandemics, it presents a serious national security risk. What we don't need right now is amnesty. Instead, we need strict border security and the proper enforcement of the laws we already have on the books. Unfortunately, our president does not feel the same way. Upon discovering he could not get support from Congress, he decided to circumvent the legislative branch through executive action and grant amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants. He disregarded both the will of the American people and the separation of powers that our founding fathers laid out for our government. By ignoring the core parts of our democracy, President Obama has shamefully overstepped his Constitutional authority. A nation is nothing without total control over the sovereignty of its borders, and this executive action has only made the situation worse by offering a powerful incentive for more people to enter illegally. Make no mistake: I am and always will be 100 percent opposed to blanket amnesty for illegal immigrants. In the last election, the American people sent a message and elected Republicans to a majority in both the House and Senate. Congress is now in a much stronger position to prevent this amnesty from being put in place, and we are working hard for the people to stop it. That is why I am proud to stand here today with my colleagues to put a halt to this outrageous example of executive overreach, and to tell this president that he is not above the law.

Mr. SHUSTER

Mr. SHUSTER. I want to name them off. It is the Teamsters; it is the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers; it is the Laborers' International Union of North America; it is the Operating Engineers; it is the pipefitters of the United States and Canada all supporting this project. Again, they see it as positive economic impact. When these jobs are completed, they will move on to other, hopefully, construction jobs; but what is left behind will have a positive impact to our economy, to job creation for a generation. Our energy renaissance is helping make North America more secure and energy independent, and, in fact, I want to quote the President: In this time of significant political uncertainty in key oil-producing countries and regions, and in the context of a difficult economic situation, non-OPEC Canada crude oil supplies advance the energy security of the United States. Now, I wish he would have said that about this pipeline, but he didn't. He said it in 2009 about the Enbridge pipeline, which started transferring oil sands from Canada to the gulf coast last month. The President, 5 years ago, supported this type of thing. He should support it now. So other than politics, I don't understand why he hasn't approved this project as he did with Enbridge. It is time to build. Ladies and gentlemen, I especially look to my Democratic colleagues. Let's put down our gloves. Let's do something positive for America, for those 3 million union workers that are out there supporting this. Let's do what is good for the environment. Let's do what is good for energy independence. Finally, let's be fair to our greatest friends in the world, our Canadian neighbors. They allowed us to build a pipeline across their land. We should allow them to do the same in ours. They are our best allies. They are our greatest friends. They are a great neighbor. So let us, today, pass this bill and build the Keystone pipeline. With that, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I enthusiastically rise today to support H.R. 3, the Keystone XL Pipeline Act. And for those who have not heard, according to the administration, the final hurdle has been removed, and that is that the Nebraska Supreme Court this morning has approved the pathway for the pipeline, the routing of the pipeline, the Keystone XL pipeline. Again, the administration has said that was the major hurdle. It has fallen. So I hope the President is not going to establish another hurdle, that being himself. America is undergoing an energy renaissance, and the prospect of securing North American energy independence is in sight. However, to achieve our goal of energy security, we need to make sure we have the infrastructure in place to keep pace with the changing energy landscape. Keystone will be a critical addition to the Nation's pipeline network, increasing our supply of oil and helping to reduce its cost. The State Department completed its environmental analysis a year ago. However, there has still been no action by the administration on the pipeline. There is simply no reason to delay this important project. As I mentioned, the President's main argument in this premature veto threat is that the bill would authorize the pipeline despite uncertainty due to ongoing litigation in Nebraska. Well, that uncertainty has ended this morning, and the Supreme Court of Nebraska has allowed the planned route to go forward in Nebraska. Again, there is simply no reason to delay. In fact, the southern leg of the pipeline has already been built. In March 2012, in Oklahoma, the President expressed his support for expediting construction for the southern leg of the Keystone pipeline, and I agree with the President when he stated at that ceremony that he was directing his administration to cut through red tape, break through bureaucratic hurdles, and make this project a priority to go ahead and get it done. It was the right thing to do then, it is the right thing to do now, and it is exactly what this bill does. We should move forward because this pipeline will be a tremendous boon to the economic development and one that doesn't require a single Federal dollar. The very nature of infrastructure improvement creates jobs, and Keystone is no exception. I know my colleagues have made the argument that it is only temporary, but every infrastructure job is a temporary job. When a road is completed, when a bridge is completed, when a pipeline is completed, those construction workers move on to hopefully other construction jobs. Indeed, five unions representing over 3 million workers--and I repeat that to my Democratic colleagues, five unions representing 3 million hardworking Americans--support this project, and I would like to submit their letter in the Record for support of this project. International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Washington, DC, November 17, 2014. U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. Dear Senator: I am writing to express the support of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters for S. 2280, a bill to approve the Keystone XL pipeline. The Keystone XL Pipeline project has been subjected to over six and one-half years of scrutiny, including review by 10 federal agencies, as well as numerous state and local agency reviews. We believe that it is time to end the delay and to move forward with the construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline. We ask you to support S. 2280 when it comes to the Senate floor this week. The Teamsters Union believes that the Keystone XL Pipeline will contribute to enhanced energy security, economic prosperity and, of critical importance, the creation of good paying jobs. Unemployment in the building and construction workforce remains too high. Construction of the pipeline will provide much needed and good paying jobs for this workforce. The utilization of a project labor agreement will enhance the safety, technical performance, reliability and quality of the project as well as maximize employment opportunities for local residents along the proposed corridor. Further, the fifty-seven special conditions agreed to for the project will provide an even greater degree of safety than any typically constructed domestic oil pipeline. If the pipeline is not built, important socioeconomic benefits will not be realized--the positive impacts of local, state and federal revenue, spending by construction workers, and spending on construction goods and services. Building the Keystone XL Pipeline will enhance U.S. energy and economic security. It is time to move forward without further delay. Sincerely, James P. Hoffa, General President.

Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and I would just like to remind the distinguished ranking member of the Transportation Committee, arguably the most knowledgeable man in Congress when it comes to transportation issues, with many years of service plus an intellect that is very sharp--I would never presume to tell him--I just want to remind him that the safest way to move product, to move oil is by pipeline. And I think the gentleman knows that, but I just wanted to remind him of that. With that, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from North Dakota (Mr. Cramer).

Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, the final hurdle has been removed. The Nebraska Supreme Court has said that the Keystone pipeline can move forward. That should be enough for my Democratic colleagues. But there is more. It is safe. It is the safest way to transport this oil, this natural resource. It is the most studied pipeline. It is going to be safe and environmentally sound. It will protect the environment. It creates jobs. Don't listen to me; listen to the five unions that represent 3 million workers. Three million union workers say the Keystone pipeline should be built. Mr. Speaker, it provides energy security for us, it is good for our economy, and it helps our allies--it strengthens our allies, and it weakens our enemies. The last point is it is fair to our best friends in the world, the Canadians, who have allowed us to build a pipeline from Alaska to the lower 48. We ought to return the favor to our best friend--our best ally--and say: ``Yes, you can build a safe pipeline, you can build a pipeline that will help all of North America, that will help all of our allies around the world and weaken our enemies.'' With that, Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on H.R. 3, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SHUSTER. I yield the gentleman an additional 15 seconds.

Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 19, I call up the bill (H.R. 3) to approve the Keystone XL Pipeline, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and I just want to say that there have been 15 hearings on the Keystone pipeline. This is the 10th time we have debated it on the floor. This, quite possibly, could be the most debated piece of legislation in the history of Congress. I don't know that for sure. But I do know that it has been out there for 2,303 days, and 60 percent of the American people support it, while 20 percent don't support it. So I think the American people are fully aware of what is going on here. They understand it, and they do support it. With that, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Emmer).

Mr. SHUSTER. I now yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Bucshon).

Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and I just want to remind my Democratic colleagues that, first of all, I am from Pennsylvania. Punxsutawney is several miles outside of my district. That is where Punxsutawney Phil resides. So I am somewhat knowledgeable on Groundhog Day. And I just want to point out to my Democratic colleagues that in the movie ``Groundhog Day,'' Bill Murray learned from his mistakes the day before and improved his situation each day. So hopefully today, your references to your learning from yesterday and how we can move forward--I think the Nebraska situation improves the whole situation for all of us. And I certainly don't question the wisdom of the Nebraska Supreme Court. And with that, I yield to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Hanna).

Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on H.R. 3.

Mr. SHUSTER. I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Denham), the chairman of the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials.

Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I now yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Reed).