Sec. 2. Findings
276 words·~1 min read·
/bill/113/hr/3/rh/section-2A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
The Congress finds the following: To maintain our Nation’s competitive edge and ensure an economy built to last, the United States must have fast, reliable, resilient, and environmentally sound means of moving energy. In a global economy, we will compete for the world’s investments based in significant part on the quality of our infrastructure. Investing in the Nation’s infrastructure provides immediate and long-term economic benefits for local communities and the Nation as a whole.
The delivery of oil from Canada, a close ally not only in proximity but in shared values and ideals, to domestic markets is in the national interest because of the need to lessen dependence upon insecure foreign sources. The Keystone XL pipeline would provide both short-term and long-term employment opportunities and related labor income benefits, such as government revenues associated with taxes. The State of Nebraska has thoroughly reviewed and approved the proposed Keystone XL pipeline reroute, concluding that the concerns of Nebraskans have had a major influence on the pipeline reroute and that the reroute will have minimal environmental impacts.
The Department of State and other Federal agencies have over a long period of time conducted extensive studies and analysis of the technical aspects and of the environmental, social, and economic impacts of the proposed Keystone XL pipeline. The transportation of oil via pipeline is the safest and most economically and environmentally effective means of doing so. The Keystone XL is in much the same position today as the Alaska Pipeline in 1973 prior to congressional action. Once again, the Federal regulatory process remains an insurmountable obstacle to a project that is likely to reduce oil imports from insecure foreign sources.