Dear Duke,
Energy and jobs are two things that Americans need to survive. The Keystone XL Pipeline would provide both, free of cost to American taxpayers. That is why this week, I introduced the bipartisan Keystone for a Secure Tomorrow Act (K-FAST) to allow Congress to act immediately and approve the permit for the Keystone XL Pipeline. Congress has the obligation and the legal ability to say yes. In fact, in 1973, after years of delay, Congress took similar action and passed the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Authorization Act in order to build the Trans-Alaska Pipeline.
The Keystone XL Pipeline is a golden opportunity for our country. It would bring 750,000 barrels of oil per day from our stable ally, Canada, down to refineries in southeast Texas. It would also create thousands of immediate jobs. The Keystone XL Pipeline would enhance our energy security by bringing almost as much oil as we get from Saudi Arabia to the U.S. It would help enhance our foreign policy by bolstering our relationship with Canada instead of depending on unstable Middle Eastern countries.
When the Administration said no to the Keystone XL Pipeline, it said no to our national interest, no to jobs,no to energy security, no to our ally Canada, and no to the will of the American people because most Americans support the pipeline. Failure to approve the pipeline is putting our national security, energy security, and economic security at risk.
Let’s make the Keystone XL Pipeline a reality, creating jobs, bringing energy to the U.S., and making Middle Eastern dictators’ turmoil irrelevant to our national and energy security.
And that’s just the way it is.
God and Texas,
Ted Poe
Member of Congress
TEXAS
The U.S. Senate must fight back against old pnuiltlog industries and pass a strong clean-energy and jobs bill that will boost the economy, switch to renewable sources like wind and solar, and help fight global warming.New Mexico is a great place to invest in alternative energy sources. We have significant solar, wind and geothermal resources. New Mexico also has significant clean-burning natural gas which can be used to replace dirty coal-fired sources of electricity and should be used to fuel vehicles instead of gasoline and diesel as an interim step to developing greater and more efficient alternative energy sources.Natural gas, when used to replace oil based energy can have very beneficial effects on the economy of the USA by lowering energy costs, improving America’s balance of payments, reducing the risks of international instability as well as cleaning up the environment.COAL IS THE NUMBER ONE OFFENDER. You should introduce legislation which will place significant tax penalties on coal fired plants along with federal subsidies to convert existing coal fired plants to natural gas.You should introduce legislation to establish natural gas refueling pumps at all fuel stops along the Interdtate Highway system. This way truckers and consumers will know that they can convert from diesel to natural gas vehicles without worrying about whether they will be able to refuel. Natural gas used as vehicle fuel, as an interim step to solar, wind and geothermal sources, should not be taxed. This will provide additional incentive to switch from gasoline/diesel fuel.A strong bill must ensure that we meet emission-reduction targets by reducing global-warming pollution from old, dirty power plants and by driving renewable-energy development and energy-efficiency improvements. This legislation must also protect consumers, natural resources, and vulnerable communities here and around the world.I urge you to help pass comprehensive clean-energy and climate legislation next year to jump-start the clean-energy economy our country needs.
Posted by Dona | March 16, 2012, 7:18 pm