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Sunday, January 22, 2012

Harris says Obama only looking for Nov. votes

While U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin praised the president's denial of a permit for an oil pipeline project heavily favored by Republicans as a jobs creator, Congressman Andy Harris thinks the decision is a case of election year politics,
On Wednesday, U.S. President Barack Obama announced his decision to reject the permit application for the Keystone XL pipeline, which would run from Canada to Texas, citing recommendations from the State Department to do so. Obama said it was a move forced by congressional Republicans.
A decision on the long-studied project came Wednesday as part of the deal reached at the end of last year to extend the payroll tax holiday for working Americans. The associated legislation called for Obama to give a thumbs up or down on the project after 60 days.
"I'm disappointed that Republicans in Congress forced this decision, but it does not change my Administration's commitment to American-made energy that creates jobs and reduces our dependence on oil," said Obama in a statement.
Cardin, D-Md., backed the president's decision to deny the permit, and put the blame for it squarely on the Republicans' deadline for a decision. He said the permit application for the project can be filed again for reconsideration, giving the pipeline a second shot at moving forward.
"While I have always had serious questions about the Keystone XL project, by putting expediency and corporate interests ahead of the many health and environmental concerns, Big Oil and its Republican supporters ultimately guaranteed the project's rejection," said Cardin in a statement Wednesday.
In an interview Thursday, U.S. Rep. Harris, R-Md.-1st, said Obama is just trying to appease radical environmentalists opposed to the project, whose votes are necessary for the president to win reelection this year. Harris said the project is ready to go and would bolster the economy.
"This embodies everything that we need in order to turn our economy around. We need the tens of thousands of jobs that it would create, both directly from building the pipeline and then indirectly at those refineries and chemical plants in Texas and Oklahoma that would benefit from this," he said.
Obama said the State Department was concerned the "rushed and arbitrary deadline insisted on by Congressional Republicans" did not allow for a thorough review of the pipeline's impact on the health of the people and the environment around it.
"As a result, the Secretary of State has recommended that the application be denied. And after reviewing the State Department's report, I agree," said Obama in a statement.
Harris said the pipeline has already been studied for three years and in November, the State Department reported the project could move forward. He said he plans to introduce legislation taking such project approval power away from the president and the executive branch.
"There is nothing left to be done that needs to be done on this pipeline except to build it and to increase our energy independence," Harris said.
Harris said Congress may take another shot too at getting the pipeline approved through legislation. He said there are several "must pass" bills coming up in the next several months on Capitol Hill and he would not be surprised to see the pipeline included in them.
"We haven't heard the end of it," Harris said.

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