House Approves of the Northern (XL) Route

The Northern Route Approval Act was passed by the House today (241-175-1). Sponsored by Rep. Lee (R., NE) the legislation would virtually eliminate the need for Presidential approval of the XL pipeline. The project, first proposed in 2008, would stretch from Canada to Texas, and advocates state that it would create jobs and bring in about 800,000 barrels of oil a day, thus lessening dependence on foreign oil. However, opponents have called "the project a 'carbon bomb' that would carry 'dirty oil' that could trigger global warming."

A partial press release by Rep. Lee on the House passage of the legislation is below the jump. 

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House Passes Terry Legislation to Build Keystone Pipeline

Terry: “Our nation of builders needs these jobs.” WASHINGTON – Representative Lee Terry (R-NE) today released the following statement after his legislation, The Northern Route Approval Act (H.R. 3) passed the U.S. House of Representatives with a bipartisan vote of 241-175-1: “When the President went to a manufacturing facility to promote his executive order designed to expedite the federal permitting process; he highlighted how significant delays hamper job creation.   “So it’s timely the House today passed my legislation to approve the Keystone XL Pipeline. Congress wouldn’t have acted without all of the bureaucratic tricks and delays holding back this important project. “It’s been over 1,700 days since the initial permits were filed. That’s longer than it took the Greatest Generation to win WWII and longer than it took Lewis and Clark to walk the Louisiana Purchase and back. “If signed into law, it’s estimated that my legislation will create up to 20,000 new jobs directly related to the construction of the Keystone Pipeline and another 120,000 indirect jobs will be created for companies like the one the President visited last week. ...