Perrys Pipeline Push The U.S. Senate is in the middle of debates over the expansion of the Keystone XL Pipeline after it passed hurdles in the Nebraska Supreme Court last Friday. The expansion would go through parts of South Dakota and Nebraska before ending in Texas. We spoke with Texas Gov. Rick Perry about why he feels the pipeline is needed. The expansion of the Keystone Pipeline has been a battle for TransCanada for five years, but its picking up steam in Congress now that both chambers are controlled by Republicans. Texas governor Rick Perry says he hopes that means it will finally make headway. One of the issues at hand is how many jobs would really be created by the Pipeline. According to an NPR report, TransCanada estimates 20,000 jobs while President Obama says its more like 2,000 during construction and then only 50 to 150 after completion. The State Department released a report in 2013 estimating 42,000 jobs could be created directly or indirectly by the XL Pipeline. Perry says the jobs that will be created are substantial for America. Its not just the jobs that come immediately with the building of the Pipeline, but its the manufacturing jobs that spin off from us continuing to drive down the cost of energy, said Perry. But freshman Senator Joni Ernst says shes not sure if Republicans have the votes needed from Democrats to make it happen. Do we have the 67 votes necessary to overcome the veto? That is something that we are currently working on so were having those discussion with members across the aisle, said Ernst. Perry says Congress needs to push the vote through, and let Obama do the explaining to Americans. If the President chooses to veto the opening up of the XL Pipeline, if the president chooses to veto other pieces of legislation that will put Americans to work, if he chooses to veto corporate tax restructuring. Which will help bring the renaissance manufacturing back to this country, hell need to explain that to the American people, said Perry. Perry contends the Pipeline would do more for the country than just create jobs. As we face this threat of Islamic terrorism around the world, Americas going to have to be strong economically so that she can be strong diplomatically, and strong militarily, said Perry. A final vote in the Senate is expected at the end of January. siouxlandnews/story/27854650/perrys-pipeline-push
Posted on: Thu, 15 Jan 2015 18:55:42 +0000