Randy's Roundup: Keystone XL Pipeline, Holding EPA Accountable, Lung Cancer Awareness Month

Keystone XL Pipeline
Last week, I voted with my colleagues in the House in favor of the Keystone XL pipeline again.  I’ve heard from so many of you about your support for the this pipeline.  What’s not to like?  According to the State Department, it will create 30,000 construction jobs, and ultimately support 42,000 jobs nationwide.  It will lower energy and gas prices in the U.S., and it will reduce our dependency on oil from unstable nations.  And almost seven years of review have put rest to any environmental concerns.  But that hasn’t stopped the Obama Administration from delaying and denying the project.  Keystone XL has broad, bipartisan support in Congress and across America.  I expect the Senate to take the bill up this week, and hopefully we can finally move forward on this project without more delays from the Administration.

Holding the EPA Accountable
With the goals of transparency, accountability, efficiency, and good representation of TX19, I’ve supported the Secret Science Reform Act of 2014 for the past nine months as a cosponsor.  I voted for its passage through the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee in June, and now the entire House of Representatives will get a chance to vote for it when it comes to the floor this week.  It’s a common-sense bill.  It requires the EPA to share the data it uses to legitimize regulations.  It holds the EPA accountable – making sure they have to use fair and accurate science before they burden the American people with unnecessary hoops to jump through.  It will stop the current inefficient and unfair practices of the EPA: they’ll no longer be able to use secret data to justify billions of dollars in runaway regulations that harm economic growth and opportunity here in America.  I’m excited to support this bill again this week.  I hope it can quickly pass the House and Senate and move to the President’s desk.

Lung Cancer Awareness Month
Did you know lung cancer kills more Americans than any other type of cancer?  That’s right.  One in every 13 men and one in every 16 women will be diagnosed with lung cancer in their lifetime.  That’s why it’s so important to bring awareness to the disease each November for Lung Cancer Awareness Month.  As a prostate cancer survivor, I understand the importance of early detection, talented doctors, and a loving support system.   It’s crucial that we all know the resources available to us to detect and fight cancer.  So please, take some time this month to learn about lung cancer and how you can protect your health.