Washington, DC– Rep. Pete Olson (TX-22) today issued the following statement in response to the State Department Final Environmental Impact Statement, which recommends approval of the Keystone XL pipeline:

"Today's recommendation by the State Department only reinforces what supporters of this project have been saying for the last 1,960 days since the application was first submitted:  The Keystone XL pipeline is a safe, environmentally sound method to transport oil from Canada through the US down to Texas.

"With a minimum of 42,000 direct and indirect jobs on the line and the potential to dramatically increase North American  energy security, this project is long overdue and clearly in the national interest. President Obama should welcome this report as a strong signal that with a stroke of his pen, he can create thousands of jobs and provide energy security for America.

“While the project is important in and of itself, the lengthy delay in issuing a decision is also an important symbol of this Administration’s failed approach to domestic energy policy. It's unacceptable that President Obama continues to delay a privately-funded project, long deemed safe by numerous objective experts, because of anti-energy politics of his party.

"It's time for the President to take action, as Congress already has done, and say yes to the Keystone XL pipeline."

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