Sen. Cramer, Colleagues Press Biden for Keystone XL Pipeline Jobs Loss Report

Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, joined Senators Jim Risch (R-ID) and Steve Daines (R-MT) on a letter to U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm about the now outstanding Keystone XL Pipeline jobs loss report, which was due to Congress on Sunday, February 13, 2022.

“At the time of its closure, the Keystone XL Pipeline project was already under construction and employed more than 1,500 workers. By the end of 2021, the Keystone XL pipeline was projected to provide approximately 11,000 jobs. The closure erased thousands of real, high-paying jobs and approximately $800 million in wages,” the senators wrote.

“Knowing the full impact of the President’s actions is important to the American people,” the senators continued. “We urge you to complete your obligation under the law and release your report to Congress immediately.”

Senators Cramer, Risch, and Daines are joined on the letter by Senators Mike Crapo (R-ID), John Barrasso (R-WY), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Roger Marshall (R-KS), John Hoeven (R-ND), and Tom Cotton (R-AR).

Click here to read the letter.

Background:

On his first day in office, President Biden unilaterally revoked the permit for construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, which was expected to provide some 11,000 direct high-paying jobs and up to 60,000 indirect and direct jobs. Senator Cramer denounced this Executive Order and introduced legislation to reverse his action.

In June 2021, Senator Cramer joined Senators Risch and Daines in introducing the Defending Keystone Jobs Act, which would require the Biden Administration to submit a report to Congress on the number of jobs lost as a direct or indirect result of the Biden administration’s move to cancel construction of the Keystone XL pipeline within 90 days of enactment. A modified version of the legislation was codified into law as part of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.