House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) said on Tuesday that with Nebraska signing off on a proposed Keystone XL route, President Obama no longer has any reason to delay construction of the pipeline.
“Nebraska’s approval of a new Keystone XL pipeline route means there is no bureaucratic excuse, hurdle, or catch President Obama can use to delay this project any further,” Boehner said in a statement. “He and he alone stands in the way of tens of thousands of new jobs and energy security. Every state along the proposed route supports this project, as does a bipartisan coalition in Congress and a majority of Americans. I recognize all the political pressure the president faces, but with our energy security at stake and many jobs in limbo, he should find a way to say yes.”
Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman (R) sent a letter to President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Tuesday notifying them of his decision to approve the route, which would avoid an environmentally-sensitive region of the state.
