Hoeven Statement on the U.S. State Department's Extension of State Agency Comment Period for the Keystone XL Pipeline

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven today issued the following statement in response to the State Department’s announcement that it will delay indefinitely the period federal agencies have to comment on the Keystone XL pipeline project, and almost certainly postpone a decision on the Keystone XL pipeline project until after the November election.

“President Obama’s Keystone XL strategy is clearly defeat through delay. He claims adherence to process, but whenever he runs out of process, he finds more process. If he were clear and transparent with the American people, he wouldn’t be issuing the announcement of yet another delay on the afternoon on Good Friday hoping to minimize the news coverage.

“The president is either just continuing to play politics with this important decision, or he is unable to make a decision. Either way, he is hurting the American people, because this project is about job creation, economic growth, energy independence and national security.

“The American people support the Keystone XL pipeline by a margin of three to one, and the U.S. Congress is on record supporting the project and declaring it in the national interest. I will continue to work with my colleagues to approve this important energy project congressionally rather than let the president defeat it with endless delays.”

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