As President Joe Biden takes in the latest rejection by OPEC countries to increase production to help ease American pump prices, U.S. lawmakers are again condemning his cancellation of the Keystone XL Pipeline from Alberta. On Oct. 5, the oil cartel led by Saudi Arabia announced its largest cut since before the COVID pandemic, a two million barrel per day reduction starting in November.
While the actual cut is expected to be closer to 1 million barrels per day, the Biden administration is reportedly “panicking” as reduced OPEC production could cause U.S. gas prices to spike before critical mid-term elections in November.
Senators and House Representatives are pointing out that Keystone XL would have carried 830,000 barrels of oil per day from Western Canada to U.S. refineries — had Biden not canceled the project on his first day in office.
Here’s what they had to say:
Pres. Biden killed the Keystone XL Pipeline, which would have moved roughly 800,000 barrels of oil per day by 2023.
Biden cut Americans off from affordable energy, and Louisianians are literally paying the price. But I won’t stop fighting his green-at-any-cost agenda.
Biden blames gas stations for high prices but just a reminder he killed oil and gas leasing on federal lands and waters, he killed the Keystone XL pipeline, and has drained the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to its lowest level since 1984 (among many other terrible decisions).
Senator Marsha Blackburn, TN (R):
Joe Biden made a decision.
He declared war on American energy.
He canceled the Keystone Pipeline.
He issued over 42 regulations to make American energy more expensive
Now, Americans are being forced to live with the consequences.
Republicans have warned against the threat of relying on bad actors for our energy supply.
But President Biden blocked our oil and gas resources here at home starting on Day 1, when he canceled the Keystone XL Pipeline.
President Biden must reverse course and approve new drilling permits in the United States and strengthen our energy infrastructure, like the Keystone XL Pipeline. By using an all-of-the-above energy strategy to produce oil and natural gas, as well as renewable energy like biofuels, wind and solar, the United States has the ability to not only be energy independent but also supply energy to our allies around the globe.
Reminder that the Keystone XL pipeline would be pumping 830,000 barrels of oil per day to U.S. refineries had Biden not shut it down.
The Democrats’ war on oil and gas is hurting our nation AND our allies.
Just imagine how much better off we’d be if Biden had not cancelled the Keystone XL Pipeline. #DrillBabyDrill
Rep. Lance Gooden, TX (R):
Joe Biden is calling on gas stations to lower prices. Gas stations weren’t the ones who shut down the Keystone XL pipeline.
Mr. Biden’s anti-energy agenda has caused the price of a gallon of gas to skyrocket to the highest average price of gasoline and diesel ever recorded. In my home state of Illinois, these prices were even higher than the national average. Instead of making it easier for American companies to increase domestic oil and gas production and hire more U.S. workers, Mr. Biden has shut down the Keystone XL Pipeline and begged OPEC and Russia to increase global output to ease rising prices.
