Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor calling on the President to approve the Keystone XL Pipeline and to urge his fellow congressional Democrats to support legislation that would enhance American exports: 

“In his State of the Union speech last week, President Obama promised America a ‘year of action.’

“He says he wants to use his ‘pen and his phone’ to make it happen.

“Well, here’s what I say: use that pen and that phone of yours today for Keystone XL Pipeline jobs.

“Here’s something both can parties agree on.

“Here’s your chance to work with Republicans on a bipartisan plan to create thousands of private-sector jobs today.

“Here’s your chance to show you’re not captive to the ideological extremists on the Left.

“Here’s your chance for action — on a policy the American people actually want.

“Here’s your chance, Mr. President.

“On Friday, the State Department released yet another report concluding what the President and everyone else already knew: that Keystone XL would meet the President’s stated requirements on the environment; that there basically was no good reason not to build it.

“So here’s a project that essentially wouldn’t cost the taxpayers a dime to build, that would have almost no net environmental effect, and that would put thousands of Americans to work right away. It’s an initiative that’s supported by an overwhelming majority of Americans it is supported by unions, by businesses, by Republicans and independents and even by prominent Democrats – close to 20 in the Senate alone.

“And yet, the President has delayed and delayed for more than five years now. Not because the project really needs to be studied further, but because of pressure from the most doctrinaire fringe of the Doctrinaire Left.

“These are the kind of folks who care a lot more about ideology than what makes sense for the middle class.

“And yet, these are the same folks who have a lot of influence in today’s Democrat Party.

“Just look at the War on Coal – a war that’s being waged with scant concern for the lives of people who live in states like Kentucky. People are hurting, and it doesn’t seem to matter much to these folks.

“So here’s the thing: The President has run out of excuses on Keystone. It’s way past time to make a decision, and let’s be honest: this decision shouldn’t be a hard one.

“Because the science, the economics, and common sense all basically point in one direction.

“And as far as I can tell, ideology is really the only thing that could lead to a different decision here.

“So, is President Obama on the side of the middle class, or is he on the side of left-wing special interests?

“He needs to use that pen to show us where he stands. Today.

“And, while he’s at it, he should pick up the phone too.

“Because, in his State of the Union address, the President called for Congress to help break down trade barriers that stand in the way of more American jobs. He called for legislation that would help prevent foreign countries from taking the trade jobs that should be going to America’s middle class.

“’China and Europe aren’t standing on the sidelines,’ he said, and ‘neither should we.’

“Republicans applauded him for that. He’s absolutely right. But now the President’s own party is now standing in the way of getting anything done. So if ever there was a moment for the President to use his phone, this is it.

“Because trade should be a bipartisan issue. It sure used to be. Just ask President Clinton.

“America’s middle class is hurting. The very least Washington can do for them is approve job-creating initiatives like Keystone and enhancing American exports.

“So we’ll see soon enough if the President meant what he said about his pen and his phone – if his ‘year of action’ will really be just that, instead of yet another tired slogan.

“The answer here is pretty simple: the President needs to lead.

“Middle class Americans have taken a backseat to the hard-left extremists in this town for too long.

“It’s time for the President to stand up to these folks and do the right thing. Pick up that phone and that pen and get this done.”