As the Senate votes on the Keystone-XL pipeline today, I have to question why Congresswoman DelBene voted to block the construction of the pipeline. This project has bi-partisan support as well as support from organized labor. Keystone-XL would put an estimated 9,000 Americans to work in skilled, family-wage jobs. It has been estimated that another 42,000 indirect jobs would be created nationwide in association with this project. Keystone-XL is just as much about national security and energy independence as it is about jobs. In addition to the more than 50,000 jobs that Congresswoman DelBene shot down with her vote, it is equally troubling that she voted against national security and energy independence. Big oil companies are used to dealing with unstable countries and cartels in places like the Middle East and Venezuela. She had the chance to bring American oil to American refineries for American families, but she said no. As a woman and a mother with a daughter of my own, I have additional concern about buying oil from countries that condone violence against women and oppress their people in other ways that trouble Americans and our allies abroad. Just last year, Congresswoman DelBene co-sponsored the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, yet Saudi Arabia supplies 14% of our oil. This can only suggest she has little concern for the fact that Saudi Arabia was ranked 127th out of 136 countries for gender parity during that same year. I must ask the obvious question: What are Congresswoman DelBenes values? If I were in her shoes, I would consider it immoral to vote against a bill that would grow the middle class, make our nation more secure and diminish our countys dependence on oil from countries that oppress women and violate human rights. I would have voted in favor of the Keystone-XL pipeline.
Posted on: Tue, 18 Nov 2014 14:23:23 +0000
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