With the average price of gasoline in Missouri at $3.57,U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-9) today supported efforts to strengthen America’s energy security and create thousands of new jobs by voting in favor of the North American-Made Energy Security Act (NAMES Act).

The NAMES Act would expedite a final decision on the presidential permit for the Keystone XL pipeline, an expansion of an existing pipeline that would bring oil from Alberta, Canada to U.S. refineries. Completion of the pipeline expansion will bring nearly 1.3 million barrels per day of safe and secure oil into U.S. markets. In addition to bringing more oil online, the pipeline project is estimated to create more than 100,000 jobs.

“The Keystone XL pipeline would be a tremendous asset to the American economy. Its construction would help secure oil supplies for the U.S. market and create invaluable numbers of jobs for American workers,” Luetkemeyer said. “This legislation creates the opportunity to begin a major project that will positively impact the country from day one. A project of this nature is vital to the growth of our nation’s economy, and it increases access to safe and secure energy supplies.”

Under Executive Order 13337, the president is considering issuing a presidential permit for the pipeline project. The application has been stalled at the State Department for nearly three years, while our nation continues to depend on energy resources from less-friendly sources. The president’s indifference to the pipeline risks losing this valuable energy resource to China. The NAMES Act requires the president to make a final decision on the executive order by November 1, 2011.

Luetkemeyer noted that Canada is the largest supplier of oil imports for the U.S. The pipeline extension is needed to accommodate the recent boom in oil production and link these supplies to refineries in the Midwest and Texas. Canadian oil imports are more reliable and cheaper than other foreign energy sources. Since Canada is our largest trading partner, for every American dollar spent on products from Canada, 91 cents is returned to the American economy.

The NAMES Act is the latest energy bill to pass the House this Congress. The House has already passed the Energy Tax Prevention Act of 2011, the Putting the Gulf of Mexico Back to Work Act, the Restarting American Offshore Leasing Now Act, the Reversing President Obama’s Offshore Moratorium Actand the Jobs and Energy Permitting Act of 2011.

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