{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=bcb7973f-7a76-4658-bb21-89e5699eda18", "Heitkamp Statement on TransCanada Suspending its Permit Application to Construct the Keystone XL Pipeline", "2015-11-02", "2015", "2015-11", "Democrat", "House", "ND", "Heidi Heitkamp", "H001069", "www.heitkamp.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today issued the following statement after TransCanada suspended its permit to construct the Keystone XL pipeline.\r\nYear after year we have waited on this Administration to make a decision on the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, and in that time have witnessed the conflation of a basic infrastructure expansion project into the foremost emotional and overly politicized issue as it relates to our countrys energy policy, said Heitkamp. After just three years shy of a decade of delay, TransCanada suspended its application seeking a permit for the project, relaying a terrible message about the state of our ability to move forward on an all-of-the-above energy policy to which nearly every legislator in the United States Congress  and the Administration  claims to ascribe. Halting a basic infrastructure expansion project will not make this country more energy efficient or independent, but it does set a foreboding precedent about our ability to achieve those goals. If we are serious about reducing our dependence on foreign oil and one day achieving our goal of energy independence, it is absolutely crucial that we immediately cease from legislating on emotion alone and finally get to work. \r\nLong before her time in the Senate, Heitkamp has strongly supported projects to diversify North Americas energy infrastructure, including through the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. Over the past two and a half years, Heitkamp has provided critical leverage to move the project forward in the Senate building essential Democratic support for a bipartisan bill to approve the Keystone pipeline. In addition to calling for bipartisan support for the bill last November, Heitkamp recruited 10 other Democratic Senators last April  key support that was vital for the bills passage in the Senate  to join her efforts to put pressure on the President to make a decision on the pipeline.\r\nHeitkamp has repeatedly taken action to move the Keystone XL pipeline forward, including: \r\n \r\nMarch 4, 2015  Heitkamp expressed disappointment following the failure of the Senate to gather a sufficient number of votes to override President Obamas veto of the Senate and House-passed bill to approve construction of the Keystone XL pipeline.\r\n \r\n \r\nFebruary 24, 2015  Expressed disappointment in President Obamas veto of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives-passed bill to prove the Keystone XL pipeline.\r\nFebruary 11, 2015  Welcomed the approval of the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline in the U.S. House of Representatives.\r\nJanuary 29, 2015  Voted to approve the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline in the U.S. Senate.\r\nJanuary 26, 2015  Voted to move Keystone XL pipeline approval forward.\r\nJanuary 22, 2015  Introduced five common-sense, workable energy solutions as amendments to the bill to approve construction of the Keystone XL pipeline that would have strengthened the nations commitment to a path forward for coal energy, increased certainty for wind energy workers, cut bureaucratic red-tape for Native tribes seeking to drill oil on their reservations, and improved rail and pipeline oil transportation safety as well as resources and tools for first responders.\r\nJanuary 7, 2015  Spoke on the Senate floor and urged her colleagues to support legislation that would approve construction of the Keystone XL pipeline.\r\nNovember 18, 2014  Voted for legislation to approve the Keystone XL pipeline, but the legislation did not receive enough votes in the Senate.\r\nMay 1, 2014  Helped introduce legislation to fully approve construction of the Keystone XL pipeline.\r\n \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=bcb7973f-7a76-4658-bb21-89e5699eda18"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.4065052382647991, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}