NEW: Hinckley Rips Whitehouse on Keystone Pipeline Vote
Monday, March 12, 2012
United States Senate Candidate Barry Hinckley today responded to Rhode Island Senator Sheldon Whitehouse’s vote against a provision that would have granted approval to Transcanada’s plan to build a pipeline extension designed to allow US refiners access to Canadian oil.
The pipeline would bring crude from the vast oil sands deposits in Canada to American refineries along the Gulf of Mexico. Industry experts have estimated the pipeline extension would create thousands of private sector jobs. In addition, experts say the pipeline would help protect United States national security interests by reducing our reliance on oil from the Middle East.
“The Keystone pipeline would come at no taxpayer expense,” says Hinckley, “and it will strengthen economic ties with our ally Canada.”
According to Hinckley the impact is not just on Mid-Western construction jobs but also on jobs right here in Rhode Island.
“More than 27,000 Rhode Island jobs depend on trade with Canada, and Rhode Island sells more to Canada than to the state’s next six largest export markets combined,” said Hinckley. “Senator Whitehouse’s vote against Keystone is a vote to send US dollars to Middle Eastern countries that have very little positive economic impact on Rhode Island.”
Hinckley said that Senator Whitehouse’s vote against this measure is also bad for Rhode Island because it increases dependence on Middle Eastern oil at a time of tremendous instability in that region.
“His vote means greater dependency on Middle Eastern oil, where our National security is in constant danger from radical Islamists,” said Hinckley. “Unfriendly governments have shown a willingness to use oil exports as a weapon against us to cripple our economy and Senator Whitehouse’s vote does nothing to mitigate that threat.”
Hinckley also criticized Whitehouse’s vote on environmental grounds.
“Because Senator Whitehouse voted against the Keystone pipeline, oil from US producers in the midwest must be shipped by rail and truck, creating more carbon emissions – and the Canadian oil will most likely be shipped by oil tankers to China,” Hinckley continued. “That means greater risks to our oceans from oil spills and increased carbon emissions from tankers -- not to mention the fact that this Canadian oil will be refined and burned in China where environmental regulations are nowhere near as strict as in the US.”
“The bottom line is that Sheldon Whitehouse’s partisan vote hurts Rhode Island’s economy, security and environment at a time when Rhode Islanders are reeling from high fuel prices and skyrocketing unemployment – thank you Senator Whitehouse!” Hinckley concluded.
“Isn’t it time we had a Senator in Washington who supports Rhode Island’s interest over blind partisan loyalty?” asked Hinckley.
