Vance M. McAllister

Mr. Speaker, it has been more than 6 years since the application was filed for the Keystone pipeline.

This is my background. This is where I made my living to come up. Despite the opposition from environmental groups, the benefits of the pipeline will far outweigh any potential negative impacts. Approval of this should be a no-brainer.

Construction will lead to thousands of jobs, well paying jobs at a time when Americans are struggling to find work. Importing an efficient, reliable source of energy has the potential to decrease gas prices in the future, expand oil refineries along the gulf coast, and lessens our dependence on foreign energy sources.

In addition to the economic upsurge, this pipeline signifies a secure source of energy for our country, if needed. It is not merely an economic issue but a security issue as well. And each day that it is delayed is another day thousands of Americans are out of work.

I challenge you, Mr. Speaker: for those that say these are temporary jobs, talk to the men and women where I come from who have bought cars, bought houses, put children through college with these temporary jobs, as you call them. What, are they temporary legacies? Are they temporary retirements? Because that is what our community is built on.

I commend the gentleman from Louisiana, Congressman Cassidy, for introducing this bill, which not only fulfills the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 but also protects the rights of private property owners should they be affected by the pipeline route.

With my past experience in pipeline construction, I can say that this project is no different from the thousands of other pipelines we lay each year--with one exception: it crosses national borders, giving President Obama the ability to delay it. The President is making political promises when it should be deemed practical.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for all his hard work on getting this amendment before us today.

Mr. Speaker, I am very frustrated that I stand before you today and we can wage a war on Ebola, yet we sit back for hours and allow ISIL to wage a war against us.

A ``no'' vote is the easiest vote to cast. We cannot stand back and do nothing while ISIL continues to threaten our national security and terrorizes the Middle East.

Everyone wants to be a general, but now is not the time to argue amongst ourselves. Back home, people think all we do is argue about petty politics and get nothing accomplished. Now is the time to take action and stand unified behind House leadership and deal with this serious threat.

We are dealing with one of the most barbaric terrorist organizations we have seen in years and the American people cannot afford to have Congress go home without authorizing an effective strategy to annihilate ISIL.

This resolution does not appropriate new funding; it simply gives congressional approval to act in the best interest of our national security without acting unilaterally.

It would be a disservice to American citizens and our allies if we continue bickering while ISIL mobilizes and recruits new members. Destroying ISIL requires a coordinated effort to arm and train those fighting our enemies.

As a veteran, I do not want to see my brothers in arms' blood shed and them die in vain for where we have not completed a mission.

Mr. Speaker, 9/11 is a reminder that terrorism does not recognize boundaries. We are the United States. We must stand united to defeat all enemies, both foreign and domestic, when appropriate, on their soil and not ours.

I urge my colleagues to act now and pass this amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Pineville City Marshal, Larry Jeane, who recently passed away at the age of 68.

A resident of Pineville, Louisiana for more than 45 years, Mr. Jeane's service to his local community earned him numerous honors and awards. He served as City Marshal for 17 years and spent 24 years working in the criminal justice, public safety and corrections field where he received the Charles Dunbar Career Civil Service Award for his service. Mr. Jeane was an active member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Pineville and an avid supporter of his alma mater, Louisiana College, where he was heavily involved in the athletic department.

Mr. Jeane exemplified strong leadership and dedication to all who had the honor of knowing him. I am grateful for his years of dedicated service to his community and for the pride he brought to the City of Pineville. It is with great pride that I recognize the life of such an accomplished and admirable man, and I ask my colleagues to join me today in commemorating Mr. Larry Jeane and his achievements.