Sabrina Fang | 202.682.8114 | fangs@api.org

WASHINGTON, December 22, 2011 — The American Petroleum Institute urged President Obama to follow Congress' lead and approve the Keystone XL pipeline.

"Bipartisan voices in Congress have spoken out in support of Keystone and we call on President Obama to approve the project," said API President and CEO Jack Gerard. "The president can immediately put thousands of Americans to work by approving this pipeline, and it will contribute to our national security, economic growth and energy security."

The Keystone XL pipeline would deliver more Canadian oil to U.S. Gulf Coast refineries and has the support of organized labor, business, mayors and veterans' groups from across the country.

"Our national security and energy security go hand in hand," said Gerard. "The U.S. could meet all its liquid fuel needs through North American resources in 15 years with greater access to domestic and Canadian sources of oil. We should not pass up an opportunity to secure more stable supplies of energy for our growing needs.

"We commend both Democrats and Republicans in Congress who united behind this shovel-ready project. Approving the pipeline will ensure that thousands of building trade workers will get new pay checks in 2012 by constructing Keystone XL. After more than three years of  exhaustive reviews it's time to build this pipeline."

API gave special thanks to Senator Lugar and others on the Hill for not giving up on this critical project and allowing Nebraska to complete its review of a new pipeline route.

API represents more than 490 oil and natural gas companies, leaders of a technology-driven industry that supplies most of America's energy, supports 9.2 million U.S. jobs and 7.7 percent of the U.S. economy, delivers more than $86 million a day in revenue to our government, and, since 2000, has invested more than $2 trillion in U.S. capital projects to advance all forms of energy, including alternatives.