“Just when I thought things couldn’t make any less sense here in Washington, today I received the news that the president is actively preventing thousands of American jobs from being created.

“This is the same president who has been campaigning around our country for the last couple of months proclaiming that we can’t wait to create jobs. Clearly, his rhetoric does not match his actions.

“The Keystone XL Pipeline represents tens of thousands of American jobs – more than a thousand of which will be created in Tennessee. It is exactly the kind of shovel ready project that his failed stimulus package sought to create.

“Unions support the construction of the Keystone Pipeline, the states along the proposed route support it, Republicans and Democrats support it and even the president’s own Jobs Council said that energy pipeline projects like this one can create hundreds of thousands of American jobs.

“The really unfortunate part is that I truly believe that even the president supports this project but fears political repercussions from his far-left base.

“Like many of my constituents, I was extremely concerned to hear the news that Iran was threatening to block the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for oil transportation. With constant instability in the Middle East, it is ludicrous to not move forward with measures that would provide a secure, stable energy supply for America. Now, our ally Canada will likely have to look to other nations like China to buy its oil reserves.

“I remain firm in my resolve to seeing that this president’s politics will not trump this shovel ready, job creating project.”