Senate debate on the Keystone XL oil pipeline is at a standstill. A compromise appears unlikely with no vote expected this week after the two parties couldn’t reach an agreement last week.
Nebraska rancher Randy Thompson of Martell is one landowner who won a court victory against TransCanada in a case that’s now in the appeals process. Thompson says the Senate even voting on the issue is a “sham” and he says Congress is ignoring Nebraska’s Constitution.
“This is all just silly political games,” Thompson says. “Instead of taking this thing seriously and looking out for the citizens of the United States, they’d rather play some kind of a political game.”
Thompson says even if the Keystone vote were to be approved in the Senate, the president would veto it and there’s no way Congress could override the veto. He says federal lawmakers favoring the pipeline are ignoring citizens’ property rights and backing a project that would harm the environment.
While saying he’s been a Republican for 45 years, Thompson criticized members of the GOP for how this ssue is being handled.
“They claim they’re personal property champions and all this but yet, when it comes down to this situation, they want to force this pipeline through and the hell with our property rights and the hell with the environment,” Thompson says. “They just want to get it done. I’m sure it’s the big oil money. These boys are wanting some results from their campaign contributions.”
Senate Republicans and Democrats are at odds over the pipeline and energy efficiency legislation.
By Jerry Oster, WNAX, Yankton