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Rep. Fred Upton, (R-Mich.), discusses whether the president will change his mind on the Keystone Pipeline.
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We could repeat we could be getting closer to a decision on the Keystone Pipeline new secretary of state John Kerry met with the Canadian counterpart Friday.
And a main part of that discussion was the fight all of keystone.
Congressman Fred Upton.
Republican from Michigan.
He is chairman of the house energy committee and he joins us right here in New York right now congressman welcome program is still friends to let -- -- -- you know kinda -- place seriously.
Do you think we have a -- a probability.
Idea of -- reversible President Obama and saying yes to keystone.
I hope that that'll happen and there's been strong bipartisan support in favor keystone really the last four and a half years this has been pending before the administration.
Last week a 146 members Republicans and Democrats sent a letter to the president say hey it's time to get this thing done.
We -- what sort of lost -- judgment.
Fred I'm gonna skip it forgive if is that what you judgment I saw -- I.
I.
-- Citi does this I'm not convinced I will tell -- I am not convinced that he will in the sad thing is that I'm sure that Canadians made the point on Friday when and that was secretary -- Look we're gonna do this matter what we're gonna go from a million barrels a day to four million barrels.
But -- production the Canadians will do guests before the end of the decade.
And if it doesn't come to the lower 48 to be defined they're creating the jobs 20000 drug -- -- 100000 indirect.
They'll send it to China.
They'll build the pipeline east.
To the Atlantic and -- -- senate Bible to the refineries and want you know just raise the costs.
It's a very big deal because if the president did okay it would signal the reversal on energy policy -- right -- you bring a lot of jobs and and he might reverse on for tactics and have a real did you revolution America -- -- you know -- can be North American energy independence.
Let's utilize our friends in Canada and Mexico.
Let's let's use our resource is to be competitive with the rest of the world so why does it -- why does he just jump at -- and the creates jobs energy independence very very quickly real jobs no cost of the government -- cost the taxpayer -- why do you think he's he's not doing there is no good reason not to do so why his last event that I I think ours is the all the environmentalists.
-- powerful.
They're pretty strong -- without question they made a point that they did not want this thing done.
They're gonna have another protest another week -- two in Washington as well it's but it's you know -- this thing has been bipartisan yes.
Senator Kerry voted against that when he as a senator from Massachusetts he's in a different position now -- told -- that he makes the right decision.
And says okay we're ready for this after four and a half years.
I got to leave the subject but I'll leave it with the use that.
Big somewhat skeptical that the president will approve keystone is that that -- leaving I'm not I'd like to think that he will but yeah -- -- I won't be surprised either -- now -- -- -- to the question of whether or not we have a spending problem in the United -- -- right in the middle of the debate.
Order a failure to Nancy Pelosi who appeared on FOX News Sunday.
And in it she said we do not have a spending problem just let me roll some tape four have a look at this.
And cuts in education scientific research and the rest are harmful and they are what are accepted.
By the sequestration.
So it -- almost a false argument to say we have a spending problem.
All right so there's two questions -- do we or do we don't have a spending problem.
And all we -- sequester and caught domestic spending significantly first question do we have a spending problem both answers are yes.
Both the answers are yes and remember the president said he wanted to balanced approach.
He that is revenue back last month January 1 with a resolve of the fiscal cliff -- should we raised.
Literally 600 billion in new taxes.
No real spending cuts what this sequestered does on March 1 it says look.
It's common it's going to be an 85 billion dollar reduction in current spending for this fiscal year.
And it comes unless we pass something to turn it off.
And that's not gonna happen you in favor of -- -- it has to happen without an alternative you know in the house last year under speaker Boehner and Canner.
We passed in the house to -- different bills.
With spending offsets on the sequester.
And the senate didn't take either one of them so we are now left in the position of the -- that's gonna come.
-- there's no doubt that the tables have been turned I think everyone thought the Republicans to be fighting tooth and -- were sequestered now for the go through.
Does this also give the Republicans the moral high ground later on to say listen this was a sacred -- of ours we bit the bullet now it's time -- of the same -- -- Yeah where -- all we're all -- that sacrifice and believe me there are some real concerns on.
Defense and intelligence cuts that are coming but -- absolutely you'll find the right group out there -- part of looking for their little that are little section.
But this but we've got to get off this we've got to be able to reduce spending and that is happening with the sequester.
We'll see another -- debate later on in a few months as it relates to entitlements.
Let me sum -- up like this and thank you very much for being with -- -- Friend you say he inhabits is probably the president will not allow the Keystone Pipeline.
But yes we do have a spending problem and yes we probably no -- really surprised when prices are likely to show tomorrow night is state of the union.
Were ready.
Boarding here in the arts read what what -- -- all I don't that he ski Anthony after -- -- that congress and often what a pleasure thanks so much for joining us much of life.
