Kirsten Gillibrand: Obama made "right decision" to reject Keystone

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand welcomes Obama's rejection of Keystone pipeline

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York, said President Obama made "the right decision" to reject the construction of the Keystone XL oil pipeline in an interview with "Face the Nation" that will air Sunday.

Mr. Obama announced the decision Friday, effectively killing a project that had been in bureaucratic limbo for years. The pipeline would have carried crude oil from Canada to refineries along the U.S. Gulf Coast. Supporters framed the project as a job creator, but opponents worried it would encourage pollution and exacerbate climate change.

"I think that's a smart decision," Gillibrand said of the president's rejection. "I think it's the right decision. That project was going to have the United States and our communities take all the risk from a pipeline from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico which would be an export pipeline. That oil would not be from the United States. It would be for foreign purchasers such as China and other countries. So I think he made the right decision."

When host John Dickerson pointed out the argument from the pipeline's supporters that it would create jobs, Gillibrand replied, "Right, but the real solution here is to move away from fossil fuels towards a renewable economy."

"Frankly when we don't invest in these renewable industries, our competitors do. China does," she explained. "And when they build something, they are then better poised to do next generation innovation. We want that in America. We want 'made in America.' And the opportunity for us is to create those jobs through renewable industries, which is very much about our energy independence, about global climate change, and clean air and clean water. And strengthening our economy for the long-term."

Tune in to see more of our interview with Gillibrand on Sunday's broadcast! Check your local listings for airtimes.

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