Toomey: 2015 Starts With The Keystone Pipeline And Pro-cop Rally
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The 114th Congress has just started working this week, and many members of the Senate and House are setting their agenda for the year.
One of those people, Sen. Pat Toomey(R-PA), told WPHT midday host Dom Giordano that he is hoping for a constructive debate about energy policy that leads to the passing of the Keystone Pipeline, regardless of what happens to the bill when it gets to the President's desk.
"Generally, there's so many things that we can do to encourage the development of domestic energy. Allow this marketplace to be even more efficient. I mean, low cost reliable energy drives economic growth and jobs. I can't tell you how disappointed I am that the President announced that he's going to veto a bill if it gets to him that authorizes the Keystone Pipeline…over 70% of the American people understand building our energy infrastructure so that we can use North American oil instead of having to buy so much from others…if the President decides that he's going to obstruct solid pro-growth policies, I can't control that, but I'm going to continue to pursue policies that are good for our economy."
While Toomey jokes that there was no Republican involvement in Sen. Harry Reid's injuries, he is happy that he is no longer running the show in the Senate, so that bills like the Keystone Pipeline can be voted on and sent to President Obama.
"Senator Reid basically was the President's veto for several years. He just made sure that nothing even saw the light of day in the Senate if the President wasn't already okay with it. The Senate is not supposed to be an extension of the political shop of the White House. The Senate is supposed to represent 50 states, and it's supposed to represent the people of those states, and the people of America understand that energy infrastructure is good for America, good for our jobs, and so we're going to get on with it."
Before he puts his energy to the passing of these bills, Sen. Toomey will be joining Giordano in a push for the display of respect and recognition of police officers at a pro-police rally at Independence Hall on Saturday, January 10th.
"Any human institution is going to have imperfections – that's because that is our nature as humans. The fact is the vast majority of police officers in Philadelphia, across Pennsylvania, across the United States, get up every day and do their work honorably, and they're protecting us at great risk to themselves. They make a big sacrifice for us, and we ought to recognize it."