WASHINGTON (November 14, 2014) – Speaking at a press conference in Myanmar, President Obama earlier today put forward the idea that the Keystone XL pipeline is merely an export pipeline for Canadian oil. The president said, “Understand what this project is: It is providing the ability of Canada to pump their oil, send it through our land, down to the Gulf, where it will be sold everywhere else. It doesn't have an impact on U.S. gas prices.”

Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), who has pushed back on the Keystone pipeline as an export strategy for oil companies, including offering amendments requiring the oil transported through the pipeline stay in the United States, issued the following statement:

“President Obama is right, Keystone is a Canadian export pipeline, plain and simple. Oil companies want to use our country to transport Canadian oil, and now they’re trying to ram this export strategy through Congress.

“When the Senate debates this pipeline on Tuesday, I will back up the president on this point and argue against using America as a middleman for foreign countries’ energy interests.”