BILLINGS - U.S. Representative Denny Rehberg (R-Mont.) is co-sponsoring a bill that would take away the President's authority to decide on the Keystone XL pipeline.
His fellow Republican, Congressman Lee Terry of Nebraska, introduced the bill in the House Wednesday, which would transfer authority over the 1,700-mile long pipeline to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The State Department says the bill raises serious legal issues.
Rehberg says he, "stands with the majority of Montanans who just want the federal government to get out of the way and let the private sector create badly needed jobs."
Senator Jon Tester's office reacted Wednesday by saying in a statement that the Democrat "doesn't think bringing in yet another federal agency will solve the problem."
Montana's senior Senator Max Baucus says he is "looking at every option possible to move the pipeline forward." All of Montana's congressional delegates support the project that would cross eastern Montana as it transports crude from Canada to refineries in Texas.
The President blocked the $7 billion project in late January saying the administration didn't have enough time to review an alternate route that avoided environmentally sensitive areas of Nebraska.
TransCanada plans to re-apply for the federal permit. The governor's office says it would create 1,200 construction jobs in Montana. The State Department overseas the project because it crosses an international border.