HR0243 LRB099 11183 MST 31692 r
1		HOUSE RESOLUTION
2		WHEREAS, The United States relies on gasoline, diesel, and
3		jet fuel despite the recent focus on renewable and alternative
4		sources of energy, and it will continue to rely on those fuels
5		for many years; and
6		WHEREAS, In order to fuel our economy, the United States
7		will need more oil and natural gas while also requiring
8		additional alternative energy sources; and
9		WHEREAS, The United States currently depends on foreign
10		imports for more than half of its petroleum usage, and it is
11		the largest consumer of petroleum in the world; U.S. dependence
12		on overseas oil has created geopolitical relationships with
13		potentially damaging consequences for our national security;
14		and
15		WHEREAS, Oil deposits in the Bakken Reserves of Montana,
16		North Dakota, and South Dakota are an increasingly important
17		crude oil resource; it contains an estimated 11 billion barrels
18		of recoverable crude oil and there is not enough pipeline
19		capacity for crude oil supplies from Montana, North Dakota,
20		South Dakota, Oklahoma, and Texas to reach American refineries;
21		and

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1		WHEREAS, Canadian oil reserves contain an estimated 173
2		billion barrels of recoverable oil, and Canada is the single
3		largest supplier of oil to the United States at 2.62 million
4		barrels per day; Canada has the capacity to significantly
5		increase that rate; and
6		WHEREAS, The Keystone XL pipeline will, when completed,
7		carry 700,000 barrels of North American crude oil to American
8		refineries in the Gulf Coast region; and
9		WHEREAS, Construction of the project will create 120,000
10		jobs nationwide, including 20,000 in construction and
11		manufacturing, create $20 billion in economic growth, and
12		generate millions of dollars' worth of government receipts; and
13		WHEREAS, A recent study by the U.S. Department of Energy
14		found that increasing delivery of crude oil from Montana, North
15		Dakota, South Dakota, and Alberta, as well as Texas and
16		Oklahoma to American refineries has the potential to
17		substantially reduce our country's dependence on sources
18		outside of North America; and
19		WHEREAS, Canada sends more than 99% of its oil exports to
20		the United States, the bulk of which goes to Midwestern
21		refineries; oil companies are investing huge sums to expand and
22		upgrade refineries in the Midwest and elsewhere to make

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1		gasoline and other refined products from Canadian oil derived
2		from oil sands; the expansion and upgrade projects will create
3		many new construction jobs over the next 5 years and
4		substantially add to the gross product of Illinois; and
5		WHEREAS, Ninety percent of the money used to buy Canadian
6		oil will likely later be spent directly on U.S. goods and
7		services in contrast with increasing the trade relationship
8		with unstable regions; supporting the continued shift towards
9		reliable and secure sources of North American oil is of vital
10		interest to the United States and the State of Illinois;
11		therefore, be it
12		RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
13		NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
14		commend the members of Congress of the United States who have
15		called for the expansion and completion of the Keystone XL
16		pipeline system; and be it further
17		RESOLVED, That we call upon the President of the United
18		States and his administration to speed up the process of
19		granting final permits to enable construction to begin on the
20		completion of the Keystone XL pipeline network for reasons of
21		consumer protection and national security; and be it further
22		RESOLVED, That we request that the United States Department

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1		of Defense make a public statement as to the desirability of
2		maximizing the production of fossil fuels within the boundaries
3		of North America as part of our overall worldwide strategic
4		position in relations to nations that do not wish well to the
5		United States; and be it further
6		RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be sent
7		to members of the Illinois congressional delegation, the
8		President of the United States, the United States Secretary of
9		Defense, the United States Secretary of the Interior, the
10		United States Secretary of Energy, and the Administrator of the
11		United States Environmental Protection Agency.