WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.) issued the following statement today after the Senate failed to pass legislation to approve the Keystone XL Pipeline:

“For more than six years, the Obama administration and Senate Democrats have played politics with American jobs and our nation’s energy security by blocking and delaying this common-sense, shovel-ready project. The Keystone XL Pipeline would create tens of thousands of jobs and decrease our nation’s heavy reliance on unstable foreign sources of oil – without costing taxpayers a dime.

“As I’ve long said, more American energy means more American jobs. I am ready to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to help American families right now. It’s disappointing that Senate Democrats chose once again not to join us in these efforts today.”

A recent American Petroleum Institute/IHS study found that under pro-energy development policies, more than 955,000 job opportunities would be created by 2020 and almost 1.3 million by 2030.