WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today delivered a speech on the Senate floor in advance of a vote on the approval of the Keystone XL Pipeline.

*As Prepared for Delivery*

"Mr. President, I oppose this legislation to approve construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. This is one more step in the wrong direction, one more capitulation to our fossil fuel habit, and one more accelerant for the global warming that threatens our children's future.

"We have known that burning fossil fuels is bad for our air and water for well over 50 years. When we passed the Clean Air Act in 1970, and again when we strengthened it in 1990, we did so largely because of the harmful impacts of fossil fuels, because of the air pollution coming from burning fossil fuels in our power plants, our homes, our industrial facilities, and our vehicles. In those years, when we faced the clear evidence of widespread air pollution, we took strong actions. I remind you that those bills passed with bipartisan majorities of over 89 percent here in the Senate.

"We have known for over 30 years that burning fossil fuels increases carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. We have known for 20 years that those increases are likely to cause global warming and climate change. And for the last 10 years, we have had solid, overwhelming, incontrovertible evidence that the earth - both the continents and the oceans - is indeed warming. According to NOAA, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, 9 out of the earth's 10 warmest years on record since 1880 have occurred in just the past 13 years, and 2014, is on track to become the warmest year of all since 1880.

"And in the face of this all of this evidence, what are we doing? We frequently find ourselves seeking to open new fossil fuel resources - or to expand production - and if that isn't enough we are going to do it by increasing production from a notoriously dirty source, the tar sands of Canada.

"Mr. President, decreasing our use of fossil fuels is a monumental task. I recognize the very extensive role that energy resources, including fossil fuels, play in our lives - from easing my travel here this morning, to providing the lighting and heating and electronic services we're using in this Senate chamber here and now, to enabling the construction of our cities and highways. But that is where we should be focusing on our energies - on reducing not increasing this reliance.

"But reducing fossil fuel dependence also creates a huge opportunity - and unlike building the pipeline it also offers major opportunities for creating new jobs. Proponents of the pipeline like to talk about the jobs it will create - and it will create a few jobs for a few years. But if instead of building the Keystone pipeline we committed to retrofit our buildings sector at an accelerated pace - to weatherizing our homes, our offices, and our schools and institutional buildings we would generate more and better jobs while also realizing low cost ways to actually reduce emissions.

"One study found that retrofitting residential and commercial buildings had the potential to reduce consumer demand by 30 percent by 2020 and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1.1 gigatons each year - at a savings of $680 billion. A second study found that retrofits could save $1 trillion in energy spending over 10 years and reduce CO2 emissions by 600 million metric tons each year - that is fully ten percent of our emissions.

"And what would retrofitting do for jobs? According to the Rockefeller Foundation it could create 3.3 million new jobs. Far more than construction of one pipeline could ever hope to generate and jobs that would last more than a couple of years.

"We already know how investments in renewable energy pay off. Up until about 10 years ago, Iowa produced essentially no energy. All of the energy used in Iowa -- for farming, for heating and air conditioning and lighting our buildings, and for transportation - came from outside the state. Today, Iowa gets over 25 percent of its electricity from wind. Iowa offers a similar success story when it comes to transportation fuels. Because of our 12 biodiesel plants and our 42 ethanol biorefineries, Iowa now exports about as much liquid fuel as it consumes. And both the wind production and biobased industries have meant good jobs for the people of my state - jobs that will be around longer than it takes to lay some pipe.

"Mr. President, the Keystone XL pipeline is one more shortsighted effort to increase our reliance on fossil fuels. It is a sad excuse of a jobs project - particularly when we know the way to create more and better jobs while simultaneously reducing emissions and saving money. I call on my colleagues to join me in opposing this Keystone XL pipeline bill."

CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn today made the following statement on the passing of former Chicago Mayor Jane Byrne:

"Jane Byrne leaves a legacy of tireless service to Chicago that will never be forgotten.

"Her work on behalf of the city's children and underserved communities has meant thousands of Chicago citizens are better off today because of Jane's heartfelt dedication.

"The city's first and only female mayor, Jane Byrne was a barrier breaker and a role model for countless women who had stared too long through the glass ceiling.

"She brought transparency to the city budget process, was Chicago's first mayor to march in the Gay Pride Parade and was the nation's first big-city mayor to successfully enact a ban on handguns.

"Renaming the Circle Interchange in honor of the former mayor has rightfully placed Jane Byrne among the city's iconic leaders.

"Jane Byrne was a fearless trailblazer who has made our state a better place. She will be missed. Our thoughts are with her daughter Kathy, grandson William and their entire family today."

Union bosses dumped more than $7.5 million into the Wisconsin and Michigan governor races only to see both states' labor-reforming incumbents re-elected.

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, both Republicans, were two of the five governors publicly targeted by union coalition AFL-CIO in February. Last Tuesday, Walker defeated Democrat Mary Burke 52-47, and Snyder defeated Democrat Mark Schauer 51-47.

Big labor hates ? and in 2012 tried to recall ? Walker because of 2011's Act 10, a centerpiece of his agenda limiting the power of public-sector unions. Snyder signed two right-to-work laws in 2012, empowering most Michigan workers to opt out of paying labor union bosses and launching himself near the top of the union enemies list.

Without accounting for union contributions to Democratic Party committees or any of a laundry list of politically active "progressive" nonprofits, unions this year spent at least $4,387,631 against Walker and at least $3,276,973 against Snyder. These figures likely far understate unions' staff and monetary investments in both races.

Based on campaign finance reports filed with the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, Burke's failed campaign received more than $650,000 of cash and in-kind support from labor unions.

The Washington, D.C., headquarters of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, United Food and Commercial Workers, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and International Association of Fire Fighters each sent Burke donations of the maximum $43,128 allowed by state law.

National Education Association headquarters sent Burke $43,000 from D.C., and her campaign received max contributions from Wisconsin Professional Police Association, United Auto Workers Wisconsin and NEA-affiliate Wisconsin Education Association Council. Several WEAC locals gave Burke four- or five-figure donations.

Campaign finance reports submitted to the Michigan secretary of state show union contributions to Schauer exceeding $630,000. International Union of Painters and Allied Trades sent $50,000 from its national headquarters, IBEW headquarters donated $44,500, UFCW headquarters gave $44,300 and AFSCME headquarters gave $34,000.

Schauer received maximum $68,000 contributions from the Michigan affiliates of UAW and Communications Workers of America, and received $60,381 from Michigan Education Association.

Although labor bosses profess opposition to unlimited independent expenditures from "super PACs," most union spending against Walker and Snyder came from independent expenditures. Union fronts Greater Wisconsin Committee and We Are Wisconsin spent a combined total of more than $3.7 million in big labor's latest attempt to defeat Walker.

Greater Wisconsin Committee PAC spent $1,218,468 in the governor's race and received $1,298,000 from WEAC in the latest reporting period. AFSCME headquarters funneled $2,370,000 to We Are Wisconsin Political Fund and WEAC gave $500,000 during the latest reporting period, while the group spent $2,517,443 in the governor's race.

"Once again, Big Labor failed in its attempt to defeat Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, the author of collective bargaining reform," Brett Healy, president of the Wisconsin-based, free-market MacIver Institute said in an email to Watchdog.org.

"One union boss even said they had 'a score to settle' with Walker," Healy added.

"Wisconsin taxpayers, on the other hand, are ecstatic that Act 10 has saved them almost $3 billion dollars over the last (four) years which has led Walker to cut taxes by $2 billion dollars, freeze property taxes at 2010 levels statewide and freeze tuition at the University of Wisconsin.

"The popularity of Act 10 with Wisconsinites is exactly the reason why Big Labor's decision to spend their members' hard-earned money on this wild-goose chase is so ridiculous and disappointing," Healy said. "It is clear the unions are more worried about yielding crass political power than the welfare of their members.

"Sounds to me like the taxpayers have settled the score, once and for all, with Big Labor," Healy said.

In Michigan, union super PACs sank more than $2.6 million into unseating Snyder. NEA Advocacy Fund spent $703,747, Service Employees International Union Community Alliance spent $689,270 and AFL-CIO's Workers' Voice spent $632,459.

Michigan For All spent $644,617 in the governor's race, fueled by donations of $300,000 from SEIU Community Alliance, over $700,000 from AFSCME, and more than $400,000 from NEA Advocacy Fund.

F. Vincent Vernuccio, labor policy director at Michigan's free-market Mackinac Center, told Watchdog.org the Nov. 4 election "was less a referendum and more a reaffirmation on labor reform."

"The referendums occurred in May and July, which were the two deadlines for unions to put right-to-work on the ballot in Michigan, either as an initiative or a constitutional amendment," Vernuccio said. "And it happened throughout the governor's race, where right-to-work was not even an issue used by Snyder's opponents against him."