Tad True, Vice President of Bridger Pipeline, Notre Dame graduate and Casper native, was given the opportunity to address the Republican National Convention last night and talked about energy independence, the Keystone Pipeline and energy policy.

Here is the video of Tad True addressing the Republican National Convention with the transcript following.

Thank you.

Ladies and Gentlemen: Energy powers everything we do and America depends on reliable and affordable energy.

This is a simple concept, but the Obama administration does not get it. His policies are driving us away from energy independence, not towards it.

Mitt Romney knows that we need an “All of the Above” energy policy that includes oil, gas, and coal and renewable sources — like wind and solar — so that we can finally secure energy independence for our country.

Infrastructure is fundamental to all energy systems. And infrastructure is critical to achieving energy independence infrastructure — like pipelines.

Which prompts me to ask: Mr. President, where is the Keystone Pipeline?

I am part of the third generation of family-owned businesses, and we operate pipelines in the great states of Wyoming, North Dakota, and Montana. These companies were started by my grandfather, and then run by my father and uncles.

Between them — and our 152 dedicated and incredibly talented employees — we built almost 4,000 miles of pipeline.

A lot of our recent work has been constructing new pipeline infrastructure in western North Dakota to support the development of the Bakken oil shale — an exciting and important development for America.

Some time ago, we agreed to build the “on-ramp” to the Keystone XL pipeline, so that it could take American produced oil to American markets. If Keystone had received timely approval of their permit, it would be under construction today.

Instead, Americans have missed out on jobs from this pipeline because the Obama Administration has played politics with the Keystone project.

My hope is that my 3 boys — Henry, Sam, and Charlie — will be part of the fourth generation of our family business. And although my kids think pipelines are boring, I know and you know and Mitt Romney knows that pipelines are vital to America’s energy system.

Ladies and Gentlemen: This is not about just one pipeline. This is about a fundamental transformation of America’s energy system so that we can achieve that long-sought after goal of energy independence.

More importantly, it’s about my 3 boys and your children and about re-building a nation that can once again power itself.

We need a president who understands that we need all of that energy all of that oil all of those jobs. And we need a president that understands that America needs that pipeline.

That president is Mitt Romney.

Thank you.

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