U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., Tuesday co-sponsored legislation by Sen. John Hoeven, R-S.D., that would eliminate the need for President Obama’s approval of a permit to begin the construction and operation of the Keystone XL pipeline.

“After five years of delays, there is simply no reason whatsoever for the president not to let the Keystone XL pipeline move forward,” Alexander said in a news release. “This legislation would remove the requirement for presidential approval of the pipeline, advancing a project that would make us more secure in our energy supply and create thousands of jobs for American workers.”