WASHINGTON : Congressional Republicans are moving urgently to try to dismantle 40-year-old crude trade restrictions, undeterred by a House panel’s near party-line vote to approve oil exports.That lopsided 31-19 vote by the House Energy and Commerce Committee illustrated the steep political obstacles still ahead to liberalizing crude trade. Just three Democrats including Houston Rep.
Gene Green joined panel Republicans in endorsing the measure, which is a top priority for oil producers eager to escape the bounds of a limited U.S. market and sell their crude into the global marketplace.Sponsored by Rep. Joe Barton, R-Ennis, the bill would block federal officials from imposing or enforcing any restriction on crude exports, essentially reversing four decades of trade prohibitions that make limited exceptions, including for shipments to Canada and some sales of Alaskan and Californian crude.
The full House is on track to consider Barton’s exports bill before month’s end, and its passage is widely expected a major milestone for a pro-exports campaign that began in earnest less than two years ago.The measure’s fate is far less certain in the narrowly controlled Senate, where an exports endorsement from Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., on Wednesday did nothing to change the mathematics of action in the chamber that requires 60 votes to advance most any legislation.
