Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-TX28) today issued the following statement encouraging the lift of the U.S. crude oil export ban, which would remove all restrictions on the export of crude oil from the United States, which would spur economic growth, continue to move our nation towards energy security, and create hundreds of thousands of jobs across the country.   

“Oil and energy technology has improved drastically over recent decades, yet we still have laws on the books from 40 years ago governing this resource,” Congressman Cuellar said.  “It’s time the crude oil ban is lifted, allowing the U.S. to compete in the global marketplace and reap the benefits of doing so, including hundreds of thousands of jobs—many of which right at home in Texas. While I work with my friends across the aisle so that the current, outdated bans on oil exports are lifted, I will also fight to ensure America’s refineries have equal access to American oil— we cannot enact legislation that benefits only one portion of the energy sector while disadvantaging another to the benefit of foreign competitors.  Free trade and free markets are the goal--that is what is best for America and for Texas.”