Cramer - House Committee Advances Crude Oil Export Repeal Legislation

Statement

Congressman Kevin Cramer made the following statement after the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee passed H. R 702, a bill to repeal the current crude oil export ban by a vote of 31 -- 19, including three Democrats. Congressman Cramer is a co-sponsor of the legislation.

"I've seen many people down and out walk through the valley of hard economic times rise to prosperity not because of big oil, but because of their own innovation and the opportunity that the shale revolution has provided them. I have seen ranchers that were barely making it suddenly hiring people. I've seen truck drivers who now have their own companies. I've seen taco stand owners that have gone from barely scratching out a living to making good money and hiring more people. This is not about big oil -- at least not in the Bakken of North Dakota. This is about independent oil producers and the vendors and suppliers and service companies that they hire. And it's about the land owner and mineral owner who's gone from poverty to prosperity. So it's easy to pick big oil as the boogie man, but at least from my perspective this is about real people working every day putting their ideas, rolling up their shirt sleeves, getting their hands dirty to be a part of the American Dream. If we can double production in ten years, that ought to be a noble goal. With regard to the environment and climate change, that's a matter of - not of productivity -- that's a matter of demand. But let's use our supply to meet the demand in the global marketplace and become a stabilizing force."

Committee passage of H.R. 702, came days after the White House voiced its opposition to repealing the crude oil export ban. The full House is expected to vote on the legislation next week.

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