The U.S. House late last week voted to lift the politically contentious 40-year-old ban on crude oil exports. This sends debate over to the Senate, which already has passed measures through two committees supporting an end to the export ban.

It also certainly put the White House on notice. President Barack Obama already has issued a veto threat. The administration maintains, “legislation to remove crude export restrictions is not needed at this time,” offering their explicit support for a policy that fails the public in so many ways.

It’s high time to lift the ban. Here are a few reasons why:

Innovations in oil development have produced an energy boom that’s upended global markets and turned the United States into the largest combined oil and gas producer on earth. This productivity has met resistance only through an archaic failure of energy policy. It’s high time to overturn the export ban and promote free trade and American energy independence.

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