Free-market coalition to Congress: Repeal the Crude Oil Export Ban
On behalf of our groups and organizations, together representing millions of Americans, we urge you to end the Crude Oil Export Ban. Repealing this antiquated government mandate will spur economic growth, create hundreds of thousands of jobs, and allow Americans to benefit from affordable and reliable energy.
As a result of an energy crisis in the 1970s, the United States has kept a ban in place on crude oil exports. This ban has restricted the expansion of the U.S. energy economy, which is thriving and delivering lower-‐cost energy to consumers. Policymakers should look to unleash the potential of the energy economy instead of limiting it.
Multiple independent studies show that the ban harms U.S. economic growth and job creation. The National Economic Research Associates (NERA), for example, found that eliminating the export ban would inject between $600 billion and $1.8 trillion into the domestic economy and reduce national unemployment by an average of 200,000 jobs over 2015-2020.
States would benefit from the creation of thousands of new jobs in manufacturing, including steel and cement. According to a study conducted by IHS Global Inc., higher U.S. oil production resulting from a lifting of the ban would create at its peak 1 million jobs, grow gross domestic product by $135 billion, and increase average household income by $391. A quarter of the employment growth would occur in non-oil producing states, thanks to the petroleum sector’s extensive supply chain.
Critics argue that lifting the ban would increase gasoline prices. However, a recent report by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) found that repealing the ban wouldn’t increase gasoline prices and could even lower them. This in turn would provide relief to consumers at the pump.
We encourage members of both chambers of Congress to support legislation that fully lifts the ban on crude oil exports. We would also urge you to oppose efforts to use the legislation as a vehicle to extend handouts for green energy such as the wind production tax credit or the solar investment tax credit.
Sincerely,
Brent Gardner, Vice President of Government Affairs
Americans for Prosperity
Phil Kerpen, President
American Commitment
George David Banks, Executive Vice President
American Council for Capital Formation
Sean Noble, President
American Encore
Thomas J. Pyle, President
American Energy Alliance
Coley Jackson, President
Americans for Competitive Enterprise
Grover Norquist, President
Americans for Tax Reform
Jeffrey Mazzella, President
Center for Individual Freedom
Myron Ebell, Director, Center for Energy and Environment
Competitive Enterprise Institute
Marita Noon, Executive Director
Energy Makes America Great
Matt Kibbe, President and CEO
FreedomWorks
George Landrith, President
Frontiers of Freedom
Michael A. Needham, CEO
Heritage Action for America
Andrew Langer, President
Institute for Liberty
Seton Motley, President
Less Government
Harry C. Alford, President/CEO
National Black Chamber of Commerce
Pete Sepp, President
National Taxpayers Union
Andrew Moylan, Executive Director
R Street Institute
David Williams, President
Taxpayers Protection Alliance
Judson Phillips, Founder
Tea Party Nation
