Date: 2015-10-09
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. let me thank Mr. PALLONE and Mr. BARTON for their courtesies and as well the Rules Committee. Let me first of all say there has been a lot of discussion on the floor of the House regarding this bill and different opinions. Might I add that this is an important and vigorous discussion. I think this is the best of what this Congress is all about. Mr. Chairman. I would like to take note of H.R. 702. which many of us know came about because of the gas prices in the 1970s. This bill simply repeals that portion of the legislation that responded to that crisis. What I like in the bill is. of course. we have in the bill that we. as a Congress. will get a report some 120 days after dealing with the maintenance and the strength of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. That is a very important national security item. A savings clause indicates. of course. that the President has all of his powers in the light of crisis and other issues to implement any necessary changes or any necessary restrictions on this legislation. My amendment tracks giving more information. Not later than 10 years after the date of enactment of this act. the Secretary of Energy and the Secretary of Commerce shall jointly transmit to Congress a report that reviews the impact of lifting the oil import ban under this act as relates to promoting. supporting. and providing for the United States energy and national security policy. Our number one responsibility is the American peopleI understand thatboth environmentally. which reflects to their own energy resources. and certainly with national security. This amendment allows for that report to be on the front side of 10 years. It could be 2 years from now. 3 years from now. and the Congress can dictate that. U.S. crude production bottomed in 2008 at about 7 million barrels a day. It is now more than 11 million barrels a day. and it is now possible to go up to 18 million barrels a day in 2040 under the strictest environmental concerns. But right now in my districtright now in my districtthey are laying off thousands of people because there is no work. So I would argue to my colleagues that this amendment provides the insight on what is going on. This bill could provide the GDP would rise by 550 billion to 1.8 trillion between 2015 and 2039. It is estimated in my own congressional job lifting the ban would generate an additional 500 hundred jobs. an additional 270 million in the local economy. and increase government revenues in 227 million. This 10year period under thatby the way. it is up to 10 yearsis giving long enough time to provide a probative. intelligent assessment of whether there is irreversible damage. Amendment No. 9 operates as a safety valve and reassures that those who may be skeptical of lifting the export ban get reasonable opportunities to oppose it or get the right information. The same thing with those who may support it. It gives us a basis of empirical data rigorously analyzed. Mr. Chairman. my amendment can be summed up as follows: For those who are confident in the future. my amendment offers vindication. For those who are skeptical of the new change. my amendment will provide the evidence they need to prove their case. I ask my colleagues to support the Jackson Lee amendment. Mr. Chairman. I reserve the balance of my time.