84R7150 BGU-F
By: Anchia H.C.R. No. 57
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The efficient exploration, production, and
transportation of oil in Texas prevents waste of the state's
natural resources, contributes to the health, welfare, and safety
of the general public, and promotes the prosperity of the state; and
WHEREAS, The tax revenues and economic prosperity deriving
from this Texas energy renaissance have greatly benefited Texas
public schools, higher education, critical infrastructure
development, and public health and safety programs; and
WHEREAS, Improved technologies and abundant resources have
made America the world's leading oil and natural gas producer,
overtaking Saudi Arabia and Russia; and
WHEREAS, The 1970s-era federal law prohibiting crude oil
exports is a relic from an era of scarcity and flawed price control
policies; and
WHEREAS, Allowing American crude oil exports will strengthen
U.S. geopolitical influence by giving our trading partners a more
secure source of supply, and allowing the export of American crude
oil will make our allies less dependent on crude oil from Russia and
the Middle East; and
WHEREAS, The world's other major developed nations allow
crude oil exports, making America the only nation that does not take
full advantage of trading a valuable resource in what is an
otherwise global free market; and
WHEREAS, Crude oil exports will benefit America's national
security interests by decreasing the likelihood that global oil
supply can be used internationally as a strategic weapon; and
WHEREAS, Numerous studies have found that allowing American
crude oil into the world's free market will benefit U.S. trade and
American consumers while creating more high-paying jobs for Texans
to fill; and
WHEREAS, According to an analysis by the American Petroleum
Institute, Texas will lead all states in job growth following the
repeal of the ban, with an estimated 40,291 jobs by 2020; and
WHEREAS, Other studies have similarly found tremendous
prospective GDP growth from lifting the 1970s-era ban; and
WHEREAS, The United States is the largest exporter of refined
petroleum products and would benefit even more substantially from
the export of both crude oil and refined petroleum products; and
WHEREAS, At least seven independent studies have confirmed
that repealing the ban on American crude oil exports will lower U.S.
gas prices, benefiting Texas consumers and businesses; and
WHEREAS, Thousands of small and large Texas businesses that
support oil and gas development will benefit from ongoing
production; and
WHEREAS, Manufacturers will benefit from less volatility in
energy costs; and
WHEREAS, The technology and brainpower behind the American
energy renaissance was mostly pioneered in Texas by Texans; and
WHEREAS, Encouraging a global marketplace that is more free
from artificial barriers will better allow the export of Texas
leadership and expertise, which will also ultimately economically
benefit Texas, the rest of the United States, and our friends around
the world; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the 84th Legislature of the State of Texas
hereby urge the United States Congress and the president of the
United States to recognize that crude oil exports and free trade are
in the national interest and take all necessary steps to eliminate
the current ban on crude oil exports; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official
copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to
the U.S. secretary of commerce, to the U.S. secretary of energy, to
the majority leader of the Senate and the speaker of the House of
Representatives of the United States Congress, and to all the
members of the Texas delegation to Congress with the request that
this resolution be entered in the Congressional Record as a
memorial to the Congress of the United States of America.