Washington, D.C. – In response to the U.S. House of Representatives’ successful vote to lift the ban on U.S. crude exports, SAFE President and CEO Robbie Diamond issued the following statement:

“I am pleased to see Congress acting to remove this outdated policy that is no longer relevant in today’s global oil market. America was built on the concept of economic competitiveness and free trade, and it is important that our policies reflect those values on the international stage. Lifting the ban is likely to give a boost to domestic oil production, while meaningfully impacting U.S. job creation and strengthening our overall economy. Furthermore, analysis by the U.S. Energy Information Administration shows that lifting the ban will not affect the price American consumers and businesses pay at the pump, as gasoline prices more closely follow the global Brent crude benchmark.”

“Developing our resources here at home is a critical component of the energy security equation. However, in parallel we must reduce our dependence on oil in the transportation sector, of which it powers ninety-two percent, to better protect our country from the volatility inherent to the global oil market and the price spikes that come with it. We must ensure that a comprehensive, long-term energy policy is part of the discussion in Congress, one that takes advantage of domestic oil production and innovations in alternative fuel technologies that give consumers more choice and bolster our national security.”

About Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE)

Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE) is a nonpartisan organization that aims to reduce America’s dependence on oil and improve U.S. energy security to bolster national security and strengthen the economy. SAFE advocates for expanded domestic production of U.S. oil and gas resources, continued improvements in fuel efficiency, and in the long-term, breaking oil’s stranglehold on the transportation sector through alternatives like natural gas for heavy-duty trucks and plug-in electric vehicles. In 2006, SAFE joined with General P.X. Kelley (Ret.), 28th Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, and Frederick W. Smith, Chairman, President, and CEO of FedEx Corporation, to form the Energy Security Leadership Council (ESLC), a group of business and former military leaders committed to reducing the United States’ dependence on oil.

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