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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, The efficient exploration, production, and |
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transportation of oil in Texas prevents waste of the state's |
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natural resources, contributes to the health, welfare, and safety |
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of the general public, and promotes the prosperity of the state; and |
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WHEREAS, The tax revenues and economic prosperity deriving |
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from this Texas energy renaissance have greatly benefited Texas |
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public schools, higher education, critical infrastructure |
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development, and public health and safety programs; and |
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WHEREAS, Improved technologies and abundant resources have |
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made America the world's leading oil and natural gas producer, |
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overtaking Saudi Arabia and Russia; and |
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WHEREAS, The 1970s-era federal law prohibiting crude oil |
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exports is a relic from an era of scarcity and flawed price control |
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policies; and |
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WHEREAS, Allowing American crude oil exports will strengthen |
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U.S. geopolitical influence by giving our trading partners a more |
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secure source of supply, and allowing the export of American crude |
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oil will make our allies less dependent on crude oil from Russia and |
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the Middle East; and |
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WHEREAS, The world's other major developed nations allow |
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crude oil exports, making America the only nation that does not take |
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full advantage of trading a valuable resource in what is an |
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otherwise global free market; and |
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WHEREAS, Crude oil exports will benefit America's national |
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security interests by decreasing the likelihood that global oil |
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supply can be used internationally as a strategic weapon; and |
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WHEREAS, Numerous studies have found that allowing American |
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crude oil into the world's free market will benefit U.S. trade and |
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American consumers while creating more high-paying jobs for Texans |
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to fill; and |
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WHEREAS, According to an analysis by the American Petroleum |
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Institute, Texas will lead all states in job growth following the |
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repeal of the ban, with an estimated 40,291 jobs by 2020; and |
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WHEREAS, Other studies have similarly found tremendous |
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prospective GDP growth from lifting the 1970s-era ban; and |
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WHEREAS, The United States is the largest exporter of refined |
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petroleum products and would benefit even more substantially from |
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the export of both crude oil and refined petroleum products; and |
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WHEREAS, At least seven independent studies have confirmed |
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that repealing the ban on American crude oil exports will lower U.S. |
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gas prices, benefiting Texas consumers and businesses; and |
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WHEREAS, Thousands of small and large Texas businesses that |
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support oil and gas development will benefit from ongoing |
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production; and |
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WHEREAS, Manufacturers will benefit from less volatility in |
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energy costs; and |
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WHEREAS, The technology and brainpower behind the American |
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energy renaissance was mostly pioneered in Texas by Texans; and |
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WHEREAS, Encouraging a global marketplace that is more free |
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from artificial barriers will better allow the export of Texas |
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leadership and expertise, which will also ultimately economically |
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benefit Texas, the rest of the United States, and our friends around |
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the world; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 84th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby urge the United States Congress and the president of the |
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United States to recognize that crude oil exports and free trade are |
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in the national interest and take all necessary steps to eliminate |
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the current ban on crude oil exports; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official |
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copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to |
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the U.S. secretary of commerce, to the U.S. secretary of energy, to |
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the majority leader of the Senate and the speaker of the House of |
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Representatives of the United States Congress, and to all the |
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members of the Texas delegation to Congress with the request that |
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this resolution be entered in the Congressional Record as a |
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memorial to the Congress of the United States of America. |