Overnight Energy: Obama threatens to veto oil exports bill

by Timothy Cama and Devin Henry - 10/07/15 5:46 PM ET

OBAMA’S A NO ON EXPORT BILL: The Obama administration renewed its threat to veto a House bill lifting the ban on crude oil exports on Wednesday afternoon.

The bill, which would overturn the 40-year-old ban, “is not needed at this time,” officials said in a statement of administration policy. Instead, the statement said, Congress should look to institute more environmentally-friendly policies.

White House press secretary Josh Earnest said in September that the administration opposed the House bill, arguing that the Commerce Department already has the power to approve crude oil exports under certain circumstances.

{mosads}The White House’s opposition comes a few days before the House considers a bill from Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) lifting the export ban. Support for the measure has swelled among Republicans, the oil industry and oil-state Democrats, who hope to pass the measure this year.

Some Democrats have hinted that they could support expanding oil exports, but they first want the chance to amend the bill.

“Help me to help you, help me to help the constituents of my district, to assist all job-seeking Americans by allowing amendments to be entertained on this bill,” Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.) said at a House Rules Committee meeting Wednesday.

Read more here.

TOMORROW IN THE HILL: Supporters of lifting the crude oil export ban are looking to craft a compromise on the issue — though no one has found a package able to unite Republicans, Democrats and a reluctant president. Read it Thursday at The Hill.

ON TAP THURSDAY I: A House Energy and Commerce oversight subcommittee will probe the Volkswagen emissions scandal. VW’s U.S. president, Michael Horn, and two Environmental Protection Agency officials are scheduled to testify.

The hearing will be Congress’s first crack at VW since the EPA accused the car manufacturer of working to evade federal emissions requirements. Our preview is here.

ON TAP THURSDAY II: The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing on Western and Alaskan water bills. Michael Connor, the deputy secretary of the Department of the Interior, will testify.

Rest of Thursday’s agenda …

A Senate Energy and Natural Resources subcommittee will meet to discuss 10 other bills.

AROUND THE WEB:

General Electric Co. is spinning off its energy technology business into a new Boston-based company called Current, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has appointed Tamayo Marukawa, a former television broadcaster and health and welfare minister, to oversee the country’s environmental policies, Bloomberg Business reports.

Executives of the world’s biggest oil companies will meet next week on climate change policy strategies, Reuters reports.

Oral arguments began Wednesday in the federal trial against Don Blankenship, a former coal executive accused of various crimes related to the Upper Big Branch mine disaster that killed 38 in 2010, the Register-Herald reports.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

Check out Wednesday’s stories …

-White House threatens veto on crude oil exports bill
-EPA probing VW’s profit from emissions cheating
-California governor signs major climate law
-GOP chairman seeks ‘fiscal discipline’ at nuclear regulator
-Senate Finance enters Volkswagen fray
-GOP senator looks to end wind power subsidy
-Heritage blasts ‘union buyoff’ in oil export bill