The U.S. Senate Energy Committee voted 12-10 in early August to lift a 40-year-old ban on the export of crude oil. The bill, part of the Offshore Production and Energizing National Security (OPENS) Act of 2015, would allow the U.S. to export oil and increase state revenue sharing for offshore oil and gas drilling. Advanced by committee chair Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, the bill is likely to face opposition from Congressional Democrats in the full Senate who cite concerns that reversing the ban would lead to higher gas prices. Democratic support is viewed as a critical part of getting President Barack Obama to sign crude export legislation.
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