Also Discussed Expanding Venezuelan Petroleum Sales and EU Regulations that Harm Energy Security in Senate Foreign Relations Hearing
U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today spoke with Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing. The two discussed Venezuelan oil sales, the need to end the Jackson-Vanik trade restrictions on Central Asia, and regulations from the European Union that hinder U.S. energy exports and harm energy security.
Watch the full exchange HERE.
Daines and Rubio discussed expanding Venezuelan petroleum sales to include byproducts like flexicoke:
Daines: Secretary Rubio, as noted from your testimony, there are numerous reasons why the U.S. is the arbiter of Venezuelan petroleum sales. With the new export sales framework the Venezuelan government is now looking at other options to reimburse some of our adversaries: Iran, Russia, as well as Iran’s proxies, to include petroleum byproducts, which contain valuable minerals and so forth, flexicoke. Has the administration considered expanding the export controls to additional petroleum byproducts?
Rubio: I’m sure we would…
Daines highlighted how unfair regulations from the European Union limit U.S. energy security:
Daines: I want to pivot now to EU Energy. I chair the subcommittee here in this committee for Europe. Next we’re going to have a hearing. We’re looking about having a conversation on EU regulations that are hindering energy security, benefiting now, of course, the Russians and hindering the development of alternative supply chains. Mr. Secretary, here’s my question. As Russia continues its war in Ukraine, how important is it for Europe to develop a pro-energy posture to ensure they have energy security?
Rubio: We are concerned.
Daines and Rubio discussed the need to end the unfair Jackson-Vanik restrictions:
Daines: Last question is back to one of my favorite topics, back to Central Asia. We had a great dinner at the White House with the five Central Asian presidents that you were at, President Trump, as well as Vice President Vance. I had an honor to be there with you all. They’re making a major shift right now in terms of having a closer diplomatic kind of relationship with the United States. That all fits in part of the geopolitical puzzle, which relates to energy supply as well. How important is it that we end these Jackson-Vanik trade restrictions as a relation to our relationship with Central Asia? And for background here, Senator Murphy and I are co-sponsors of that bill. We hope to actually get this done and on the President’s desk. It’s an ancient Soviet era restriction that is not relevant at all but frankly is hindering a relationship with these important central Asia Countries.
Rubio: We agree.
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Contact: Matt Lloyd, Gabby Wiggins