The White House issued a formal veto threat against a GOP-backed bill to lift the 40-year-old federal ban on oil exports, saying Republicans instead should get behind efforts to combat climate change.
“Legislation to remove crude export restrictions is not needed at this time,” the White House said Wednesday. “Rather, Congress should be focusing its efforts on supporting our transition to a low-carbon economy.”
The formal threat is different than most. Rather than just laying out the reasons why the president thinks the bill should be vetoed, it provides suggestions for Congress to take a different course of action and even lends examples.
“It could do this through a variety of measures, including ending the billions of dollars a year in federal subsidies provided to oil companies and instead investing in wind, solar, energy efficiency, and other clean technologies to meet America’s energy needs,” the White House said.
Although it admits the great economic advantages that new oil and gas drilling have provided to the country, it says the administration has taken the steps necessary to support increased drilling without lifting the ban.
“The administration has taken important steps to support safe and responsible production growth, including actions to cut methane leaks from oil and gas operations, to protect water quality, and to improve offshore safety in order to protect human lives and the environment from oil spills,” it says.
Republicans are not likely to take the White House up on its suggestions ahead of a vote scheduled for the bill on Friday.
The administration also issued a formal veto threat against another bill for developing energy resources on tribal lands ahead of a vote expected later this week.
“While the administration supports the need to facilitate energy development in Indian Country, it does not support H.R. 538, the ‘Native American Energy Act.'” the White House said. “The bill would undermine public participation and transparency of review of projects on Indian lands under the National Environmental Policy Act, set unrealistic deadlines and remove oversight for appraisals of Indian lands or trust assets.”
