Clinton opposes bill to lift oil export ban

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton opposes a House GOP effort to lift the federal ban on crude oil exports.

A campaign spokesman confirmed Wednesday night that the Democratic front-runner does not support the House bill. But the campaign didn’t say whether or not she could support the lifting the ban if some type of deal were struck or whether she’s opposed to crude oil exports in principle.

{mosads}Clinton’s opposition comes the day after the White House said it does not support the House bill, one of a few major proposals moving through Congress to lift the 1970s-era crude oil export ban.

The White House said it lets the Commerce Department take the lead on oil exports. Commerce has the power to approve limited crude exports in certain scenarios. 

The House Energy and Commerce Committee will mark up the chamber’s oil export bill on Thursday. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said he will bring the legislation to the House floor for a vote within weeks.

He pushed back against Obama’s opposition on Tuesday, saying he thinks the legislation could win a veto-proof majority in Congress. 

At a National Journal event on Tuesday, Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) wouldn’t say whether Clinton would support lifting the export ban as president. Heitkamp, who is pushing the bill in the Senate, said she hopes to reach a compromise on the issue and pass it during Obama’s presidency rather than wait until 2017 or later.