U.S. Senator Steve Daines participated in a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing where he spoke with Secretary of State Marco Rubio about several international trade and energy issues.
During the session, Daines and Rubio addressed the possibility of expanding Venezuelan petroleum sales to include byproducts such as flexicoke. Daines asked, “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 responded, “I’m sure we would…”
The discussion also covered how regulations from the European Union affect U.S. energy exports and security. Daines stated, “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 replied, “We are concerned.”
Another topic was ending Jackson-Vanik trade restrictions on Central Asia countries—a law dating back to Soviet times that limits certain trade relationships with these nations despite recent diplomatic efforts for closer ties between Central Asia and the United States. Daines remarked on his co-sponsorship with Senator Murphy of legislation aimed at repealing these restrictions: “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 answered simply: “We agree.”
The exchange highlighted ongoing legislative efforts concerning trade policy and international energy relations.
