A History of U.S. Oil Export Controls
On Oct. 20, 1973, King Faisal of Saudi Arabia imposed a total embargo on oil shipments to the United States among other countries in response to their support for Israel during the Arab-Israeli war. Faisal's decision led directly to the introduction of a ban on U.S. crude exports, which remains in force in a slightly modified form and is now the focus of an intense struggle for reform. Following the U.S. mid-term elections next month, Congress will take up the issue again, a debate that would benefit from an understanding of the history behind the ban. On Oct.
Arctic Surveys Yielding Data and Savings
U.S.-Canada Arctic Ocean survey partnership saved costs, increased data; 2011 mission concludes joint seafloor survey operations. A recent mission marked the completion of a five-year collaboration between the United States and Canada to survey the Arctic Ocean. The bilateral project collected scientific data to delineate the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles from the coastline, also known as the extended continental shelf (ECS). The U.S. has an inherent interest in knowing…
Veto threat re Coast Guard Authorization Act
The Executive Office of the President issued a Statement of Administration Policy in which it states that the President’s senior advisors will recommend veto of the Coast Guard Authorization Act (H.R. 2830) if it includes a provision that would require the Coast Guard to provide security around liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals. The concern is that the requirement provides an unwarranted and unnecessary subsidy to owners of private infrastructure that is contrary to the existing assistance framework and would divert finite Coast Guard assets from other high-priority missions. Admiral Thad Allen, Coast Guard issued a statement expressing concern about various provisions in the current version of the legislation. Source: HK Law
