Two Republicans ask Pentagon to add Chinese Battery Maker CATL to restricted List
Two Republican senators on Wednesday requested that the U.S. Defense Department add Chinese battery manufacturer CATL to a list of restricted companies suspected to be working with Beijing's army. Experts say that companies added to this list are not eligible for U.S. government contracts, and they also face significant reputational risk. Senator Marco Rubio and Representative John Moolenaar of the House Select Committee on China asked Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, to place CATL, formally known China's Contemporary Amperex Technology Co, on the list.
U.S. Considers Venezuela Oil Sanctions
The Trump administration is considering sanctioning a Venezuelan military-run oil services company and restricting insurance coverage for Venezuelan oil shipments to ratchet up pressure on socialist President Nicolas Maduro, a U.S. official said. With Maduro running for another term in an April election that Washington and its allies oppose as a sham, the United States is weighing sanctions that would target Venezuela’s vital oil sector beyond what has been done before, the official told Reuters on Wednesday.
Tillerson's Nomination has U.S. Lawmakers Uneasy
President-elect Donald Trump announced Exxon Mobil Corp Chief Executive Officer Rex Tillerson as his choice for U.S. secretary of state on Tuesday, despite concerns from lawmakers in both political parties over the oilman's ties to Russia. Tillerson's experience in diplomacy stems from making deals with foreign countries for Exxon, the world's largest energy company, and Trump praised him as a successful international dealmaker who leads a global operation. "He…
'Frack Master' Bilked Investors out of Millions
Texas oilman Chris Faulkner built a high-profile public persona, raised millions for his oil and gas ventures and courted politicians. But the SEC has alleged that behind the scenes, he cheated investors out of $80 million to fund a "debauched" jet-setting lifestyle. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday filed a lawsuit that alleges a stunning failure of corporate governance at Faulkner's Dallas-based Breitling Energy Corp (BECC.PK) and other companies he helped to create.
Texas 'Frack Master' Bilked Investors
Texas oilman Chris Faulkner built a high-profile public persona, raised millions for his oil and gas ventures and courted politicians. But the SEC has alleged that behind the scenes, he cheated investors out of $80 million to fund a "debauched" jet-setting lifestyle. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday filed a lawsuit that alleges a stunning failure of corporate governance at Faulkner's Dallas-based Breitling Energy Corp and other companies he helped to create.
Rubio Taps Outgoing Devon Exec for Energy Policy Advice
Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio has picked Devon Energy Corp co-founder Larry Nichols to help oversee his campaign's stance on energy issues, Rubio spokesman Jahan Wilcox said on Monday. Rubio, a U.S. Nichols, who stepped down as Devon's CEO in 2012 after more than 30 years but stayed on executive chairman, is set to fully retire this year from the Oklahoma-based oil producer. Like other powerful voices in the oil and gas industry, Nichols last year echoed calls to lift a 40-year-old federal ban on crude oil exports. Nichols is set to host a Feb.
Republican Presidential Candidates Denounce Iran Deal
U.S. Republican presidential candidates on Tuesday roundly condemned President Barack Obama's nuclear deal with Iran, with Florida Senator Marco Rubio suggesting he would re-introduce sanctions if elected to the White House next year. The agreement reached between Iran and six major world powers will now be debated in the U.S. Congress, but Obama said on Tuesday he would veto any measure to block it. "It will then be left to the next president to return us to a…
GOP Warns Iran on Nuclear Deal with Obama
Republican senators warned Iran on Monday that any nuclear deal made with U.S. President Barack Obama could last only as long as he remains in office, in an unusual intervention into U.S. foreign policy-making. The letter, signed by 46 U.S. senators, says Congress plays a role in ratifying international agreements and points out that Obama will leave office in January 2017, while many in Congress will remain in Washington long after that. "We will consider any…
U.S. Lawmakers Call Chinese Actions In South China Sea 'Troubling'
Six U.S. senators urged their colleagues on Friday to support legislation reaffirming U.S. support for freedom of navigation, saying they consider China's recent actions in the South China Sea troubling. China this week accused Vietnam of intentionally colliding with its ships in the South China Sea after Vietnam asserted that Chinese vessels used water cannon and rammed eight of its vessels during the weekend near an oil rig China deployed in a disputed area.
Industry Urges Senate for Vessel Discharge Legislation
On March 13, a diverse coalition of 59 national and regional organizations representing a wide array of business, maritime and labor interests signed on to a letter to Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee leadership, Chairman John Rockefeller (D-WV) and Ranking Member John Thune (R-SD), thanking them for cosponsoring S. 2094, a bill that would establish a uniform national framework for the regulation of ballast water and other vessel discharges, and urging swift Committee consideration and approval. S. 2094, introduced on March 6 by Sens.
AWO Praises Vessel Discharge Legislation
The American Waterways Operators, the national trade association representing the tugboat, towboat and barge industry, praised yesterday’s Senate introduction of a bill calling for the enactment of a uniform national standard for the regulation of ballast water and other vessel discharges, legislation widely viewed as essential to ending the existing confusing, costly and ineffective patchwork of state and federal rules. AWO specifically called attention to the instrumental leadership of the bill’s lead sponsors, Sens.
