Congress votes to lift 40-year US oil export ban
The US Congress on Friday lifted a 40-year-old oil export ban amid near-record high crude American production, as part of a $1.1 trillion federal spending measure.
Supporters argue that ending the outdated ban would create US jobs and boost the security of Washington's European allies, many of which are currently largely dependent on Russia for their energy supplies and have expressed concerns about their energy security.
The spending measure, which easily passed the House of Representatives and Senate, now heads to President Barack Obama's desk for his signature.