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"We agree that
energy independence within North America and, perhaps, the
Western Hemisphere is not only an attainable goal, but also
increasingly the economic reality," Senators Lisa Murkowski, the
head of the Senate energy committee, and Richard Burr, the head
of the chamber's intelligence committee, and two others wrote in
a letter to the Director of National Intelligence, James
Clapper.
The senators said they support analysis by intelligence
officials to "assess the geopolitical and international security
implications of our nation's energy renaissance."
The letter cited a 2012 report from the National Intelligence
Council - a bridge between the intelligence and policy
communities - that suggested the United States could emerge as a
major energy exporter by 2020.
The council's report described U.S. energy independence as a
potential "tectonic shift" by 2030.
Murkowski introduced a bill this year to lift the ban on crude
exports Congress passed in 1975 after the Arab oil embargo
spurred fears of shortages. She has said U.S. oil and gas
exports could help Europe diversify away from Russian energy
sources, though some have said making such a shift quickly could
be difficult.
Her bill has 14 co-sponsors in the 100-member Senate chamber.
(Reporting by Timothy Gardner; Editing by Tom Hogue)
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