Rubio calls for end to crude oil export ban

Florida Republican and possible 2016 presidential contender, Sen. Marco Rubio is pushing crude oil exports.

Rubio, will unveil a new economic growth agenda on Monday at Google’s headquarters in Washington, D.C.

{mosads}The agenda will include a few energy proposals. The possible presidential hopeful wants to streamline the regulatory process for natural gas pipeline developments and repeal the decades-old ban on crude oil exports, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Republicans have been divided on the possibility of repealing the ban, which was established amid the Arab oil embargoes in the 1970s.

Rubio is the latest in the string of possible 2016 Republican frontrunners to back ending the ban. In February, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) laid out an energy policy plan, which included lifting the crude oil ban. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), has also expressed interest in repealing the ban.

Talk of lifting the crude oil export ban has grown on Capitol Hill with lawmakers’ citing the nation’s energy boom as an opportune moment to lift the ban.

The Senate held its first hearing in nearly 25 years on crude oil exports earlier this year. Last October, U.S. crude oil production surpassed the amount of foreign imports for the first time in nearly 20 years.