Thune says he would consider a ban on diesel exports
The South Dakota senator's comment adds a new voice to Washington's export-curb debate as fuel prices stay elevated.
Published
Chart: USO, one-minute prices, three sessions
Senator John Thune said he is open to considering an export ban on diesel.
The remark comes as the Trump administration has separately floated the idea of restricting exports of crude oil and refined products, with diesel and gasoline prices elevated following supply losses tied to the war with Iran.
One senator saying he would consider the idea does not turn it into policy. Thune's comment does not move an export ban from talk to law, so the immediate effect on markets is limited. But it points to growing bipartisan interest in Washington in export restrictions, which would be a mild headwind for refiners' export economics rather than a shift in current market pricing.