Bill Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia Championed to Strengthen America's Energy Supply Chain Signed Into law by Biden

Washington, D.C. – Today, a bill Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (TX-29) championed to strengthen America's energy supply chain by reinforcing lightering operations across America's ports, was signed into law by President Biden. Lightering is the ship-to-ship transfer of crude oil or liquid natural gas from a large ship to a small ship (or vice versa) when large fuel tanker ships are unable to travel near ports due to shallow water depths.

Typically, lightering crews are staffed by highly skilled foreign professionals who are only authorized to complete lightering transfers while in the U.S. However, lightering crews face massive uphill battles in completing crude oil or liquid natural gas transfers because of an impractical 29-day visa limit currently in place by the U.S. Department of State. This causes lightering crews to face staffing and operational challenges that burden the U.S. supply chain.

"I'm proud President Biden signed this into law because it will help lightering crewmembers stay effective, well-staffed, and efficient by improving visa restrictions that bring unnecessary challenges to lightering operations and America's supply chain," said Congresswoman Garcia. "It will allow crew members to stay in the United States for up to 180 days for them to complete their jobs thoroughly and safely. This will ensure lightering crews can transport vital energy supplies into and out of the U.S. without an overburdening administrative process, while also saving critical taxpayer funds."

"As we work to make our immigration system more efficient and easier to navigate, this commonsense and bipartisan law will allow foreign crewmembers of lightering ships to obtain a visa for a time period consistent with their duties within the United States," said U.S. Senator Padilla. "This ends the need for individual grants of parole and ensures they are able to properly transport resources into and out of the country without overburdening the administrative process. I thank Senator Cornyn and Representative Garcia for their collaboration in this effort and am glad to see it signed into law."

"In order to protect our nation from the whims of rogue regimes, we must strengthen America's energy supply chain," said U.S. Senator Cornyn. "This legislation will help bolster our energy security by ensuring that lightering workers can complete their important responsibilities of facilitating the transfer of crude oil and natural gas at our ports, and I am grateful it is now law."

Approximately 74% of U.S. exports and 44% of U.S. imports are conducted by lightering. Congresswoman Garcia led this bill in the House and U.S. Senator Alex Padilla led this bill in the Senate. Read the full bill text here.

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Congresswoman Sylvia R. Garcia was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in November 2018, becoming the first Latina ever to represent the Texas 29th Congressional District. She serves on the House Judiciary, Financial Services, and Armed Services Committees