Rodríguez, facing oil workers and ruling-party supporters, signed the bill less than two hours after the National Assembly approved it. Rodríguez’s government expects the changes to serve as assurances for major U.S. oil companies that have so far hesitated about returning to the volatile country. “Let the light shine on in the oil industry,” Ecarri said. His 2006 changes to the oil industry law required PDVSA to be the principal stakeholder in all major oil projects. Sanctions imposed by successive U.S. administrations further crippled the oil industry.