Today, Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA-04) released the following statement upon passage of H.R. 7176, the Unlocking Our Domestic Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) Potential Act of 2024.
“President Biden’s ban on future LNG export terminals is an ill-advised handout to extreme environmentalists at the expense of American workers that also jeopardizes our allies’ energy security,” said Rep. Newhouse.
Newhouse continues, “This important legislation will end the President’s misguided, indefinite pause on LNG exports, remove political decision makers at the Department of Energy from the export terminal approval process, and help lower energy costs for all Americans.”
Background:
On January 26, 2024, President Biden announced he will pause all pending approvals of liquified natural gas (LNG) export terminals under the guise of climate change.
Clean natural gas is a significant reason why the U.S has been able to reduce its emissions more than any other nation, and the Department of Energy (DOE) has already commissioned five studies to examine the effects of LNG exports in the U.S. Their findings have overwhelmingly shown the environmental benefits, proving that our exports are 41% cleaner than the alternative—Russian natural gas delivered to Europe.
This legislation:
- Repeals all restrictions on the import and export of natural gas.
- Provides that FERC shall have the exclusive authority to approve or deny LNG terminal applications.
- Makes clear that nothing in this section limits the authority of the President that imposes sanctions on a foreign person or foreign government, including a country that is designated as a state sponsor of terrorism, to prohibit imports or exports.
Read the full text of the bill here.
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