Unlocking Our Domestic Lng Potential Act of 2024

Floor Speech

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Mr. STAUBER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7176, the Unlocking our Domestic LNG Potential Act.

America's domestic energy revolution has not just benefited Americans with affordable and reliable access to energy or with countless good- paying jobs. It has also benefited our allies around the world. Thanks to exports of American LNG, we are helping our allies in Europe keep the lights and heat on this winter. Without American LNG, our allies would have to depend on Vladimir Putin and others for their natural gas.

Here in the United States, we produce energy, including natural gas, with the strictest environmental and labor standards anywhere in the world. In fact, global greenhouse gas emissions have dropped in recent years not because of government regulations but because of increased use of ever-cleaner natural gas.

When we export American LNG, we are exporting the cleanest natural gas found anywhere in the world. We are exporting the incredible environmental progress the United States has made.

Rather than supporting Ukraine and other allies, the Biden administration is focused on making campaign promises to their extreme radical left. Cutting off American LNG exports will only threaten our allies' security and line the pockets of Vladimir Putin.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to record my reading and understanding of H.R. 7176, the Unlocking our Domestic LNG Potential Act.

This bill removes the jurisdiction of the Department of Energy (DOE) to issue export licenses for facilities, including offshore facilities, exporting LNG to countries the U.S. does not have a free trade agreement with, while confirming that these projects are in the public interest. Since the public interest determination is in the bill, we do not anticipate the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) will add new terms to their public interest review, including extensions or expansions of projects that have been already approved.

I also wish to confirm that applications from LNG export project sponsors, for extensions in the export commencement date for previously issued DOE export licenses, are not covered by the Biden Administration ban on exports, and that upon enactment of this bill, existing authorized projects for export to non-FTA countries will no longer be within DOE's jurisdiction but will reside with FERC. Furthermore, export commencement extensions for previously authorized DOE exports are presumed to be granted by FERC.

Finally, should a project need an export commencement extension before this bill is enacted, DOE, as stated by Deputy Secretary Turk on the record, must accept applications for such an extension and process it in a timely manner.

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