Domestic Prosperity and Global Freedom Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. TURNER. I want to thank the author of H.R. 6 for his leadership on this important issue.

Mr. Chairman, lifting self-imposed restrictions on natural gas exports is a win-win situation for the American people. It will create American jobs and strengthen our allies' independence, bolstering our economic and strategic partnerships.

As chairman of the U.S. delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, many foreign leaders have expressed to me the need for energy diversification and its importance to strengthen our strategic partnerships. We already cooperate with our allies on a variety of security issues. Energy security must also be a component of our strategic alliances.

America's emerging role as an energy producer has the potential to enhance our security relationships and influence the global marketplace.

As we have seen in Ukraine, Russia will not hesitate to use its energy resource dominance to expand its sphere of influence. Just last week, Russia's state-owned monopoly, Gazprom, cut off natural gas supplies to Ukraine.

In the Asia Pacific, Japan is a critical security partner as we counter threats posed by countries such as North Korea. Already the world's largest importer of natural gas, Japan is dependent on Russia, the Middle East, and Africa for nearly 50 percent of its natural gas imports and is seeking greater imports as a result of its 2011 nuclear power plant disaster.

Increasing U.S. natural gas exports, along with the development of other sources, such as the Southern Gas Corridor and the Eastern Mediterranean, will help diversify world natural gas supplies and create a more competitive, transparent, and diversified global natural gas marketplace. In fact, U.S. natural gas production has already influenced global markets.

Natural gas previously destined for the United States but no longer needed as a result of increased production was diverted to other markets. This increased supply has made the global natural gas market more competitive, helping to put more pressure on contracts indexed to the price of oil and allowing several European countries to renegotiate their long-term contracts with Gazprom.

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Mr. TURNER. In fact, President Obama, Secretary of State Kerry, and Secretary of Energy Moniz have welcomed LNG exports to strengthen our strategic alliances. Mr. Chairman, I will submit their statements for the Record.

PRESIDENT OBAMA, CURRENT AND PAST ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS WELCOME U.S. LNG EXPORTS

President Barack Obama, in a joint statement with European leaders at the EU-US Summit on March 26, 2014: The situation in Ukraine proves the need to reinforce energy security in Europe and we are considering new collaborative efforts to achieve this goal. We welcome the prospect of U.S. LNG exports in the future since additional global supplies will benefit Europe and other strategic partners.

Secretary of State John Kerry, in a joint statement with European energy leaders at a meeting of the EU-US Energy Council on April 2, 2014: The Council further welcomed the prospect of US LNG exports in the future since additional global supplies will benefit Europe and other strategic partners.

Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz, in a joint statement with European energy leaders at the G7 Rome Energy Ministerial meeting on May 6, 2014: No country should depend totally on one supplier. We intend to promote a more integrated LNG market, including through new supplies, the development of transport infrastructures, storage capacities, and LNG terminals.

Mr. TURNER. Regardless of where U.S. natural gas is shipped, increasing supply in the global marketplace will provide international consumers with greater choice and thus increased leverage to negotiate prices.

U.S. natural gas exports will create jobs right here at home and will help foster a more competitive natural gas market.

Mr. Chairman, I urge passage of H.R. 6.

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