A bipartisan bill has been filed in Congress that is designed to prevent the kind of interference that the oil and gas industry faced with the Biden administration when it slowed LNG exports.
U.S. Sens. John Cornyn (R-TX) and John Fetterman, D-PA) filed their LNG Export Security Act aimed at providing long-term certainty for American liquefied natural gas (LNG) producers and safeguarding the industry from politically motivated export restrictions.
“America’s energy producers shouldn’t work in fear that a future administration could kneecap them with burdensome restrictions at a moment’s notice due to ambiguous laws,” said Sen. Cornyn. “Our commonsense legislation would clarify the Natural Gas Act to give LNG producers the certainty they need and deserve to continue powering the world.”
“LNG has played a critical role in promoting America’s energy independence and global leadership. That kind of energy dominance starts in Pennsylvania,” said Sen. Fetterman. “I’ve been proud to advocate for solutions that put American jobs first and fully recognize we need guardrails in place to protect this industry and the workers. This bill makes sure decisions are made objectively while protecting the millions of jobs that power communities across Pennsylvania and our great nation.”
Despite the United States leading the world in Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) production and exports, the Biden Department of Energy (DOE) paused the export of any new LNG cargo to countries without a free-trade agreement in 2023. This pause was politically motivated by climate activists and based on DOE’s interpretation of “public interest” in the Natural Gas Act. There is currently no definition of “public interest” in the Natural Gas Act, making it easier for future administrations to pause LNG exports just as the Biden administration did.
The LNG Export Security Act amends the Natural Gas Act by defining “public interest” with the consideration of:
- The development of natural gas facilities in the United States and the domestic natural gas supply;
- Domestic economic interests;
- And national security interests.
Sen. Cornyn has previously called out the Biden administration’s assault on American energy production, specifically LNG, and has since praised the Trump administration for undoing these damaging policies.
The legislation would clarify the definition of “public interest” under the Natural Gas Act to ensure future administrations cannot arbitrarily halt LNG export approvals, while requiring consideration of domestic energy development, economic impacts, and national security interests.
It quickly received the support of The Energy Workforce & Technology Council (EWTC).
“American energy leadership depends on long-term certainty, not shifting political winds,” said Energy Workforce President Tim Tarpley. “We cannot build critical energy infrastructure under political whiplash. America’s LNG industry supports high-paying jobs, strengthens our supply chains, and reinforces U.S. energy and national security around the world. This legislation helps ensure the United States remains a reliable energy partner at a time when global energy demand and geopolitical instability are both rising. Simply put: America cannot afford another LNG export pause.”
Today, the United States is the world’s leading LNG exporter, driven by decades of investment, technological innovation, and workforce development across the energy services sector. EWTC warned that uncertainty surrounding federal permitting and export policy threatens future investment and weakens America’s competitive position globally.
“Energy projects require years of planning and billions of dollars in investment,” Tarpley continued. “Policies that inject instability into the market put not only American jobs, but American energy security at risk. This legislation sends an important signal that the United States remains committed to responsible energy development and global energy leadership.”