Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, reintroduced a bill that would expedite the federal approval process for exporting liquefied natural gas (LNG) and increase free trade.
The bill comes at a time European countries, adversely affected by Russia's unprovoked war in Ukraine, are rapidly seeking new sources of clean, reliable energy.
Cruz, ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, has led congressional efforts to force the Biden administration to step up expedited permitting for LNG exports. In 2021, he previously introduced the Natural Gas Export Expansion Act.
These and other actions have had a significant impact on increasing U.S. exports globally while helping Europe during its current energy crisis.
"Record liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports from the United States helped soften the blow to Europe from sharply lower Russian pipelined natural gas supplies in 2022, and will remain a vital energy source for the continent in 2023," Reuters reported.
Besides creating and supporting thousands of domestic jobs, the legislation aims to help to fortify U.S. energy security, reduce emissions at home and abroad, and strengthen America's strategic and economic relationship with allies.
Already the U.S. has become the top supplier of LNG to Europe and, as gas prices have more than doubled in the past two years, has seen exports grow from $8.3 billion in 2021 to $35 billion last year, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration data.
The new Cruz bill specifically amends the Natural Gas Act to expedite non-free-trade agreement export permits, which can take several years.
That means applications to export LNG to non-free-trade countries are treated the same as free-trade countries and receive the same accelerated approval process.
The legislation also retains current law for restricted nations.
Any country subject to sanctions or trade restrictions is specifically excluded, and the president or Congress can exclude any nation from expedited approval.
Cruz was joined Thursday by co-sponsors Sens. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., and John Kennedy, R-La.
"Thanks to the United States' innovation and use of clean natural gas, America leads the world in reducing carbon emissions," Cruz said in a statement.
"By exporting U.S. LNG, the United States creates thousands of jobs at home, reduces global emissions, and promotes energy independence from those who use it as a weapon to exert control over importing countries."
Cruz has worked diligently to ensure that the Biden administration authorized LNG export permits. In December, he held four Department of Energy nominees until the administration authorized two export licenses for Sempra Energy, which will allow for the first major West Coast/Pacific LNG export facility taking U.S. natural gas from Western states and Texas, and, via pipeline to Mexico, exporting the LNG by ship directly to Asia.
Cruz previously held Biden nominees until the Energy Department approved several LNG export permits along the Gulf Coast, including Golden Pass LNG in Houston.
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