Today, the Biden administration announced a moratorium on approvals for new U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminals. House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) issued the following statement in response:
“Today's announcement is another radical move by the Biden administration in their ongoing attack on American energy. They seem to be in a race against themselves to see what they can screw up the most - American energy production or border security. So far they are tit for tat with each new day bringing another bad decision flowing from a vast reservoir of incompetence.
"Stopping the export of American natural gas is a win for our adversaries, like China and Russia, and a direct blow to the environment, American energy workers and communities as well as our allies overseas. It’s a policy that is shortsighted political pandering and will do nothing but drive the cost of energy even higher. American natural gas is the cleanest and safest on earth, and bending the knee to foreign producers only serves to jeopardize our national security and punish hardworking American families who are already struggling under the failing policies of this administration."
Background
On January 26, 2024, the Biden administration announced a decision to halt all pending approvals for LNG export permits in a decision that will have a devastating effect on the American market and producers. This latest decision by the administration is another blow for American energy production and will only increase our reliance on foreign producers.
Over the course of the 118th Congress, the House Committee on Natural Resources has worked to support American energy independence through the passage of H.R. 1, the Lower Energy Costs Act. The committee has also held field hearings that highlight the local benefits of American energy production, advanced legislation to remove regulatory burdens and conducted oversight of the Biden administration's policies that only serve to increase America’s reliance on foreign adversaries. Additionally, in October 2023, the Committee favorably reported H.R. 5616, the BRIDGE Production Act introduced by Rep. Garret Graves (R-La.), which would mandate 13 energy lease sales to be held over five years. On December 6, 2023, the Committee on Natural Resources reported H.R. 6009, the Restoring American Energy Dominance Act introduced by Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), which would rescind onerous regulations proposed by the Biden administration that would create more red tape for domestic energy producers. Contrary to the Biden administration’s wrong track policies, the Committee on Natural Resources is advancing legislation to reduce regulatory burdens and delays and support American energy production.
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