[ad_1]
The House voted Thursday afternoon in favor of stripping the Biden administration’s authority to allow natural gas export tasks in a blow to the president’s climate agenda.
In a 224-200 vote, the House accredited the so-called Unlocking Domestic LNG Potential Act, with 215 Republicans and 9 Democrats voting in favor.
Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, who chairs the House Energy Action Team, launched the laws on Feb. 1, arguing that it could finally overturn President Biden’s current actions pausing permits for brand new liquefied natural gas (LNG) export tasks.
“Just last year, President Biden told the Europeans that they needed to get off Russian gas and that the U.S. would supply their liquid natural gas needs. Now that it is an election year, he is reneging on that deal to appease his radical climate base,” Pfluger advised Fox News Digital forward of the vote.
“Two-thirds of the world’s natural gas is produced in four countries: Russia, Iran, the United States, and Qatar. This effective ban on U.S. LNG exports is a gift to Putin and the Iranian regime that just killed three service members with their weapons to the Houthis,” the Texas lawmaker continued. “I am proud to stand up for American jobs when the President seems to only stand up for the interests of Russia and Iran.”
VULNERABLE DEM SENATOR FLIP-FLOPS ON SUPPLYING ENERGY TO CHINA IN MIDDLE OF RE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN
Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, advised Fox News Digital that President Biden’s current actions have been made to “appease his radical climate base.” (Getty Images)
Pfluger additionally famous that Russian natural gas is 40% dirtier than U.S. gas, including that Biden’s current moratorium on LNG exports is a “horrible decision for the environment.”
If enacted, Pfluger’s invoice would amend the Natural Gas Act of 1938, giving the unbiased Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) unique authority to approve or deny purposes for the siting, development, enlargement or operation of LNG export tasks.
And in approving or rejecting permits, FERC could be required underneath the invoice to “deem the importation or exportation of natural gas to be consistent with the public interest.”
DOZENS OF FORMER TOP FEDERAL OFFICIALS CALL ON CONGRESS TO STRIKE DOWN BIDEN’S NATURAL GAS CRACKDOWN
“Joe Biden would rather appease the radical environmentalists in his party than protect hardworking Americans. House Republicans will not stand idly by while the Biden administration’s Green New Deal agenda destroys American jobs, stifles American energy, and benefits our adversaries,” House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., advised Fox News Digital in a press release.
Currently, FERC conducts a rigorous financial and environmental assessment of LNG export tasks. However, following FERC’s assessment, the Department of Energy (DOE) is tasked with figuring out whether or not such tasks, which export LNG to non-free commerce settlement nations, serve the nationwide curiosity and giving the ultimate approval.
President Biden ordered pending natural gas export tasks to be halted in a surprising transfer final month. The motion was cheered by environmentalists who oppose fossil gas improvement. (Getty Images)
Late final month, Biden ordered the DOE to pause pending permits for LNG export amenities whereas it conducts a rigorous environmental assessment as a part of the company’s nationwide curiosity evaluation, assessing the tasks’ carbon emissions. That assessment might take greater than a yr to full.
Energy associations, Republicans and former federal officers blasted the actions, arguing that LNG exports are crucial for sustaining low power costs within the U.S., serving to American allies to wean off Russian gas and lowering world carbon emissions. They have famous that, in December 2023, greater than 87% of U.S. LNG exports went to Europe, U.Ok., or Asian markets beforehand reliant on Russia.
STATE AGS WARN BIDEN’S NATURAL GAS MORATORIUM VIOLATES FEDERAL LAW, DEMAND REVERSAL
“Allies and trading partners around the world rely on clean, reliable, and affordable U.S. natural gas for energy and economic security, and to advance environmental progress through emission reductions,” mentioned Marty Durbin, the president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Global Energy Institute which endorsed the Unlocking Domestic LNG Potential Act.
“With Europe still relying on Russia for nearly 15 percent of its natural gas consumption, and global demand expected to increase for several decades, continued expansion of U.S. export capacity is essential to American interests,” Durbin added.
House Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, D-N.J., mentioned the Unlocking Domestic LNG Potential Act would profit China. However, a small fraction of U.S. LNG exports are despatched to the Chinese market. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
But environmental activist teams and Democrats have criticized the laws, arguing that stripping DOE of its authority to allow LNG exports would exacerbate climate change and primarily profit Chinese trade.
“Make no mistake: if this bill ever became law, Americans would pay more for the gas that heats their homes and keeps their lights on. It is an affront to middle-class families who cannot afford to deal with more fossil fuel price volatility,” remarked House Energy and Commerce Ranking Member Frank Pallone, D-N.J., who mentioned the invoice would “enrich China.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
According to the latest federal knowledge, although, simply 6.7% of U.S. LNG exports are shipped to China. The overwhelming majority of exports are despatched to Europe, which has relied on U.S. natural gas to wean itself off Russian power amid the Ukraine battle, and different Asian nations like Japan and South Korea.
The laws now makes its means to the Senate the place Banking Committee Ranking Member Tim Scott, R-S.C., launched companion laws alongside 16 fellow Republicans. The White House, nevertheless, mentioned Biden would veto the invoice if it was handed.
“The Administration believes that the critical protections current law provides, which this legislation would repeal, should be retained to protect residential and industrial consumers and national and domestic energy security,” the White House mentioned on Tuesday.
[ad_2]
Source hyperlink