ATR Urges Passage of Bill to Reverse Biden LNG Ban

Americans for Tax Reform urges members of Congress to vote “YES” on H.R. 7176, the Unlocking Domestic LNG Potential Act of 2024.

The House is expected to vote tomorrow on the Unlocking our Domestic LNG Potential Act of 2024 (H.R. 7176), introduced by Congressman August Pfluger (R-Texas) in response to a ban on new exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) recently imposed by the Biden administration. The bill would help protect consumers from higher energy prices, protect energy security for the U.S. and our allies by reversing Biden’s ban and allowing for greater LNG exports approvals.

Americans for Tax Reform supports this bill and urges all members to vote “YES” on H.R. 7176.

Biden’s effort to restrict natural gas exports would chase away new investment in the natural gas industry and cause prices for consumers to increase by reducing the amount of natural gas available on the global market. Repealing these restrictions is pro-consumer and pro-American energy policy.

Biden’s “pause” on pending exports approvals––decreed as part of what his administration says is “the most ambitious climate agenda in history”––has already received bipartisan pushback in Congress. One letter to President Biden led by House Energy & Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) featured over 150 Republican signatures, while a second letter led by the bipartisan co-chairs of the Congressional Energy Export Caucus featured nearly two dozen Democrats and Republicans.

“The Department of Energy’s plan to change the criteria used to approve new LNG export projects threatens national security, the economy, and clean energy goals,” wrote the group of bipartisan legislators in their letter to President Biden.

U.S. allies in Europe and Asia have relied heavily on American LNG exports following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which destabilized the region’s energy supply chains. Whereas Europe previously relied on Russia for as much as 40 percent of its natural gas consumption, the United States has now rocketed ahead to serve as Europe’s primary gas supplier. These stronger energy trade ties allow for greater job creation and economic productivity in the U.S. domestic energy sector in addition to protecting national and global security.

Contrary to the Biden administration’s purported climate goals, their ban on LNG exports also carries the possibility of increasing global greenhouse gas emissions, as the United States’ LNG is among the cleanest reliable energy sources in the world. Without additional U.S. production capacity, countries may once again turn to higher-emissions sources such as coal or Russian LNG, all while raising energy prices for Americans at home due to a restricted supply.

Members of Congress should support H.R. 7176 to reverse Biden’s LNG ban and protect national security and the economy alike.