Unlocking our Domestic LNG Potential Act of 2024

Unlocking our Domestic LNG Potential Act of 2024

This bill repeals certain restrictions on the import and export of natural gas under the Natural Gas Act, including requirements for Department of Energy (DOE) approval and related provisions that address free trade agreements.

In addition, the bill grants the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) the exclusive authority to approve or deny applications to authorize the siting, construction, expansion, or operation of facilities (e.g., liquefied natural gas terminals) to export natural gas to foreign countries or import natural gas from foreign countries. (Currently, DOE authorizes the export or import of natural gas, and FERC authorizes related facilities.)

In determining whether to approve or deny an application, FERC must deem the exportation or importation of natural gas to be consistent with the public interest.

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7176 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7176

    To repeal restrictions on the export and import of natural gas.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 31, 2024

 Mr. Pfluger introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                    Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To repeal restrictions on the export and import of natural gas.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Unlocking our Domestic LNG Potential 
Act of 2024''.

SEC. 2. ADVANCING UNITED STATES GLOBAL LEADERSHIP.

    Section 3 of the Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. 717b) is amended--
            (1) by striking subsections (a) through (c);
            (2) by redesignating subsections (e) and (f) as subsections 
        (a) and (b), respectively;
            (3) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (c), and 
        moving such subsection after subsection (b), as so 
        redesignated;
            (4) in subsection (a), as so redesignated, by amending 
        paragraph (1) to read as follows: ``(1) The Federal Energy 
        Regulatory Commission (in this subsection referred to as the 
        `Commission') shall have the exclusive authority to approve or 
        deny an application for authorization for the siting, 
        construction, expansion, or operation of a facility to export 
        natural gas from the United States to a foreign country or 
        import natural gas from a foreign country, including an LNG 
        terminal. In determining whether to approve or deny an 
        application under this paragraph, the Commission shall deem the 
        exportation or importation of natural gas to be consistent with 
        the public interest. Except as specifically provided in this 
        Act, nothing in this Act is intended to affect otherwise 
        applicable law related to any Federal agency's authorities or 
        responsibilities related to facilities to import or export 
        natural gas, including LNG terminals.''; and
            (5) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(d)(1) Nothing in this Act limits the authority of the President 
under the Constitution, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act 
(50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 
et seq.), part B of title II of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act 
(42 U.S.C. 6271 et seq.), the Trading With the Enemy Act (50 U.S.C. 
4301 et seq.), or any other provision of law that imposes sanctions on 
a foreign person or foreign government (including any provision of law 
that prohibits or restricts United States persons from engaging in a 
transaction with a sanctioned person or government), including a 
country that is designated as a state sponsor of terrorism, to prohibit 
imports or exports.
    ``(2) In this subsection, the term `state sponsor of terrorism' 
means a country the government of which the Secretary of State 
determines has repeatedly provided support for international terrorism 
pursuant to--
            ``(A) section 1754(c)(1)(A) of the Export Control Reform 
        Act of 2018 (50 U.S.C. 4318(c)(1)(A));
            ``(B) section 620A of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 
        (22 U.S.C. 2371);
            ``(C) section 40 of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 
        2780); or
            ``(D) any other provision of law.''.
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