The U.S. has been blessed with tremendous natural resources, which we’ve been able to harness as a result of free market principles and an entrepreneurial spirit that’s uniquely American. We’ve harnessed the power of nuclear energy, electrified millions of rural Americans’ homes with clean hydropower, and ushered in the shale revolution, which unleashed clean liquefied natural gas.
As a result, America is a leader in clean energy and the No. 1 producer and exporter of natural gas in the world. Our leadership in natural gas has helped shift markets and bolster our security against adversaries such as Russia and Iran. It has also enabled the U.S. to reduce emissions more than any other nation, both at home and abroad. House Republicans celebrate this legacy and have been leading on solutions to ensure America continues to lead for decades to come.
President Joe Biden, on the other hand, openly admits that he has “heeded the calls” of radical environmental activists who are intent on shutting down American energy. The administration’s recent decision to impose a moratorium on new permits for U.S. natural gas exports is the latest example of Biden putting politics over people. This ban will decimate local economies, kill good American jobs, and increase energy prices for people across the board. The damage will be felt the hardest in places such as Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, and Louisiana, whose economies depend on LNG.
This misguided policy is not only bad for American energy security — it also will be devastating for our allies. In December 2023, more than 87% of U.S. LNG exports went to the European Union, United Kingdom, or Asian markets. This has been a lifeline, particularly in Europe, since Russia invaded Ukraine. It has helped reduce natural gas prices in Europe by more than 83% from 2022 levels following Russia’s invasion, helping them keep their homes heated, their businesses running, and their lights on.
It also has helped these countries reduce emissions. Not only is U.S. LNG more than 41% cleaner than Russian natural gas, but it’s also a cleaner option than other alternatives being burned as a result of natural gas shortages.
U.S. LNG exports have spurred our European allies to rapidly construct new LNG import facilities to wean themselves off of Russian natural gas further. Regrettably, Europe imported a record amount of LNG from Russia last year despite these efforts. Europe is importing 40% more LNG from Russia today than it was before the invasion of Ukraine. Biden’s decision to ban American exports is a gift to Putin, giving the Russians even greater leverage over our allies while further funding their evil activities.
Here at home, Biden has mobilized bureaucrats across the federal government to force an energy transition on Americans. Look no further than efforts such as the Clean Power Plan 2.0, which will force states to change fundamentally how they generate electricity and raise costs across the board. His administration also has enacted mandates that force people to buy electric cars, a more expensive and less reliable alternative to other vehicles. This administration’s rush-to-green agenda is shutting down domestic energy production, driving up costs to consumers, costing people their jobs, and making us more reliant on China.
Instead of shutting down American energy, we should be doubling down and ensuring energy security for us and our allies.
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Republicans on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce are leading on solutions to unleash domestic energy and reverse the dangerous rush-to-green policies of the administration. That includes legislation such as H.R. 7176, the Unlocking our Domestic LNG Potential Act of 2024, led by Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX), which would end the administration’s ban on LNG exports immediately.
It is time for the president to stop putting politics over people. He must reverse this reckless decision and stop these attacks on American energy independence.
