Cassidy, Barrasso Slam Biden-Harris LNG Export “Study”

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and John Barrasso (R-WY), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, issued the following statement on the Biden-Harris administration's holiday news dump: the U.S. Department of Energy's study on liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports.

"The only 'science' driving the Biden-Harris LNG pause and study is political science," said Dr. Cassidy. "It's no secret the Biden-Harris administration decided to dump this report during the holiday season because their actions amounted to war on American energy and war on the American worker. Natural gas has significantly lowered emissions, and LNG has been a lifeline for our allies' energy and economic security."

"Studies have repeatedly shown that American liquefied natural gas exports benefit our economy, our environment, our security and the security of our allies. Nothing in a biased study from a bitter administration on its way out the door can change that. I look forward to President Trump unleashing American energy and reversing President Biden's ban on liquefied natural gas exports," said Senator Barrasso.

Background

Immediately following the Biden-Harris administration's announcement that they would be freezing pending applications for LNG export permits, Cassidy led 25 of his Republican colleagues in condemning the decision. Our European allies, who have become increasingly reliant on the U.S. for LNG following Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, will now be forced to decide between depriving their citizens of energy or actively funding Putin.

He also introduced with Senator Barrasso the LNG Security Act to reverse President Biden's decision to stop new American LNG export approvals and require the DOE to approve LNG exports to all countries that have imported, currently import, or are capable of importing Russian or Iranian natural gas. Additionally, he introduced the Unlocking Domestic LNG Potential Act, which depoliticizes the export of American liquefied natural gas. It eliminates the requirement for the DOE to authorize its export and instead gives the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) sole authority over the approval process.

In February, Cassidy penned an op-ed with U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) in the Houston Chronicle underscoring the devastating economic, environmental, and national security impacts of the Biden-Harris decision to freeze new LNG export projects. In January, Cassidy questioned DOE Deputy Secretary David Turk on the rumors surrounding this decision and emphasized the energy, economic, environmental, and national security importance of U.S. LNG exports.

Cassidy delivered a speech on the U.S. Senator floor on the Biden-Harris administration's hypocritical and backward LNG export permitting freeze in August. Watch it here.

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