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Nov. 20, 2025 13:00-14:59 - CSPAN

01:58:58

U.S. House of Representatives U.S. House of Representatives

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Participants

Main

bob latta

rep/r 05:12

brett guthrie

rep/r 22:26

frank pallone

rep/d 22:34

kathy castor

rep/d 13:27

randy weber

rep/r 05:30

Appearances

august pfluger

rep/r 03:51

brian babin

rep/r 01:43

buddy carter

rep/r 01:42

dale strong

rep/r 03:06

jodey arrington

rep/r 01:49

kat cammack

02:20

mark desaulnier

rep/d 03:42

roger williams

rep/r 01:41

sarah elfreth

rep/d 01:44

sean casten

rep/d 03:18

tom mcclintock

rep/r 02:15

Clips

tylease alli

00:05

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Speaker	Time	Text
Oil Lobby Report Requirement 00:10:28
unidentified		To have our consummation, this is thy eternal and everlasting glory.
		With all thy saints may see the crown of life, which thou hast promised to all who share in the victory of thy Son, Jesus Christ, who liveth and reign with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God,
		You can watch the rest of our live coverage on C-SPAN 3.
		We return now to the U.S. House.
brett guthrie ▲ ● ▼		Pursuant to House Rule Resolution 879, I'll call up H.R. 3109 and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.
unidentified		The clerk will report the title of the bill.
		Union Calendar Number 223, H.R. 3109, a bill to require the Secretary of Energy to direct the National Petroleum Council to issue a report with respect to petrochemical refineries in the United States and for other purposes.
		Pursuant to House Resolution 879, the bill is considered read.
		The bill should be debatable for one hour, equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking member of the Committee on Education and Commerce or their respective designees.
		The gentleman from Kentucky, Mr. Guthrie, and the gentleman from New Jersey, Mr. Plone, each will control 30 minutes.
		The chair recognizes the gentleman from Kentucky, Mr. Guthrie.
brett guthrie ▲ ● ▼		Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to advise, to revise and extend their remarks on the legislation and to insert extraneous material on H.R. 3109.
unidentified		Out objection.
brett guthrie ▲ ● ▼		Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.
unidentified		Gentlemen is recognized.
brett guthrie ▲ ● ▼		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
		The American economy is fueled by petrochemical refineries, providing affordable diesel and gasoline to families, critical inputs for our manufacturers, and products imperative for the maintenance of our defense systems.
		The national security component of a viable refining industry cannot be understated, and we must not forfeit these essential supply chains.
		Under the previous administration, we saw the impact of an energy threat, retreat, higher prices for families and businesses, emboldened adversaries, sluggish economies, and increasing reliance on other nations.
		Unfortunately, this still holds the case in states like California, where a hostile regulatory environment has forced refineries to reduce operations.
		In fact, the Golden State is expected to lose 17% of its capacity in the next year.
		This has led to an average gasoline prices of nearly $5 per gallon, increased fuel dependence on Asian producers, and jeopardize the fuel supply chain of military installations in their state.
		We must not let this become status coil across the country.
		H.R. 3109 requires the National Petroleum Council to collect and examine information regarding the role of petrochemical refineries in the United States and their contributions to affordability, security, and reliability.
		Their report will assess opportunities to expand capacity as well as current risks to refineries.
		H.R. 3109 will provide Department of Energy and Congress the information we need to enact policies that deliver affordable, reliable, and clean energy to all Americans.
		I thank Representative Latter, the chairman of the Energy Subcommittee, for his leadership on this issue.
		Urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 3109, and I'll reserve the balance of my time.
unidentified		The gentleman from Kentucky reserves.
		The chair will receive a message.
		Messages from the Senate.
		Mr. Speaker.
		Mr. Secretary.
		I've been directed by the Senate to inform the House that the Senate has passed, S-2741, an act to establish within the Environmental Protection Agency the Office of Mountains, Deserts, and Plains, and for other purposes in which the concurrence of the House is requested.
		The gentleman from New Jersey is recognized.
frank pallone ▲ ● ▼		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
frank pallone ▲ ● ▼		I give myself such time as I may consume.
unidentified		The gentleman is recognized.
frank pallone ▲ ● ▼		Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this bill, which is a complete and utter waste of the House of Representatives' time.
		It asked the National Petroleum Council to do a setting, and that's it.
		That's the entire bill.
		In my opinion, to ask the National Petroleum Council to do something it can already do on its own makes absolutely no sense.
		The House was out of session for over 50 days because Speaker Johnson refused to bring Congress back to resolve the health care crisis created by Republicans and to reopen the government.
		And now Speaker Johnson claims we'll be working day and night on important problems.
		And I certainly agree that we should be doing that.
		We should be working on problems that Americans care about.
		But millions of Americans are seeing their health care costs skyrocket because the President and Republicans refuse to extend critical tax credits that make health care more affordable for millions of Americans.
		Millions more are paying thousands of dollars more a year for everyday goods because of the President's tariffs.
		These tariffs are a tax on the American people, and they're expected to cost families more than $2,000 each year when they take full effect.
		And meanwhile, prices on everything from utilities to food to energy, even prices for Thanksgiving dinner next week are going up.
		So you'd think that the House Republicans would be doing something, anything, anything at all, to fight these high prices.
		But instead, we're here talking about a bill that requires a big oil and gas lobby group to put together a report.
		That's it.
		I cannot stress that this report is simply not needed, regardless of who does it.
		In fact, it's almost an insult, particularly to refinery workers on the East Coast, including my state of New Jersey, who don't need a study to tell you why refining capacity here has dropped by over one-third in the last decade.
		It all goes back to the repeal of the crude oil export ban in 2015.
		You don't have to take my word for it.
		The nonpartisan Government Accountability Office found in a 2020 report, that was a report, that domestic refinery margins suffered in the wake of the repeal.
		But this bill only asks for the report to assess executive actions, regulations, or policies that have impacted refineries, not a change in the law.
		If it was dealing with a change in the law, I think that would make sense.
		But it's a massive, massive oversight to not talk about the law and what happened when crude oil, when the crude oil export ban was lifted 10 years ago.
		That's what caused the problem with refineries.
		But the most ridiculous part of this bill is that it demands the study not be done by the Department of Energy, but by the National Petroleum Council, an industry advisory body for big oil and gas.
		I have no doubt that the National Petroleum Council will produce a biased report that will likely complain about every environmental regulation that protects the American people but that they don't like, because that's what Republicans have been doing, is repealing all the environmental regulations.
		If Republicans wanted an unbiased view of domestic refining challenges, they would have asked the Department of Energy to craft a report.
		But that's not what they're looking for because Republicans just want to sanction fossil fuel propaganda, and that's what they're doing with this bill.
		It's a waste of everyone's time, Mr. Speaker.
		It's just another example of how Republicans have absolutely no ideas to help American families to lower everyday costs.
		We need to be working on real solutions, Democrats and Republicans, to address the affordability crisis.
		That's what the American people want, not this report.
		I reserve the balance of my time.
unidentified		The gentleman reserves, the gentleman from Kentucky is recognized.
brett guthrie ▲ ● ▼		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
		When I was a young man in the 1970s, when I was a kid, I guess in the 1970s, I remember gas lines and having to push my father's car to get gasoline.
		And at the time, everybody said we're going to run out of crude oil.
		That was the thing, running out of crude oil.
		And I appreciate the bringing up the crude oil issue is actually because the ingenuity of the American people, we have an abundance of crude oil.
		The issue isn't crude.
		It's just oil.
		It's the refining capacity.
		And since I was a kid, we found this abundance of crude oil, the Permian Basin, North Dakota.
		You've got all the places we can name, more than they have in the Middle East, which when I was a kid, they was all coming from the Middle East.
		A lot of it is coming from the Middle East.
		But then you have this choke point of refining capacity.
		We haven't built a refinery, a new refinery in the United States since I was a kid.
		And so that's the thing that we want to address.
		That's the issue we want to address.
		We do want prices to go down.
		We don't want it to be $5 a gallon.
		I was putting gas in a rental car in California.
		I looked over to the guy next to me.
		We paid probably $2.60 in Kentucky.
		I think it was $4.80 there.
		I said, do you guys have any idea what the rest of the world, what the rest of America is paying for gasoline?
		And we're here to address it, and we're addressing it by a bill by my good friend, the chairman of the Energy Committee Subcommittee on the Energy and Commerce Committee, the leader in this arena, and Chairman Bob Latta.
		I will yield three minutes to Mr. Latter from Ohio.
unidentified		The gentleman is recognized.
bob latta ▲ ● ▼		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
bob latta ▲ ● ▼		I thank my friend, the Chairman of the Full Committee of the Energy and Commerce Committee, for yielding.
U.S. Refinery Capacity Crisis 00:03:31
bob latta ▲ ● ▼		I rise in support of my bill, H.R. 3109, the Refiner Act.
		This legislation will direct the National Petroleum Council to report to Congress and the Department of Energy on petrochemical refiners in the United States.
		This legislation is essential to ensuring the U.S. can reliably produce enough refined products domestically.
		The Energy Information Administration projects global demand for liquid fuels to increase by about 20 million barrels per day by 2050.
		Alarmingly, over the last several years, North America has lost an estimated 1 million barrels of fuel per day due to low refining capacity.
		The last report from the National Petroleum Council on refining was completed over 20 years ago.
		The report must include information concerning the contribution of refineries to U.S. energy security, capacity projections of U.S. petrochemical refineries, opportunities for expanding capacities, and risk to those refineries.
		An assessment of any state or federal executive actions, regulations, or policies that have caused or contributed to a decline in U.S. petrochemical refinery capacity.
		Recommendations for how to increase refinery capacity.
		American refineries have played a crucial role in providing secure, affordable, and high-value petroleum products to global customers.
		Importantly, this legislation would help identify states that have caused or contributed to a decline in U.S. petrochemical refinery capacity.
		Hostile regulatory environments, like in California, have led to the shuttering of several refineries.
		California used to be home to over 40 refineries in the 1980s.
		This number has now decreased to 14 as of last year, with two additional refineries slated to close in early 2026.
		These anticipated closures will disrupt fuel supplies and increase energy prices for consumers, businesses, and farmers.
		An analysis by the University of Southern California anticipates retail gas prices in the state could increase by as much as 75 percent under certain conditions.
		The bottom line, fewer refineries result in supply disruptions and higher fuel prices for Americans.
		The Refinery Act seeks to produce a detailed roadmap to strengthen and expand refinery capacity to increase American energy security and economic growth.
		I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I thank the chairman for yielding, and I yield back.
brett guthrie ▲ ● ▼		Our reserve.
unidentified		Gentleman, reserves, the gentleman from New Jersey is recognized.
frank pallone ▲ ● ▼		Mr. Speaker, my point is that this report does not ask the people that are doing it to look into the change of law that would be necessary in order to bring refineries back.
		The reason why we lost so many refineries, particularly on the East Coast in New Jersey, was because the ban on export of crude oil was lifted 10 years ago.
		So you don't need a refinery if you can export the crude.
Congress Ignores Electric Bills 00:06:44
frank pallone ▲ ● ▼		But this report doesn't address that at all.
frank pallone ▲ ● ▼		With that, I would now yield such time as she may consume to the ranking member of our energy subcommittee, Ms. Castor from Florida.
unidentified		Gentleman is recognized.
kathy castor ▲ ● ▼		Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the gentleman for yielding the time.
		Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 3109.
		I know my Republican colleagues want to pretend that this is a simple, unbiased study bill, but it's not.
		The bill asks the National Petroleum Council, a council that is made up of members from the oil and gas industry, to create a report that says that the United States needs more oil and gas.
		I fear that what this is a recipe for is higher electric bills, higher costs for hardworking Americans who already are being crushed by higher bills.
		There are unbiased public servants who could write this report, for example, at the Department of Energy.
		But of course, Elon Musk and the Trump administration has pushed out more than 3,500 public servants there, and as a result, the Department of Energy is in Trouble.
		The department has even had to ask external lawyers for things like defending against challenges relating to their illegal cancellations of projects across the country.
		And to bring this bill at a time where people are really want to see the Congress work to solve problems, I think, demonstrates that folks up here are out of touch.
		And it's part of a very disturbing Republican trend led by the President to purge the government of real experts and to slash and burn medical research, finding the cures and treatments that we need to survive and thrive, trying to dismantle illegally the Department of Education, going after public health,
		really ruining a lot of the expert public health advice that helps keep our neighbors healthy and safe.
		And then here, when we're talking about oil and gas and their lobbyists, they are so firmly in control of the agenda here in the United States Congress.
		I just think my colleagues are not solving problems, and watching the President just remain out of touch is so painful to people back home.
		They feel betrayed.
		Even during the Republican shutdown, where the President was focused on trying to negotiate a solution there, trying to take us out of the health care crisis, no, he was giving the White House a makeover.
		He tore down the entire East Wing to make way for a $90,000 square foot, $300 million ballroom funded by corporations that have a lot to gain monetarily, had great Gatsby parties at Mar-a-Lago with Dancing Girls.
		It's just mind-boggling.
		But back to electric bills.
		Let's not forget last year President Trump convened oil industry executives and lobbyists at his home to ask for $1 billion for his presidential campaign.
		Well, now they're coming to collect.
		Even after almost two months when Speaker Johnson had the House of Representatives shut down because he didn't want to find a solution to rising health care costs and he wanted to avoid a vote to release the Epstein files, we could have been focusing on behind the scenes some ways to lower costs and solve real problems.
		But they continue to bring bills like this, a study on how we produce more oil and gas.
		And here's the connection to higher bills.
		Because while they want to pad the profits of oil and gas companies, what they're doing to sabotage jobs and cleaner, cheaper energy now is showing up in people's electric bills and they're angry.
		I was with neighbors a couple weeks ago who were burning their electric bills because costs are increasing so dramatically.
		Why?
		On January 20th, the President froze federal leasing for wind projects and blocked permits for projects that had already been approved.
		On February 5th, the Army Corps of Engineers halted permits for 168 renewable energy projects on private lands.
		In March, as part of his tariff war, he imposed a 10 percent tax on energy imported from Canada, hitting Midwestern states with higher gas prices.
		In April, the Trump administration abruptly fired the entire staff overseeing the low-income home energy assistance program, which helps working families for their utility bills.
		And weeks later, the White House proposed cutting it entirely.
		In May, the Secretary of Energy ordered an old Michigan coal plant to stay online, forcing the company to spend nearly $1 million a day, costs that are passed on to families across the Midwest.
		In June, the Trump administration's EPA proposed a rule to allow coal and gas power plants to emit unlimited amounts of climate pollution, locking us into a dirtier and more expensive future.
		In July, Republicans have passed their big ugly bill, which will saddle American families with price hikes of at least $110 next year and up to $4,000 annually within a decade.
		In August, the EPA announced an illegal cancellation of the $7 billion Solar for All grant initiative, which was intended to bring affordable energy to more than 900,000 hardworking American households.
		In September, the Trump administration unveiled a more than $600 million bailout for coal plants to keep them online.
		In October, while shutting down the government to deny Americans access to affordable health care, the White House tried to claw back billions in clean energy funds.
		These actions are costly, and American families deserve better.
		We should be working together to solve problems, not wasting time on trying to figure out how we pad the profits of industries.
Frustrations of the Republican Side 00:06:45
kathy castor ▲ ● ▼		Instead, looking out for the pocketbooks of the people who sent us here.
		People deserve better.
		Hardworking Americans expect better of this Congress.
		And I hope that we can send a message on this bill and the next one that we're not going to put up with it anymore.
		We want real solutions to lower the cost of living.
		Thank you, and I yield back my time.
unidentified		Reserve, New Jersey Reserves.
		I'll remind all persons in the gallery that they are guests of the House, and any manifestation of approval or disapproval of proceedings is in violation of the rules of the House.
		The gentleman from Kentucky is recognized.
brett guthrie ▲ ● ▼		Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
		It is frustrating that we're here.
		We lost 42 days because our side of the aisle wanted to open the government, wanted to have that government operating and sit down and work through the issues before us.
		But we chose to not fund the government.
		And I always was embarrassed to leave a look in the eye.
		I voted for all of it to go see a TSA agent at the airport in Nashville, in your home state of Tennessee, where I fly out of FAA people going to work at the airport coming here and seeing the people sitting in front of us here, the people guarding the doors of the Capitol building with no respect, having them come to work without respect and paying them.
		That was extremely frustrating to me.
		And it's just beyond pale that that happened.
		On the Epstein files, that's what Zenster just said, that the president, I mean, the Speaker tried to come in unanimous consent, the Epstein files.
		Remember last week he came down and said, okay, let's pass the Epstein files.
		And the other side of the aisle objected to it.
		I don't know why they'd object to passing the files.
		They held it up for several days.
		I know there were a few rallies that happened.
		And then we all voted.
		It's like 427 to 1.
		So were you trying to get the Epstein files out, or were you trying to make sure people got in town for their rallies?
		That's what I would like to know.
		The National Petroleum Council that we're referring to in this bill is a part of the Department of Education, I mean, Department of Energy.
		All through government, we have councils of people who are experts in their fields who come to D.C. Department of Labor has them.
		People from the labor community come and have councils to give advice on bills.
		And we know we have ample crude.
		We know the ingenuity of the American people have ample crude.
		When we talk about what we're talking about today, we're 40 refineries in California.
		You've gone to 14.
		If you want affordability, not only do you have to be able to get the crude out of the ground, you have to refine it to where we can use it.
		And as we're shrinking refining capacity in this country, where we're increasing demand, if we don't increase supply, we're not going to have affordability.
		You can talk about affordability all you want, but you have to have the supply to address it.
		And that's what we're focused on doing today.
		We want the experts to give us their information.
		We don't have to do what they say.
		We want to take their information and take the good ideas and try to implement them into where we can provide lower prices.
		If you want to think this doesn't work, come buy gas in Kentucky.
		And then go to my good friends who are sitting here from California and buy gas in their state and tell what does efficient energy policy do for affordability.
		I'll challenge them to do that.
		And I'll say you can buy the most expensive gas pump in Kentucky and won't compare to what's going on in California.
		I will now yield two minutes of my time to my good friend from the state of Georgia, a very important member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, my good friend Buddy Carter from Georgia.
		Two minutes.
unidentified		The gentleman's recognized.
buddy carter ▲ ● ▼		I thank the gentleman for yielding.
		Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3109, the Refiner Act.
		For too long, America has fallen behind in refining capacity.
		In fact, we have lost an estimated 1 million barrels of fuel per day due to low refining capacity.
		The Biden administration declared war on American energy by suspending oil and gas leasing on federal lands, delaying permits for energy infrastructure, and canceling the Keystone XL pipeline.
		With President Trump and House Republicans in charge, those days are over with now.
		The Refiner Act offers a common-sense solution to this critical issue.
		This bill requires the National Petroleum Council to submit a report to Congress analyzing the capacity of American refining and recommending how we can increase our refining capacity.
		The American people elected us to lower prices, especially prices at the pump.
		This bill would provide crucial data and guidance on how we can best reinforce our domestic energy infrastructure and help ensure fuel costs are low for Americans.
		This bill is an important step towards delivering American energy dominance, something the President has worked on, something the President is diligent about.
		If we're going to power domestic manufacturing, if we're going to beat China in the AI race and deliver on affordable energy for all, we must ensure that domestic refining can keep up.
		I want to thank my friend, Representative Lada, for introducing this important piece of legislation, and I urge its immediate adoption.
		Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I yield back our reserve.
unidentified		Gentlemen, reserves, the gentleman from New Jersey is recognized.
frank pallone ▲ ● ▼		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
		You know, I'm listening to my colleagues on the Republican side of the aisle.
		I mean, obviously, this report does absolutely nothing to address the prices of power and electricity that continue to go up.
		I just have this document from the Joint Economic Committee, which I'd like to ask unanimous consent to put into the record, if that's okay, Mr. Speaker.
		Thank you.
		But last year, as I think everyone knows, President Donald Trump repeatedly promised that energy bills across the country would be cut in half within 12 months of his taking office.
		And this shows state-by-state analysis of how much electricity bills have gone up instead of being cut.
		And just to mention my two colleagues here from Kentucky, it says that they've gone up 11.8 percent, in Ohio, 9.9 percent, in New Jersey, 13.6 percent.
		Certainly nothing like the cut in half that President Donald Trump promised.
		This projects, this report, that American households will pay approximately $100 more per household in electricity costs this year.
California's Energy Transition 00:15:26
frank pallone ▲ ● ▼		We're going to deal with this pricing issue when we get to the next bill about LNG, which again is only going to increase prices.
		But it's clear that the Republicans have no intention of dealing with this crisis of affordability with electric or power bills as well.
		But now I'd like to yield such time as he may consume.
		Speaking of California, we have a Californian here, Mr. Stassonier, who's going to spend some time.
		I yield to the gentleman such time as he may consume.
unidentified		The gentleman is recognized.
mark desaulnier ▲ ● ▼		Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and to my friend from Kentucky.
		It's been a long time since you've been to the Bay Area, so I'll take you up.
		Be happy to have you come and look at one of the reasons I wanted to come down and speak to this is because I've represented an area in the Bay Area that has five refineries in it.
		They've been valuable tax providers, employers for many years.
		Two of them, one of them is about to close.
		Another one is in the process of closing.
		Two others have spent billions of dollars to work on transitional fuels to put investment into those refineries to produce biofuels that are part of the transition to a cleaner, safer, more economical energy sources.
		And the last one, Chevron, is doing both.
		I must say, I'm reminded as I sit here to the same arguments 30 years ago, having been involved in the local level in California, about secondhand smoke and tobacco, when the tobacco industry was insisting that the Tobacco Institute do studies about the cost to smokers by passing secondhand smoke ordinances that figured out the full cost to consumers for people who didn't smoke.
		And as a former restaurant owner who didn't allow people to smoke, it just reminds me the same thing.
		I believe in research.
		I believe, because I've worked with the refinery and oil companies for many years, but I was one of those regulators.
		I represented the Bay Area and the California Air Resources Board for 10 years.
		I was appointed by two Republicans, by the way, and one Democrat.
		So what we've done is we're transitioning.
		25% of the cars in Northern California last year were EVs.
		They were alternative fuels.
		We knew this was coming.
		So we've tried to work and invest in the refinery community on how we transition for the local government who require those taxes and for the employers, employees who need those jobs.
		So let's do research on how we transition and give states the ability to transition if they choose and local governments to transition.
		So while I value the research, let's be honest about having more research that's more objective and consider the full cost to changing our energy.
		Almost 50 million Americans live within a mile of a refinery or a heavy processing plant.
		Their public health costs are disproportionately affected by what we know from traditional pollutants, particulate matter, smog.
		And then when you add carbon into it, the economic model changes completely.
		So I would just suggest to Mr. Gowthrie, before you come out to the Bay Area and we have a collegial conversation and we can go to those refineries.
		I'd particularly like to take you to the ones that have invested on the transition because we know we need a transition for those of us who want to go to as near zero emissions as possible and we're succeeding.
		And I'll remind my colleagues too across the aisle that the Chinese are a global competition.
		The Chinese auto manufacturing industry is about to become the largest auto manufacturer in the world.
		They're all EVs.
		They're moving to this.
		So let's not, while we try to protect traditional energy sources, let's be smart about the transition economically for American consumers and taxpayers.
		So I don't disagree with looking at capacity, but let's do it in a broader way and more objective way that tells the full story as truthfully as possible so we as policymakers can be more thoughtful about the short-term impacts of our policy decisions as well as the midterm and long term.
		Thank you.
		I yield back.
roger williams ▲ ● ▼		I'm from New Jersey Reserves.
brett guthrie ▲ ● ▼		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
		And I appreciate my friend from California, Mr. Speaker.
		I actually do love going to California.
		I hadn't been in the Bay Area in a couple of years, he said, and we'll figure out an opportunity to come there.
		My family tries to go to California as much as we can.
		The last time, I know he's from the beautiful Bay Area, we were actually when I was talking about the high price of gas, that was down in Southern California, which has its own beauty as well.
		So I'm a fan of California other than Kentucky.
		I think California is one of the prettiest states we have in the Union, from the Redwoods to the Yosemite Valley.
		It's stunning.
		So I absolutely would love to come back out to the Bay Area because it is beautiful as well.
		You know, this bill, we're talking about electricity prices, which, you know, China is building an electric car industry, but they're also building the power generation, like a coal plant, I think, coal plant a week, to provide the energy for that generation.
		The other thing, but this bill we're talking about is gasoline and diesel.
		And remember, everything that arrives to a store comes on a truck, either the last mile, sometimes they come on train, but the last mile is almost always or is always a truck.
		And so diesel prices, fuel prices matter in terms of food prices and about everything else that we consume.
		So this is important to do.
		Electrical affordability is also important to do.
		And we're committed.
		We will work together to get our prices down, but we have to produce more.
		And that's what we're here to wonder.
		How do we efficiently and effectively and safely and cleanly produce more gasoline and diesel?
		And you can't do it without more refining capacity unless you decrease demand for it, which that's not the avenue we have to go either.
		I will now yield to my good friend from Texas and the vice chair of the Energy Subcommittee of Energy and Commerce Committee.
		Two minutes to Mr. Weber of Texas.
roger williams ▲ ● ▼		Gentlemen is recognized.
randy weber ▲ ● ▼		Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
		Thank you, Speaker.
		It's interesting to me that our friends across the LLC say that we already have enough oil, quote unquote.
		And it's also interesting that President Obama, when he, the gentleman from Georgia, Buddy Carter, mentioned Keystone Pipeline, it would have come into my district in Texas 830,000 barrels of oil a day.
		That's what we're talking about, refining on the Gulf Coast of Texas.
		If you transfer that to 18 wheelers, it's about 5,253 eight-wheeler tankers on the road every day.
		The pipeline is the best way to do this.
		Mr. Speaker, in Texas, we understand better than anyone else that America's energy strength depends on what happens to the oil after it comes out of the ground.
		Keystone Pipeline is a good example.
		It's our refineries, Mr. Speaker, the men and women who run them, the communities built around those businesses.
		It's those that turn out resources, our resources, into fuels and products that power everyday life.
		The Refiner Act takes on a question that Washington has ignored for far too long.
		Are we doing enough to protect and expand America's ability to refine the energy we produce?
		Right now, unfortunately, the answer is no.
		We're not.
		Over the last several years, America's refining capacity has gone backwards.
		We've lost more than a million barrels of capacity per day, and several facilities have shut down altogether.
		The gentleman from California mentioned one of them.
		In several states, hostile policies are pushing refineries out so fast that families are now facing higher prices and increased dependence on foreign fuel.
		That's not how you build energy security, Mr. Speaker.
		That's how you weaken it.
		Meanwhile, global demand for fuels is still rising, expected to grow by as much as 20 million barrels a day by 2050.
		The world isn't slowing down, Mr. Speaker, and neither should American Energy.
		The Refiner Act takes a serious look at that situation, directs the National Petroleum Council to review our refining capacity, identify where we're vulnerable, and highlight opportunities for us to expand.
		In other words, it gives us the facts we need to strengthen a critical part of our energy supply chain.
		Because when refineries close, families suffer.
		Small businesses suffer.
		Transportation costs rise.
		Prices jump at the pump, and the whole region becomes dependent on foreign suppliers.
		Thank you, sir.
		That is exactly the opposite of energy dominance vision that we're working toward under President Trump.
		And let me tell you, Mr. Speaker, you know this.
		In Texas, we know what happens when refineries thrive.
		We fuel the nation.
		We even supply our allies.
		We make money doing this, and we support thousands of good-paying jobs.
		The Refiner Act recognizes that refining isn't an afterthought.
		It is a foundational piece of our national security as well as our economic strength.
		I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3109 and I yield back.
brett guthrie ▲ ● ▼		Reserve.
roger williams ▲ ● ▼		General Reserves.
roger williams ▲ ● ▼		Gentleman from New Jersey.
frank pallone ▲ ● ▼		Mr. Speaker, I'll continue to reserve.
roger williams ▲ ● ▼		Reserves.
roger williams ▲ ● ▼		Kentucky.
brett guthrie ▲ ● ▼		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
		As I mentioned, other than the Commonwealth of Kentucky, California is one of the most beautiful states in our they're all beautiful, actually.
		We live in a wonderful country, but there's nothing prettier than the tunnel view from Yosemite Valley.
		And I don't know with your changing lines so much, but I know my good friend from California used to represent our beautiful natural resources in the National Park of Yosemite Valley.
		You still do.
		And so I will yield two minutes to my good friend and a classmate elected at the same year, Mr. McClintock from California.
roger williams ▲ ● ▼		Gentlemen is recognized.
tom mcclintock ▲ ● ▼		Mr. Speaker, no one has suffered more than Californians because of the left's war on fossil fuels.
		40 years of folly are now driving energy prices out of reach for working families and driving those working families out of California.
		In 1980, 40 refineries served the California market, producing abundant gasoline at easily affordable prices.
		Mr. Latta said 14 refineries were left.
		His numbers are old.
		We're now down to nine refineries, and two more of those, Phillips in Southern California and Valero in Northern California, are closing by April.
		That will leave us just seven refineries to serve the state.
		Californians already pay the highest gasoline prices in the United States, averaging $4.64 a gallon as of yesterday.
		The same gallon cost only $2.56 in Oklahoma.
		And when we lose these next two refineries, economists at UC Berkeley predict Californians will be paying more than $8 a gallon by the summer.
		Left-wing zealots like Gavin Newsom obsess over a one-degree rise of global temperatures over the next century, but they couldn't care less that they're making it impossible for growing numbers of Californians to heat their homes or to get to work.
		This is not only a quality of life issue for Californians and a cautionary tale for the rest of the country, it's a national security risk as well.
		40 military bases depend on these dwindling west coast refineries and as California strangles production, we must increasingly rely on foreign imports from our enemies.
		Hr 3109 requires the National Petroleum Council to report on ways to reverse such foolish and self-destructive policies.
		What has happened to California is the predictable result of bad policy made by fools.
		I hope the Refiner Act will shine a light on their folly and recommend ways to reverse the damage that they've caused before they can do any more harm to our nation's prosperity and security.
		I yield back.
roger williams ▲ ● ▼		Gentlemen yield back.
brett guthrie ▲ ● ▼		A reserve?
roger williams ▲ ● ▼		General Reserves.
roger williams ▲ ● ▼		New Jersey.
brett guthrie ▲ ● ▼		I have one more speaker.
frank pallone ▲ ● ▼		One more.
frank pallone ▲ ● ▼		Okay, then I'll continue to reserve.
roger williams ▲ ● ▼		General Reserves.
brett guthrie ▲ ● ▼		Thank you.
roger williams ▲ ● ▼		Kentucky.
brett guthrie ▲ ● ▼		Mr. Speaker, I will now yield two minutes to a distinguished member who just was elected just recently to Congress from Bakersfield, California, the Distinguished Member, Mr. Fong, for two minutes.
roger williams ▲ ● ▼		Gentlemen is recognized.
unidentified		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
		I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3109, the Refiner Act.
		This legislation is critical to unleashing our energy potential, lowering costs for hardworking families, and protecting our national security.
		U.S. refineries are vital to our energy ecosystem.
		They convert crude oil into fuels and countless products ranging from shoes and plastics to cell phones and computers, solar panels, medical devices, and even spacesuits.
		They make gasoline and diesel for our cars and trucks, and they make jet fuel for our planes.
		Yet, over the past few years, our refining capacity has declined due to burdensome federal and state policies.
		I know this bitter reality all too well in my home state of California.
		From 2020 to 2022, we lost more than 1 million barrels of production capacity per day, and I'm proud to represent the energy production capital of California.
		But that oil has to go somewhere.
		It has to be made into gasoline, and refinery closures are projected to slash that capacity by 20% over the next year.
		20% of refining capacity is going to disappear overnight.
		Since 2018, over 360 energy companies have left California.
		Oil production has dropped by 47 million barrels over the past five years, and foreign imports now account for over 60 percent of our crude supply in California.
		Californians pay nearly $5 a gallon.
		In fact, Californians are paying the highest gas and electricity prices in the nation thanks to Governor Gavin Newsom's radical left failed energy policies.
		California has an affordability crisis that Governor Gavin Newsom created.
		But this crisis also goes well beyond the pump.
		As California fuel production declines, it jeopardizes our national security and undermines our military readiness, as multiple strategic military bases rely on California fuel.
		With threats from our foreign adversaries like China only continuing to grow, we cannot risk leaving our defenses weakened.
		The Refinery Act is common sense.
		It will help identify ways to expand refining capacity, protect our energy infrastructure, and strengthen our national security.
		We must act now to restore American energy dominance, secure affordable fuel for families, and protect our nation's military defense.
Urge Action on Affordability Crisis 00:05:53
unidentified		I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3109, and I yield.
brett guthrie ▲ ● ▼		Gentlemen, our reserve, I'm prepared to close.
roger williams ▲ ● ▼		General Reserves.
frank pallone ▲ ● ▼		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
		I'll yield myself such time as they may consume.
		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
		I want to urge President Trump and my Republican colleagues to start taking the American affordability crisis seriously.
		President Trump is simply out of touch with the reality that American families are facing.
		Early this week, he seemed to mockingly suggest that affordability is a word that Democrats made up to attack him.
		Well, that's rich coming from a man who's declared bankruptcy six times.
		The American people are hurting because of President Trump and the Republican policies, and they should not be mocked for that.
		Even Fox News reported last night that 76 percent of Americans view the economy negatively.
		Americans are struggling to afford basic necessities.
		A new report from the Century Foundation found that utility prices are up 32 percent since 2022.
		That's nearly three times the rate of inflation.
		And nearly a quarter of that jump occurred just this year alone.
		These rising costs are debilitating to the middle class.
		Nearly one in 20 households are in severe utility debt.
		Roughly 4 million Americans are at risk of having their utility bills sent to collections.
		It's an incredible number.
		They've done nothing wrong.
		They just can't afford to keep up with the exponential rise in electricity prices.
		They can't afford to pay the bill.
		Now, the two bills that are on the floor today, in my opinion, will only increase the average utility bill even further.
		Just last week, the U.S. Energy Information Association found that natural gas prices will rise by 16 percent in 2026, primarily due to increased LNG exports amid flat production growth.
		Secretary Chris Wright promised to double LNG exports to countries like China within five years.
		The next bill that we're going to consider is all about giving more LNG to China, to Beijing, to communist China.
		Why are we helping them?
		But the American people desperately need a solution to lower energy costs at home.
		Why does the President refuse or the Secretary refuse to take care of the American people that the Trump administration is supposed to represent?
		Now, I've said it before, but it bears repeating.
		The Trump administration only cares about bailing out themselves and their fossil fuel friends.
		It's time for Republicans to come to the table to work with Democrats on a solution to this affordability crisis, and it can begin here with the Energy and Commerce Committee.
		So I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time, Mr. Speaker.
roger williams ▲ ● ▼		Gentleman Yeals.
roger williams ▲ ● ▼		Gentleman from Kentucky.
brett guthrie ▲ ● ▼		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
		I yield myself as much time as I may consume.
		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
		You know, we're all concerned about the rising prices.
		And my friend from New Jersey talked about since 2022, and he said the emphasis of what's happened in the first few months of this year.
		The decisions were made prior to the present Trump administration to take power offline.
		I know in my community down in Bowling Green, Kentucky, a couple years ago with the polar vortex, we actually had to blackouts.
		We had to have rolling blackouts because of taking power offline.
		And we all want to address it.
		And the way we address this is not taking power offline, not building new safer.
		My good friend from California talked about what they're doing in California to make refineries cleaner and safer.
		And that's what we want.
		We want refineries to refine in a safe, responsible, and sustainable way.
		And so we can work together to do that.
		On the LNG, we're going to talk about in just a few minutes.
		We do have the gas in our country.
		We have people that can develop, particularly in your home state, Mr. Speaker.
		And the problem is that we move it to where it needs to go.
		And we know that there are the challenge isn't the access to gas, is actually moving it to where it needs to be.
		And we need to work together.
		I think Natural Resources Today had a hearing.
		I had a markup.
		TNI is working on a markup.
		And we hopefully can work together as members across the aisle's energy and commerce committees to do our share to make sure this explosive growth of energy is not just in gas and diesel.
		It's also in electricity.
		We need every electron we can produce and to beat China.
		Talk about China.
		China is struggling and working as hard as they can to beat us to control the data that flows around the world through AI.
		It's our job on this committee to see that that doesn't happen for this country.
		And that's because we have to have enough energy.
		Again, this is a Department of Energy Council made up of people in the industry to give us a report to see where we should go in making sure that America has proper refining.
		It's not a report that's going to produce what we do.
		It's going to a report that informs us in what we do.
		And I know on our side of the aisle, I think on both sides of the aisle, we try to take as much information as we can to make a reasonable decision to make sure we have clean, sustainable, but ample and safe fuel for this country.
		As is every grocery goes to a grocery store, either through diesel or gasoline, and prices matter.
		It hurts families when their electric bills are high and when their grocery bills are high because people have to eat and they have to have a safe and clean place to live.
		And so this is what this is about.
Ayes Have It 00:02:18
brett guthrie ▲ ● ▼		This is what our struggle is over, and this is what we're going to accomplish as a committee.
brett guthrie ▲ ● ▼		And with that, I encourage the vote, a yes vote on 3109, and I yield back the balance of my time.
unidentified		Okay.
roger williams ▲ ● ▼		All time for debate has expired.
		Pursuant to the House Resolution 879, the previous question is ordered on the bill.
		The question is on engrossment and third reading of the bill.
		Those in favor say aye.
unidentified		Aye.
roger williams ▲ ● ▼		Those opposed say no.
		The ayes have it.
		Third reading.
unidentified		H.R. 3109, a bill to require the Secretary of Energy to direct the National Petroleum Council to issue a report with respect to petrochemical refineries in the United States and for other purposes.
roger williams ▲ ● ▼		Okay, the question is on the passage of the bill.
roger williams ▲ ● ▼		Those in favor say aye.
unidentified		Aye.
roger williams ▲ ● ▼		Those opposed say no.
frank pallone ▲ ● ▼		The ayes have it.
frank pallone ▲ ● ▼		Mr. Speaker, I would ask for the yeas and nays.
roger williams ▲ ● ▼		The yeas and nays are requested.
		Those favoring a vote by the yeas and nays will rise.
		Sufficient number have risen.
		The yeas and nays are ordered.
		Pursuant to clause 8 of Rule 20.
		Further proceedings on this question will be postponed.
		For what purpose does the gentleman from Kentucky seek recognition?
brett guthrie ▲ ● ▼		Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 879, I call up H.R. 1949 and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.
roger williams ▲ ● ▼		The clerk will report the title of the bill.
unidentified		Union calendar number 225, H.R. 1949, a bill to repeal restrictions on the export and import of natural gas.
roger williams ▲ ● ▼		Pursuant to the House Resolution 879, the bill is considered red.
roger williams ▲ ● ▼		The bill shall be debatable for one hour, equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the committee on energy and commerce of their respective designees.
U.S. LNG Exports Controversy 00:15:19
roger williams ▲ ● ▼		The gentleman from Kentucky, Mr. Guthrie, and the gentleman from New Jersey, Mr. Pallone, each will control 30 minutes.
roger williams ▲ ● ▼		The chair recognizes the gentleman from Kentucky.
brett guthrie ▲ ● ▼		Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks on the legislation and to insert extraneous material on HR 1949.
roger williams ▲ ● ▼		Without objection.
brett guthrie ▲ ● ▼		Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.
roger williams ▲ ● ▼		Gentlemen is recognized.
brett guthrie ▲ ● ▼		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
		In February 2016, the first cargo of LNG, U.S. LNG, set sale from the lower 48, making the United States a natural gas exporter for the first time since the 1960s.
		Since then, exports have increased from 5 billion cubic feet per day in 2016 to nearly 12 billion cubic feet per day in 2024, making U.S. the global leader in LNG in less than a decade.
		U.S. LNG has played an undeniably important role in providing affordable, abundant, and clean energy to the world.
		This could not have been more evident than in 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine, disrupting global commodity markets and leaving Europe without secure access to energy.
		Immediately, for our friends in Europe, the U.S. producers began sending cargoes of American gas to the continent to fuel their economies and heat their homes, helping some of our most important global allies and friends.
		However, in 2024, January 2024, the Biden-Harris administration announced an illegal and indefinite ban on new export authorizations, all in the name of vaguely stated climate change goals.
		Current law is clear.
		Requiring a statutory presumption in favor of exports are in the public interest.
		Plus, the vast majority of studies show that not only do LNG exports bolster our energy security, they also help maintain low domestic natural gas prices for Americans.
		The Biden-Harris administration action not only jeopardized our European allies, it threatened the faith and credibility of American companies' contracts, emboldened Russia and other nefarious actors, and created uncertainty for domestic producers of natural gas.
		H.I. 1949, the unlocking our domestic LNG Potential Act, would ensure this catastrophic policy decision is never made again by removing DOE from the statutory authorization process.
		This legislation maintains the president's authority to impose sanctions on foreign governments, prohibiting imports or exports if justified.
		Free trade, open markets, and competitions have resulted in the U.S. emerging as a global energy superpower, and lifting these restrictions will help maintain this dominance at a time it is needed most.
		Urge all my colleagues to support H.R. 1949.
		I can tell you, a meeting a couple of years ago at the highest levels of the German government saying we need American LNG gas to rain down on us because of what was going on in Eastern Europe and Ukraine.
		High natural gas prices around the world, they fund the Russian army because that's how they fund their army.
		Not that friends are buying from them, but as the world price goes higher, the Russian price goes higher from the people who do choose to buy from them.
		And so we're not talking about affecting those people.
		We still, the President needs to have the authority.
		But what we're talking about is our friends and our allies who are dependent on us.
		And I worry about what we do here in our country, but also America cannot cut itself off from the rest of the world and have our friends and allies look elsewhere to other people for the natural gas they need to run their economy because they will do so if we don't step in and do this at this time.
		Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I'll reserve the balance of my time.
roger williams ▲ ● ▼		General Reserves, gentlemen from New Jersey.
frank pallone ▲ ● ▼		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
frank pallone ▲ ● ▼		I yield myself such time as I may consume.
roger williams ▲ ● ▼		Yes, sir.
frank pallone ▲ ● ▼		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
		I rise in strong opposition to this bill.
		This bill would allow unlimited amounts of our liquefied natural gas or LNG to be sent abroad to any destination in the world, including to our adversaries like China.
		And this is all about China.
		The President gets up on a regular basis and says we need to export more LNG to China.
		My Republican colleagues say they worry about Beijing and what Beijing is doing to challenge us, and yet they're going to allow with this bill unlimited exports to communist China.
		And by sending more American LNG abroad, this bill would reduce our energy resources at home, raising our constituents' utility bills at a time when they can least afford it.
		It just makes common sense that if you send the liquefied natural gas abroad, it's going to raise the price here because there's going to be less here.
		I mean, it's just economic, you know, 101, in my opinion.
		Americans are already being crushed by the rising cost of living, and now Republicans are making matters worse by pushing legislation that will only drive up monthly power bills even further.
		It's quite the departure from President Trump's campaign promise to cut American power bills in half.
		He said that during the course of the campaign, that in the first year he was going to cut power bills in half, and instead they just keep climbing.
		Right now, thanks to the Congressional Republicans' backward energy policies, electricity prices are climbing more than twice as fast as inflation.
		More than 80 million Americans are struggling to pay their utility bills, with many having to make the impossible choice of either paying for medicine and food or keeping their lights on.
		I think it's a disgrace that instead of offering up solutions to this affordability crisis, Republicans are here today to just make it worse.
		And let's be clear, Mr. Speaker.
		It's a well-established fact that unlimited LNG exports would increase prices here at home.
		If you don't believe me, last year the Secretary of Energy noted, and I quote, unfettered exports of LNG would increase wholesale domestic natural gas prices by over 40 percent.
		And if you're a Republican who perhaps didn't trust the Democratic Department of Energy, I would certainly assume you could trust your own current Department of Energy.
		Just last week, the Energy Information Administration noted that it expects natural gas prices to increase by 16 percent next year due largely to increased exports of LNG.
		16 percent, that's on top of the 15 percent increase in natural gas costs that Americans already suffered this year.
		And it's all due to the LNG export approvals that President Trump made in his first term.
		And all this bill does is to make that problem worse by ensuring that there are zero restrictions on how much of our own LNG we're shipping out to other countries.
		The only ones who stand to benefit are fossil fuel companies, proving that Republicans care more about paying the profits of their rich fossil fuel friends than they do about lowering costs for the average American.
		Now, I want to stress the China part again.
		China is one of the top recipients of American LNG.
		And LNG companies, not only the President, but LNG companies, are openly bragging about how they can sell to Chinese buyers.
		But this bill completely removes any review of whether exporting more of our LNG to China is in the public interest.
		Now, the Chairman said that that's a presumption, that the public interest is met.
		But I would argue it's more than a presumption.
		There is no longer any review of the public interest.
		And when I talk about the public interest, I'm talking about price.
		I'm talking about national security.
		I'm talking about impact on the environment and the air and whatever people breathe.
		But this bill completely removes any review of what's in the public interest before you export to China or anyone else.
		To me, it's the very reversal.
		You know, the President talks about America first, but this is putting America last, in my opinion.
		So, you know, I don't know what to say, Mr. Speaker.
		We've seen this story before.
		Ten years ago, Congress removed the ban on exporting American crude oil.
		I already mentioned that.
		Before that, we were only sending China 420,000 barrels of oil each year, and now we send China more than 160 million barrels of oil a year.
		So clearly, Republicans have learned nothing from that despite constantly proclaiming the importance of beating China in the AI race and so many other things.
		Republicans consistently say that losing the AI race to China would be like losing the Cold War to Russia.
		But the bill they're proposing today is like selling rocket fuel to the Soviets during the space race.
		It defies all logic.
		Finally, I just want to point out a basic fact.
		We have already approved enough permits to triple our LNG exports by the end of the decade.
		And that's on top of the more than quadrupling of LNG exports we've already seen over the last six years.
		So when my colleagues on the other side talk about Europe and our allies, there's no way that at this point with the permits that have already been approved that the Europeans or any of our allies have to worry about not getting enough LNG from us.
		I just think it makes sense to ask the Department of Energy to keep an eye on this to ensure that all these exports are actually a good thing in our public interest, for our economy, for our national security, and for the communities that we here represent.
		And that's all this bill does is get rid of all that and say, we don't care, export whatever you want to China or wherever else.
		So Mr. Speaker, the American people are tired of these antics.
		They don't have time for them.
		They need us to get serious about addressing the skyrocketing cost of living.
		Today they'll see that Republicans are making it worse and Democrats are fighting to make it better, to try to reduce prices.
		And I encourage my colleagues to vote no and I reserve the balance of my time.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		The gentleman from New Jersey Reserves, the gentleman from Kentucky is recognized.
brett guthrie ▲ ● ▼		Thank you, Mr. President.
		This bill does nothing to prohibit the president or any president, whoever is president, from limiting LNG exports, sanctioning China, tariffing China.
		It does no limit to that.
		The people who are begging, I can tell you, for our energy is Europe, who are our friends.
		And I do know from just recently meeting with friends from Japan and Korea the natural gas that we have in our great state of Alaska.
		So this is important.
		And a leader on this issue who's fought for reliable, sustainable energy is my good friend from Ohio, the chairman of the Energy Subcommittee, Mr. Alata, and I will yield him two minutes.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		The gentleman is recognized.
bob latta ▲ ● ▼		I thank the gentleman from Kentucky, the chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, for yielding.
		Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1949, the unlocking our domestic LNG Potential Act, introduced by my friend and colleague from Texas' 11th District.
		This legislation will streamline regulatory approvals of LNG export facilities to meet the movement of global energy demands.
		This legislation removes unnecessary and burdensome reviews at the Department of Energy for exporting U.S. LNG while maintaining the required site and environmental reviews at FERC.
		Increasing opportunities for exports increases overall U.S. production, putting downward pressure on prices for everyone.
		The U.S. LNG industry contributed $44 billion to the economy and supported 220,000 good-paying jobs while providing $11 billion in taxes and royalty payments.
		In response to Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine in 2022, American energy producers immediately supplied Europe and our allies with LNG.
		The U.S. was the number one supplier of LNG to Europe in 2023.
		Unfortunately, in 2024, the Biden administration took politically motivated actions to place an indefinite ban on LNG export permits to appease the climate lobby.
		This legislation ensures that future administrations cannot unilaterally prohibit exports of LNG for political purposes.
		Nothing in this legislation limits the authority of the President to impose sanctions on foreign governments and does not affect the existing FERC authorities for reviewing facilities for environmental or safety purposes.
		H.R. 1949 brings common sense reforms to treat LNG just like other commodities such as crude oil.
		In the 114th Congress, I was proud to support legislation from the Energy and Commerce Committee that lifted the crude oil export ban, which elevated the United States as the premier global oil-producing nation.
		This bill will similarly allow our vast natural resources to advance our national security interests.
		I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
		I thank my friend, the chairman of the committee, for bringing forth this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		Our reserve, the gentleman from Kentucky Reserves, the gentleman from New Jersey, is recognized.
frank pallone ▲ ● ▼		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
frank pallone ▲ ● ▼		I yield five minutes now to the ranking member of the Energy Subcommittee, Ms. Castor of Florida.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		The gentlewoman is recognized.
kathy castor ▲ ● ▼		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
		I rise in opposition to H.R. 1949.
		It's a harmful bill that demonstrates how Republicans in Congress continue to ignore the rising cost of living and inflation that is crushing American families, and that they are willing to sell out American energy to our adversaries like the Chinese Communist Party.
		I know it wasn't even two weeks ago that President Trump said, I don't want to talk about affordability.
		Well, we're going to talk about it, and we're going to stand up for people's pocketbooks at home.
		But this bill is just another example of how Republicans have not brought one single bill to the House floor that would lower energy costs for hardworking families.
		Electricity bills are skyrocketing, and it's getting harder and harder for people to pay their utility bills.
		And now Republicans in the Trump administration are making it worse.
		They passed the big, ugly bill to rip away savings and rebates for cleaner, cheaper energy a few months ago, energy efficiency that keeps bills lower, all to pay for tax breaks for the wealthy and the well-connected.
		And now they want to ramp up gas exports that will make life even more expensive.
LNG Exports and Their Costs 00:15:32
kathy castor ▲ ● ▼		It wasn't even a year ago that the Department of Energy released a study that made it clear continuing to approve gas exports would raise costs on U.S. households and businesses.
		And don't just take it from me.
		Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to submit for the record a letter from the Industrial Energy Consumers of America dated November 17, 2025.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		Without objection.
kathy castor ▲ ● ▼		They say this bill is inconsistent with the President's pledge to put America first, prioritizes gas exports over U.S. consumers by removing long-standing consumer protections, and that they urge everyone to oppose this bill and preserve those consumer protections.
		See, when you export more gas, that raises domestic gas prices, electricity prices, and the cost of manufactured goods.
		A vote for this bill is a vote to raise utility bills.
		That's particularly problematic to the neighbors back home I represent in the state of Florida.
		The state of Florida, the sunshine state, you would think would be powered by the sun, but we're 75% reliant on gas to generate electricity.
		So now you're saying, okay, Floridians, you're already being crushed by utility bills.
		Now Republicans are going to make it worse.
		It's raising costs on all of us in more insidious ways, too, because we do have a heating, a climate crisis across the world.
		So when you're paying more to address climate-fueled disasters like hurricanes, repair your homes, emergency response, property insurance, that is an additional cost generated by fossil fuels like more frack gas.
		Given that large methane and carbon dioxide emissions are emitted during fracking, pipeline transport, liquefaction, liquefaction, overseas shipping and combustion, costs go up, and so does pollution and the health risks, especially along the Gulf Coast.
		Now let's talk about point number two.
		If higher cost and electric bills aren't going to convince you to vote against this bill, I hope that America's national security will.
		Republicans, the gas industry and their lobbyists want carte blanche to export gas to anyone, even our foreign adversaries.
		Now under current law, the U.S. Department of Energy is responsible for authorizing exports of domestically produced gas to foreign countries.
		In doing so, DOE makes a determination whether or not that export is consistent with the public interest.
		Republicans and the industry want to eliminate that important review, that even if the gas goes to the Chinese Communist Party and other foreign adversaries, that's okay.
		No need to look, no need to review that.
		That is wrong and dangerous.
		Aren't Republicans in Congress concerned that shipping American energy overseas to China to power their AI data centers and their manufacturing is a risk, an economic risk, a military risk?
		You know, I also serve on the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition with the Chinese Communist Party.
		On that committee, we've heard over and over about the dangers of Chinese industrial dominance.
		National resources, natural resources for their economic and military advantage, they want to just kind of sweep up all natural resources across the globe.
		Why would Republicans in Congress be party to that?
		But through this bill, House Republicans want to make it easier for China to import U.S. energy to power their industrial and military sector.
		Republicans have also enacted policies that wave a white flag to China on cleaner, cheaper energy, on electric vehicles, on the next generation of energy manufacturing and technology, all evidenced by what they have done in gutting clean energy tax credits and manufacturing and jobs and cost savings in their big, ugly bill.
		Plus, it's hypocritical for Republicans on one hand to condemn Chinese forced labor.
frank pallone ▲ ● ▼		Additional minute, Mr. Speaker.
kathy castor ▲ ● ▼		It's just hypocritical for Republicans to condemn forced labor, subsidies, intellectual property theft on the one hand, and then allow massive amounts of U.S. resources to flow to Chinese factories on the other hand.
		And these are not hypothetical concerns.
		In June, the President posted, hopefully China will be purchasing plenty of oil from the U.S.
		And then after meeting with President Xi in October, the President said a very large-scale transaction may take place concerning the purchase of oil and gas from the great state of Alaska.
		This is all too much.
		If these projects come online, U.S. LNG would represent up to a quarter of all of China's contracted LNG under the contracts that have already been entered into.
		Look, I would urge colleagues now to do the patriotic thing.
		Really, go ahead, put America first for a change.
		It's vitally important that energy export decisions benefit the American people, not our foreign adversaries.
		Exporting more LNG without guard rails does nothing to lower energy bills for hardworking American families.
		In fact, it will make it worse, and people deserve better.
		I yield back.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		The gentleman from New Jersey Reserves, the gentleman from Kentucky is recognized.
brett guthrie ▲ ● ▼		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
		There's still protections in place that the president can sanction and not send to any adversary.
		What this does is prevent a president for some reason to suspend LNG gas exports at a time where our friends in Europe are literally begging for it.
		And I know our friends from Japan and Korea are asking for it.
		So I will now yield two minutes to the Vice Chair of the Energy Committee, my good friend, Mr. Weber from Texas.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		The gentleman is recognized.
randy weber ▲ ● ▼		Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
		Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1949, the Unlocking Our Domestic LNG Potential Act, led by my friend and fellow Texan Representative Pfluger.
		For years, America has been blessed with abundant natural gas, Mr. Speaker, and in Texas, we've been at the heart of it all.
		We are the world's number one producer of oil and natural gas and the top exporter of LNG.
		That didn't happen by accident.
		It happened because American workers, American innovators, and American energy producers were finally unleashed.
		But under the previous administration, we launched an indefensible freeze on LNG export permits, a politically motivated blockade that put our economy at risk, undermined jobs, and was just simply wrong for global security.
		That was wrong for Texans, wrong for America, and wrong for our allies working to wean themselves off of Russian gas.
		H.R. 1949 fixes that.
		This bill removes outdated restrictions on natural gas imports and exports and puts decision-making authority back where it belongs.
		With FERC, not some bureaucrats using climate reviews or climate change as a backdoor veto.
		As some of y'all have seen, even the Microsoft founder Bill Gates is now backing up on his climate change.
		This is ridiculous.
		This bill restores certainty for developers who have already committed more than $70 billion with the B dollars in new investments since President Trump took office.
		And it strengthens our hand abroad by ensuring our allies that they can rely on American energy instead of their adversaries.
		Most importantly, it reinforces a simple truth.
		Energy security is national security.
		In Southeast Texas, we understand that better than anybody.
		We produce it, we refine it, we ship it, and we keep America moving every single day.
		H.R. 1949 is pro-jobs, pro-growth, pro-rally, and proudly American energy.
		I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1949.
		Keep America the world's energy leader, and I yield back.
brett guthrie ▲ ● ▼		Our reserve.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		The gentleman from Kentucky Reserves, the gentleman from New Jersey is recognized.
frank pallone ▲ ● ▼		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
frank pallone ▲ ● ▼		I yield four minutes now to a member of our committee, the gentleman from California, Dr. Ruiz.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		The gentleman is recognized.
unidentified		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
		I rise today on behalf of the residents of California's 25th congressional district against H.R. 1949, which would increase their energy bills.
		Look, the desert communities I serve are already bearing the brunt of high energy bills and underinvestment in infrastructure.
		They simply cannot afford this bill.
		Under Trump, in the last nine months, electricity prices have gone up by 11% across the nation.
		Trump's one big beautiful bill, better known as the big ugly law, will simply make matters much, much worse by delivering higher energy costs.
		It will raise energy costs by over $600 a year in California.
		In my district, families are already struggling with some of the highest energy costs in the nation.
		Families in the desert are paying hundreds more per year, not because they're using luxury power, but because extreme heat makes air conditioning a necessity.
		For families, for many families, the rising costs of energy is not abstract numbers.
		High costs force impossible choices between cooling their homes or risking heat-related illnesses.
		These bills being debated here today directly affect their health, safety, and financial stability because they raise costs.
		More specifically, H.R. 1949, the Unlocking Our Domestic LNG Potential Act, is a direct threat to working people, middle-class families in my district and across the country.
		This bill removes the requirement that the Department of Energy determine whether LNG exports are in the public's interest, like lowering costs before approving shipments to countries without free trade agreements.
		In other words, this bill assumes automatically and without review that every LNG export is good for America, and that assumption is not only irresponsible, is dangerous, and is absolutely false.
		Analysis have shown that increasing LNG exports drives up natural gas prices here at home.
		And DOE's own review last year could not have been clearer.
		Unconstrained LNG's exports will raise costs for American families and harm our economy.
		DOE found that the kind of unlimited exports authorized under this bill would increase household energy costs by more than $100 per year on top of the cost increases already burdening families under the Republicans' one big beautiful bill, i.e. big ugly law.
		So let's be clear, H.R. 1949 is a substantial giveaway to major oil and gas corporations, billionaires, executives, at the expense of working people once again.
		It strengthens foreign adversaries, including China, while forcing American families, especially those in extreme heat regions like mine, to pay the price through higher monthly bills.
		For the hardworking people of the San Jacinto, Coachella, Imperial Valleys, the Pass area, where triple-digit heat is a life-threatening reality, these rising energy costs are devastating.
		They represent choices no family should ever be forced to make between cooling their homes during extreme heat or keeping their loved ones safe.
		This is not hypothetical.
		This is unacceptable.
		The people I represent are resilient and hardworking.
		Right now, they are facing higher energy bills while already dealing with extreme heat and limited resources.
		This bill will make matters worse.
		This bill will raise their costs even more.
		We need to lower costs, not raise them.
		And that's why I urge a no vote on H.R. 1949.
		Let's lower costs.
		Thank you, and I yield back.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		The gentleman from New Jersey Reserves, the gentleman from Kentucky, is recognized.
brett guthrie ▲ ● ▼		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
brett guthrie ▲ ● ▼		I will now yield two minutes to a very valuable member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, my good friend Mr. Allen from Georgia.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		The gentleman is recognized.
unidentified		I thank the Chairman for yielding.
		Mr. Speaker, thank you.
		I rise in support of H.R. 1949, the unlocking our domestic LNG Potential Act, and thank Representative Fluger for his leadership on this bill.
		In January of last year, former President Joe Biden unveiled the latest of many attacks on our domestic energy capabilities when he announced an indefinite pause on all pending approvals of liquefied natural gas exports, or LNG.
		This certainly made the Russians happy, and Europe could have used some help with their energy demand.
		Not only was this decision completely unnecessary, but it was also economically and strategically dangerous.
		Under both Democrat and Republican administrations, DOE has consistently found that U.S. LNG exports serve the public interest, contributing positive economic benefits and strengthening energy security for the American people.
		Even more recent studies confirm that increased American LNG exports do not significantly raise global emissions.
		In fact, quite the opposite.
		Clean natural gas is a major reason why the United States has significantly reduced emissions.
		Thankfully, now we have a commander-in-chief that understands the importance of embracing all of the above energy strategy and unleashing the production and export of clean, affordable, and reliable American LNG.
		In the first days of this administration, President signed an executive order reversing President Biden's LNG pause, an important step in reclaiming global energy dominance and lowering costs across the board.
		It is shocking to me that House Democrats will run to the news cameras and clamor about the cost of living while they also offer their full support for reckless anti-domestic energy policies from the Biden administration that caused prices to skyrocket in the first place.
Passing H.R. 1949 00:15:47
unidentified		I mean, look at the price of gasoline at the pump two years ago.
		Look at the price of gasoline at the pump today.
		That's all you have to do.
		The reason that energy prices are spikes is because input costs are spiked.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		The gentleman's time has expired.
brett guthrie ▲ ● ▼		Additional 30 seconds.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		The gentleman is recognized.
unidentified		I am hopeful that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle will join us in passing H.R. 1949, which amends the Natural Gas Act to repeal all restrictions on the import and export of natural gas, effectively overturning the Biden-Harris administration's attempt to undermine U.S. domestic energy production.
unidentified		Removing unnecessary export controls on LNG will strengthen the domestic economy, increase the energy security of the U.S. and our allies and I urge yes vote on 1949, and with that I yield back.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		The gentleman yields, the gentleman reserves.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		The gentleman from New Jersey is recognized.
frank pallone ▲ ● ▼		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
frank pallone ▲ ● ▼		I yield three minutes now to a colleague from New Jersey, a member of the committee, Mr. Menendez.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		The gentleman is recognized.
unidentified		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
		I rise to speak in opposition to H.R. 1949.
		This bill would force the Department of Energy to rubber stamp every LNNG export and strip the Department of its ability to review whether those exports are actually in the public interest.
		At a time when families across the country are already seeing rising costs, Republicans are doing the opposite of what's needed.
		Instead of working to lower energy bills, they are prioritizing legislation that props up the fossil fuel industry and blocks affordable, clean energy that is ready to be connected to the grid.
		And we already know that increased LNG exports means higher energy prices for our communities at a time when families are already facing an affordability crisis.
		Because of skyrocketing demand, including from data centers, families in New Jersey saw a 20% spike in electricity bills this summer.
		Further, Republicans claim we need more fossil fuels to compete with China.
		But if that's their concern, why advance a bill that makes it easier for China to purchase even more of our domestic energy?
		Why are we driving up our own energy bills to help an adversary?
		It makes absolutely no sense.
		If we're serious about competing with China, we should take in all the above strategy to energy production and fast-track clean energy onto the grid.
		Further, colleagues across the aisle should tell the Trump administration to get Revolution Wind off the coast of Rhode Island back on track.
		That's how we produce more energy in this country.
		Doing so would bring down prices for American families in the process.
		So I am strongly opposed to this bill.
		And I urge my colleagues to join me.
		Let's put the interests of our communities and of our country first.
		And I yield back the remainder of my time to the gentleman from New Jersey.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		The gentleman from New Jersey Reserves.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		The gentleman from Kentucky is recognized.
brett guthrie ▲ ● ▼		Mr. Speaker, I yield to another good friend.
brett guthrie ▲ ● ▼		I guess ever I'm yielding to good friends, all my good friends, but I will yield to a very valued member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Mr. Balderson.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		The gentleman is recognized.
unidentified		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
		House Republicans and President Trump remain firm in our commitment to lowering costs for families and restoring American energy dominance.
		I'm proud to represent parts of the Utica and Marcellus Shale formations where natural gas development has transformed local economies and strengthened our nation's energy security.
		Boosting natural gas production in Ohio, expanding LNG exports are essential to our vision of energy dominance.
		Under the last administration, President Biden repeatedly undermined domestic energy producers, including imposing a ban on new LNG export permits.
		This misguided action discouraged investments in American natural gas and harmed our allies abroad, who are working to reduce their dependence on Russia energy.
		The unlocking our Domestic LNG Potential Act ends political interference in the permit process and unleashes America's full energy potential.
		Here are the facts on LNG.
		Increasing LNG exports would add over $70 billion to the U.S. economy and create over 400,000 American jobs by 2040.
		American LNG is more than 40 percent cleaner than Russian LNG.
		And since we've increased our LNG exports, domestic natural gas prices have remained affordable and stable.
		Under President Trump, we are restoring American energy leadership.
		I want to thank Congressman August Fluger for leading this important legislation, and I encourage my colleagues to vote yes.
		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
		I yield back.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		The gentleman yields.
		The gentleman from Kentucky Reserves.
		The gentleman from New Jersey is recognized.
frank pallone ▲ ● ▼		Mr. Speaker, can I ask how much time remains on either side or both sides?
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		From New Jersey has 12 minutes remaining.
		And the gentleman from Kentucky has 17 and a half minutes remaining.
		The gentleman from New Jersey is recognized.
frank pallone ▲ ● ▼		I'd like to yield, Mr. Speaker, now two minutes to the gentlewoman from Maryland, Representative Alfred.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		The gentlewoman is recognized.
sarah elfreth ▲ ● ▼		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
		I rise in opposition to H.R. 1949, the unlocking our domestic LNG Potential Act.
		I ask for two minutes.
		Mr. Speaker, I only need seven words.
		We should not be fueling our adversaries.
		This bill strips the Department of Energy's authority to provide oversight on exports of liquefied natural gas to foreign adversaries like China and Russia, which poses what should be an obvious and grave threat to our national security.
		Unfettered sale of LNG to countries like China and Russia would power their data centers, AI systems, and cyber missions, all by using American energy.
		This legislation, importantly, is a departure from how we regulate all other energy sources.
		Sources like oil and coal, we have laws that impose certain restrictions on exports to foreign entities of concern, like China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.
		But LNG under this new bill would not be subject to this policy, and I have to ask why.
		If this bill is really about better supporting our allies in Europe and the Indo-Pacific, I support that.
		But there are currently no restrictions from literally fueling our adversaries.
		In fact, by exporting LNG, we could be risking higher domestic natural gas prices, meaning our constituents and our neighbors would face higher electricity bills and pay more at the gas pump.
		That's why I plan on introducing legislation requiring DOE to certify that LNG exports to our foreign adversaries are actually in the public interest and align with our nation's national security needs.
		We must close this current loophole, exempting LNG from oversight and affirm DOE's role in the process.
		And the premise is simple.
		It should not, it is not and should not be controversial or partisan.
		We should not be fueling our adversaries.
unidentified		I yield back.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		The gentlewoman yields.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		The gentleman from New Jersey reserves and the gentleman from Kentucky is recognized.
brett guthrie ▲ ● ▼		I'll yield four minutes to the sponsor of the legislation, member of a value member of our committee, Mr. Fluger of Texas.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		The gentleman is recognized.
august pfluger ▲ ● ▼		Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, Chairman.
		I rise in support of my legislation.
		I'm proud to offer H.R. 1949 today, unlocking our domestic LNG Potential Act.
		It's been a long time coming, and for four years, we suffered as a nation under Biden administration's disastrous energy policies that put our energy security and the security of our allies at serious risk.
		The White House launched a whole-of-government assault on American energy production, slow-rolling permits, killing infrastructure projects like pipelines, and pandering, most importantly, pandering, to radical climate activists.
		And then they delivered perhaps the most damaging and egregious move of all.
		They banned new exports on LNG.
		This wasn't to help the environmental laws or to lower prices for American families.
		It was to satisfy the radical green activists.
		And let me be clear, that this ban put politics over people by jeopardizing the American economy and handing Vladimir Putin a lifeline as our European allies were forced to scramble for energy.
		This is not leadership.
		That was failure.
		And it gets worse.
		After independent experts uncovered major flaws in the study used to justify the freeze, the Biden administration doubled down and senior officials deliberately hid reports that completely contradicted their argument.
		The administration knew the truth and they hid it.
		They buried it.
		Mr. Speaker, the American people deserve the truth that exporting American LNG strengthens our country.
		U.S. LNG exports replace dirtier fuels from adversaries like Russia and Iran.
		And in fact, during Biden's LNG export ban, Russia overtook the U.S. as the lead supplier of gas to Europe.
		In no world was this good for the American consumers or our allies.
		You know, I'd like to say that Republicans and Democrats have similar goals, but that's just not true.
		We had four years to study this.
		We had four years of evidence on this.
		And Democrats want to kill hydrocarbons, plain and simple.
		Republicans are moving to lower prices.
		And anybody who knows this industry, anybody who has studied this industry, anybody who has been to where this industry happens knows for certain that this is a good bill because they understand not just the economics of it, but they understand the long-term implications of this industry.
		And if you vote against it, you're telling me and the American people one thing.
		You haven't studied this industry.
		Gas exports strengthen our economy, they stabilize prices, and they drive much-needed investment in infrastructure that bolters our energy security.
		The facts are clear.
		We must reform the broken approval process and unlock LNG's potential.
		My bill does exactly that.
		It eliminates the politicized DOE, which was weaponized by the previous administration, and gives FERC sole authority over that authorization process.
		This is common sense.
		FERC already leads the review of LNG facilities under Section 3 of the Natural Gas Act.
		It completes the environmental work.
		It completes the technical review.
		It completes a full analysis.
		And we're cutting the red tape.
		This is promises made, promises kept.
		The unlocking domestic LNG Potential Act removes that red tape and replaces it with a streamlined, transparent process that gives producers certainty, strengthening global energy security and lowering the cost for all of our domestic consumers.
		We have to depoliticize the export process.
		Once again, when the Biden administration banned LNG exports, they weaponized and they politicized that aspect.
		But today we've got the opportunity to stand with American families and businesses and lower the cost and restore our energy dominance.
		This legislation should be an easy, bipartisan bill.
		If you support affordable, reliable energy, then this bill strengthens our economy.
		It lowers prices and it signals that you've studied the industry and that you know your facts.
		I urge all my colleagues to support this and I'm proud to offer H.R. 1949 and yield back.
brett guthrie ▲ ● ▼		Our reserve.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		The gentleman from Kentucky Reserves, the gentleman from New Jersey is recognized.
frank pallone ▲ ● ▼		Thank you.
		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
		I just want to mention that my colleagues on the other side that the Biden administration did not ban LNG exports.
		There was a pause because they were concerned about the public interest because in particular the price, it was increasing the price for power, for natural gas and so many other things.
		And so it made sense to take a review and see what that was mean, what that meant for price, what that meant for national security, what that meant for the environment and climate.
		But the reality is that the amount of natural gas permits and LNG permits continued to rise and rise every day.
		So this idea that somehow they banned it is simply not the case.
		I'd like to yield now three minutes to my colleague from Illinois, Mr. Kasten.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		The gentleman is recognized.
sean casten ▲ ● ▼		Thank you.
		So my colleague just said that to vote against this bill means you haven't studied the energy industry.
		So I rise today as someone who spent 20 years working in the energy industry.
		I rise today as the son of someone who spent his entire career in the energy industry.
		I'll take my fancy book learning or School of Hard Knocks learning against any of y'all any day.
		And what strikes me in listening to this debate is it reminds me of a paperweight my dad had on his desk when I was a kid.
		It was a little paperweight of an oil barrel.
		And on one side of the barrel it said, relax, the price will go down.
		And if you flipped it over, it said, relax, the price will go up.
		Because energy consumers want the price to be cheap.
		Energy producers want the price to be low.
		And if you work in the energy industry as long as I have, or even if you work there for 35 seconds, you spend time talking to consumers and producers.
		The debate that's going on here in this body is not what is in consumers' interest, what is in producers' interest.
		It's what is in the national interest.
		The debate across the aisle is you all are making a very articulate case for energy producers.
		It's not lost on us that most of you represent districts that are heavily dominated by producers.
		Over here, there's a very articulate case on behalf of consumers because most of Americans, I would hazard to guess, all Americans are consumers.
		Because when we export natural gas from the United States, we reduce domestic supply, which pushes up the price.
		That's why the Natural Gas Act since 1935, among other things, has required that gas export facilities can't be built unless they are in the national interest.
		Not producers' interest, not the drillers' interest, not some random Chinese fertilizer manufacturer's interest, the national interest.
		Now, you all want to talk about facts.
		You want to talk about people who study this.
		Let's talk about the Department of Energy.
		There's an LNG export terminal, I'm sure you're aware of it, in Freeport, Texas.
		June of 2022, it was shut down because of a fire for about a month.
		That gave us real-time experiments on exactly what happens when you make a marginal shift in the export of LNG from the United States.
		According to the Department of Energy website, this is what happened: quote, the U.S. natural gas spot price fell by 13% on June 9th.
		The price continued to decline by an additional 17% through the end of June.
		Prices fell largely because the outage at Freeport decreased U.S. natural gas exports, putting downward pressure on natural gas prices.
		That's 30% inflation in just one month from just one facility.
		Supply and demand is real.
		This ain't complicated.
		So understand what your bill is trying to do.
		By stipulating that all exports are in the national interest, you are stipulating that raising every American's monthly heating bill is in the national interest.
		This week, Donald Trump gave a speech where he said, We are looking at affordability.
		We are going to bring it down for everybody.
		I think he meant we're going to make things more affordable, but you understand the point.
		Well, if you all care about affordability, if you care about the national interest, if you just care about proving Donald Trump right for once, if you just care about doing what he tells you to do, vote no.
Supporting LNG Exports 00:15:49
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		Gentlemen's time has expired.
sean casten ▲ ● ▼		I yield back.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		The gentleman from New Jersey Reserves, the gentleman from Kentucky is recognized.
brett guthrie ▲ ● ▼		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
brett guthrie ▲ ● ▼		I will now yield two minutes to another distinguished member of the Energy Commerce Committee, my friend from Florida, Ms. Kamack.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		The gentlewoman is recognized.
kat cammack ▲ ● ▼		Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to Chairman Guthrie.
		Today I rise in support of the Unlocking Domestic LNG Potential Act.
		In 2024, America exported nearly 12 billion cubic feet of LNG every single day.
		Now, that is enough LNG to power almost 48 million homes in a single day, in a single day.
		And what we are now faced with is making a realization of President Trump's vision of American energy dominance real.
		LNG has a huge part to play in this vision, but we are fighting with one hand tied behind our back.
		American oil and gas producers are restrained by bureaucratic red tape and the lingering rules and regulations of the Biden administration.
		The Unlocking Our Domestic LNG Potential Act stands as a pivotal piece of legislation poised to bolster United States energy security, foster economic growth, and promote environmental sustainability.
		At its very core, the bill aims to streamline the regulatory process surrounding the exportation of LNG, thereby unleashing the full potential of America's abundant natural resources.
		Now, in north central Florida, not many people know this, but we are home to one of the largest bunkering LNG hubs in North America.
		This is critical to our domestic economy as well as our national security.
		First and foremost, the reason why this bill is so important is it addresses the Biden administration's extreme LNG permit ban.
		By facilitating the exportation of LNG, we reduce our reliance on foreign energy sources, mitigating the geopolitical risks, and we, of course, enhance our national security in the process.
		Expanding LNG capabilities, export capabilities, it means that this is job creation.
		It stimulates investment in our energy infrastructure and fosters innovation across the related industries.
		Increased LNG exports translate into expanded markets, bolstering domestic production, and will do more in the next 50 years than we can imagine.
		As I mentioned, the state of Florida is a dominant player in this role, and we need to make sure that we are doing everything we can to make sure that the unelected bureaucrats are not hindering growth.
		I encourage all my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield.
brett guthrie ▲ ● ▼		I reserve.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		The gentleman from Kentucky Reserves, the gentleman from New Jersey, is recognized.
frank pallone ▲ ● ▼		Mr. Speaker, I'll continue to reserve.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		The gentleman from New Jersey Reserves, the gentleman from Kentucky, is recognized.
brett guthrie ▲ ● ▼		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
		I just want to say that the world price is produced by what we have here in our country.
		So the price does fluctuate on a spark price day to day.
		But I just want to say just because we're sitting on massive reserves of natural gas, where our friends in Europe are suffering, where our friends in Korea and Japan are asking for it.
		It just to say that the argument is if you don't export any natural gas, the argument some people seem to be making is the price would go down, but that's just not true because the producer is going to produce the world price.
		Our real problem in the price of natural gas is getting it distributed to where it needs to go, and that's pipelines.
		I hope we can work together on permit reform.
		I will now yield two minutes to my good friend from the energy-producing state of Oklahoma, my good friend Ms. Beiss from Oklahoma, two minutes.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		The gentlewoman is recognized.
unidentified		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
		I rise today in strong support of the unlocking our domestic LNG Potential Act, which will support a robust natural gas industry in the U.S. and meet President Trump's goal of achieving American energy dominance.
		Natural gas is a major engine of economic growth, particularly in Oklahoma.
		LNG exports alone in the U.S. support more than 273,000 U.S. jobs and contribute $40 billion to our GDP.
		This sector is a lifeline for communities across the country, including Oklahoma's 5th congressional district, and we must ensure it has a stable framework to reach its full potential.
		LNG exports are also a win for the environment.
		A recent SP Global study found the U.S. LNG exports reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by 65 million tons.
		Anyone serious about lowering global emissions should strongly support the expansion of American LNG.
		Yet, despite this abundance of benefits, President Biden chose to unilaterally ban the issue of LNG export permits.
		While this was overturned by a court, if approval for export is determined on political appointees of the Department of Energy, the threat of a future ban from a progressive presidential administration remains in place.
		Turning these decisions over to a neutral party like the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission will ensure that the industry is kept safe from such reckless attacks in the future.
		Some argue that LNG exports raise energy prices for Americans by reducing domestic supply.
		This claim is simply false.
		Increased export opportunities incentivize production and drive efficiency gains, which will help domestic prices continue to be affordable.
		Given the abundance of economic and environmental benefits from LNG exports, I believe it's critical that we help protect the industry from misguided political attacks such as those made by the Biden administration last year.
		I urge my colleagues to join me in voting in favor of this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
brett guthrie ▲ ● ▼		Our reserve?
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		The gentleman reserves.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		The gentleman from New Jersey is recognized.
frank pallone ▲ ● ▼		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
		I yield myself such time as I may consume.
		You know, I hear my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, the Republicans, talk about the demand for LNG in Europe and how we're not giving Europe or our other allies enough liquid LNG.
		The fact of the matter is that we are sending more LNG to our European allies and our other allies than ever before.
		DOE, the Department of Energy, has issued enough permits to triple our export capacity from what it is today, even if they never issued another permit.
		That will take us into the early 2030s when European policy is set to reduce natural gas consumption.
		We've approved so many terminals that most forecasters are seeing a massive glut of LNG on the market starting next year and running well into the 2030s.
		If this bill never becomes law, our European allies, our allies, I think South Korea or Japan was mentioned, will be well supplied.
		What's really happening here with this bill is helping China.
		That's what this is about.
		Beijing, communist China.
		In 2024 alone, the United States exported over 200 billion cubic feet of gas to China.
		So at a time when Americans are struggling to pay their heating bills and our power grids are facing unprecedented demand, President Trump and his Republican Party care more about subsidizing China's economic development and basically lining the pockets of their fossil fuel friends.
		Republicans claim to be obsessed with beating China at the AI race.
		So why are they trying to advance a bill that makes it easier to send American LNG to China to fuel their data centers and AI tools?
		Why are they putting the profits of Chinese technology companies over the well-being of American families and the success of our American companies?
		And I said this before, but it bears repeating.
		Republicans on the Energy and Commerce Committee have compared winning the AI race with China to the importance of winning the Cold War.
		But if that's true, then why are we sending more energy and trying to send even more and more energy to China?
		It makes absolutely no sense.
		H.R. 1949 will enrich big oil and the Chinese technology companies that rely on LNG to fuel their data centers, all while worsening the energy affordability crisis that Americans are experiencing.
		The only Americans that benefit from this deal are the rich fossil fuel executives.
		H.R. 1949 squarely puts China first and America last.
		And the president keeps talking, and the Republicans keep talking about putting America first.
		How does this bill do that?
		This bill does the opposite.
		And I reserve the balance of my time, Mr. Speaker.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		The gentleman from New Jersey, Reserves, the gentleman from Kentucky, is recognized.
brett guthrie ▲ ● ▼		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
		I was actually in a meeting with Europeans at the highest level of government.
		And somebody pointed when they talked about we need more LNG exports from the United States and the band was criticizing the ban.
		Somebody made the point that my friend just made to them, said, well, I understand all your terminals are full.
		You couldn't receive any more anyway.
		And they say, we need the world price to come down.
		We have to have the world price to come down.
		Energy prices in Germany are three times what they are here.
		Could you imagine trying to compete in the global economy and energy prices are three times as high when you've got a neighbor just a few countries over that's invaded unprovoked and illegal invasion of another country?
		So we can't just dismiss that this is important to Europe as well, just because they have full terminals.
		I will yield two minutes to my good friend from the neighboring state and neighboring, Ms. Miller.
		She gives two minutes.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		The gentlewoman is recognized.
unidentified		Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
		Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1949, the Unlocking Our Domestic LNG Potential Act of 2025.
		As co-chair of the Energy Export Caucus, I understand that eliminating harmful barriers around American energy exports is essential to strengthening our economy and national security.
		This legislation takes a crucial step, cutting through bureaucratic red tape, which has slowed or even stalled natural gas imports and exports for far too long.
		Giving the Federal Energy Regulation Commission sole authority to approve or deny natural gas applications eliminates permitting bottlenecks and gives American energy producers a clear and reliable path to move forward with critical projects.
		H.R. 1949 ends the harmful Biden-era delays on liquefied natural gas export approvals.
		Delays discourage investment, undermine our energy leadership, and threaten the security of our global partners who depend on the United States to break free from harmful foreign influence.
		The United States is blessed with abundant natural gas resources, and our producers stand ready to meet rising global demand.
		Our nation must capitalize on what we have here at home and continue to make meaningful progress to stay competitive in the global energy arena.
		H.R. 1949 ensures that American energy remains affordable and accessible, keeping it unmatched on the world stage.
		I urge my colleagues to support this important piece of legislation.
		Thank you, and I yield back.
brett guthrie ▲ ● ▼		Our reserve.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		The gentleman from Kentucky Reserves, the gentleman from New Jersey is recognized.
brett guthrie ▲ ● ▼		I have a couple more speakers.
frank pallone ▲ ● ▼		He has two more speakers, so I'll reserve.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		The gentleman from New Jersey Reserves, the gentleman from Kentucky is recognized.
brett guthrie ▲ ● ▼		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
		I will yield two minutes.
		My good friend from the great state of Texas, Mr. Babbitt.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		The gentleman is recognized.
brian babin ▲ ● ▼		Thank you, Mr. Chair.
unidentified		Thank you.
brian babin ▲ ● ▼		Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1949, the Unlocking Our Domestic LNG Potential Act of 2025.
		I'm proud to be an original co-sponsor of this very, very important legislation.
		The United States is already the world's leading producer of oil and natural gas and also the top exporter of LNG.
		A whole lot of that energy comes straight out of my district in the great state of Texas.
		And that's why it is long past time that we repeal the harmful, politically motivated Biden-era restrictions that have shackled and locked down our LNG industry.
		These restrictions did nothing but to threaten American jobs, drive away investment, and undermine the energy security of our own allies and friends.
		H.R. 1949, led by my friend Representative August Fluger from Texas, fixes this.
		It lifts restrictions on the import and export of natural gas and allows American LNG to flourish once again.
		Mr. Speaker, America should never, ever voluntarily surrender its energy advantages.
		Not when our production strengthens families, communities, and their paychecks.
		And certainly not when Texas and our Gulf Coast stand ready to supply LNG to the world safely, cleanly, and reliably.
		Energy security is national security.
		We must never forget this.
		I'm proud to support this bill.
		It's a wise, good bill that will strengthen America, and I urge my colleagues to join me in unlocking America's full LNG potential to achieve world energy dominance.
		With that, I yield back.
brett guthrie ▲ ● ▼		Before I reserve, I should introduce my good friend from Texas as a colleague, fellow chairman, chairman of the Science Committee, our Reserve.
brett guthrie ▲ ● ▼		I have one more, Speaker.
frank pallone ▲ ● ▼		I'll continue to reserve, Mr. The Gentleman from New Jersey Reserves.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		The gentleman from Kentucky is recognized.
brett guthrie ▲ ● ▼		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
brett guthrie ▲ ● ▼		I will now yield two minutes to another gentleman from Texas, Chairman of the House Budget Committee, my good friend from Texas, Mr. Arrington.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		The gentleman is recognized.
jodey arrington ▲ ● ▼		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
		Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
		As I listened to the ranking member talk about China's need for U.S. energy, thank God it's that way and not the other way around.
		Because if we followed the Green New Manifesto with the regulatory assault on U.S. energy and kept throwing hundreds of billions of dollars in distorting Green New Deal energy subsidies, that's exactly what would happen.
		We would wake up and be dependent on China for yet one more critical product.
		Mr. Speaker, I'm proud to stand alongside Chairman Guthrie and my fellow West Texan August Fluger in strong support of unlocking our domestic LNG Potential Act.
		America is the world's top exporter of LNG, a vital pillar of both our economic strength and national security.
		But in an effort to placate the radical left, which I think is primarily the motivation, the Biden administration, with its whole of government assault on American energy, froze new LNG export permits with no economic, environmental, or national security justification.
		That reckless decision threatened billions of U.S. investment, undermined our allies, and harmed energy-producing regions like West Texas.
		Thankfully, we now have a president in the White House who's committed to doing the right thing for the country, for our producers, and our consumers, and committed to making American energy great again and not weaponizing this authority for purely ideological purposes.
Natural Gas Politics 00:05:54
jodey arrington ▲ ● ▼		This bill removes politics from the export permit process and secures America's position as the world's energy superpower.
		I urge my colleagues to support this bill and prevent future administrations from threatening America's energy dominance.
		I thank the Chairman again for his leadership and yield back.
brett guthrie ▲ ● ▼		Our reserve and ready to close.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		The gentleman from Kentucky Reserves, the gentleman from New Jersey is recognized.
frank pallone ▲ ● ▼		Prepared to close.
		Okay.
		Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		The gentleman is recognized.
frank pallone ▲ ● ▼		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
		You know, I respect the chairman of our committee so much, but he said the last time he spoke that we need the world energy price to come down.
		But what about the price here in the United States?
		The price is higher in the rest of the world than it is here.
		And that's why the rest of the world wants more of our LNG, because it's cheaper for them.
		But what about us?
		Shouldn't we be primarily concerned about Americans and the price here?
		Now, this bill, in my opinion, is just a giant handout to big oil and gas that enriches our adversaries, primarily China, and forces middle-class families to pay the price with higher home energy bills.
		The bill removes the requirement that the Department of Energy determine LNG exports to be in the public interest before approving any export applications.
		So it assumes, the bill assumes, that all exports of LNG are automatically in the public interest.
		And I think this is absurd considering multiple analysis have found that increased LNG exports directly lead to higher natural gas prices here in America.
		Last year, the Department of Energy's own review was clear.
		Unfettered gas exports will hurt the American economy.
		It found that energy costs will go up by more than $100 per year for every individual.
		At the same time, that's on top of the costs imposed by Republicans.
		Big, beautiful, or ugly bill.
		Department of Energy also found that natural gas prices would increase by over 30 percent.
		So we're essentially in this bill removing crucial safeguards.
		And that what you're going to have instead is a wild west, allowing all adversaries like China to purchase even more of our energy, essentially to use against us.
		This is the same playbook that Republicans ran when they repealed the crude oil export ban in 2015.
		After that repeal went through, oil exports to China increased from 420,000 barrels per year to over 160 million barrels per year in 2023.
		Last year, the United States sent 213 billion cubic feet of LNG to China.
		But Trump says he wants to send even more.
		He says it all the time.
		So all I'm saying is if beating China is really as important as Republicans and President Trump claim, we shouldn't be raising our own energy prices just to fuel Chinese data centers.
		That's what this bill does.
		So I ask my colleagues to vote no, and I yield back the balance of my time, Mr. Speaker.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		The gentleman yields.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		The gentleman from Kentucky is recognized.
brett guthrie ▲ ● ▼		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
		I appreciated it.
		And the price is different around the world because of the way it's distributed.
		The natural gas, the price of natural gas is the price of natural gas.
		The price to use it, you have to get it to market.
		You have to have it there.
		So to use the example my friend from Illinois said, Mr. Speaker, that if you have a real world example, he said there was a terminal that went offline that was supposed to export natural gas.
		It burned, so it went offline.
		So there was natural gas moving to that terminal.
		All of a sudden, for a few days, you had an excess of capacity of natural gas.
		So the argument would be we would have the same production of natural gas if we just shut down all of the ports.
		If you're going to use one as an example, if you shut down them all and we continue to produce the same level of natural gas, the price would drop.
		But the issue is that there's a certain point where it costs you to produce natural gas.
		You have to reach that point.
		And so what we're saying is there's a world price for natural gas.
		If you continue to expand markets for people to ship natural gas, you will continue to have natural gas.
		And they will continue to drill to meet those market demands around the world.
		And if you shrink the demand around the world artificially by banning the exports, then they're not going to produce as much natural gas and it doesn't affect the price.
		You can point to times when there's disruptions in the supply, but overall, it's just basic economics that that's how it works.
		And so, Mr. Speaker, also, you can call what President Biden did a pause as opposed to a ban.
		But I know from the time he implemented the pause or ban until President Trump came into office, you couldn't ship natural gas, so either pause it or banned it.
		I think that's saying the same thing.
		And so, Mr. Speaker, this is important.
		We do want to be China.
		And I have a tremendous amount of respect for my ranking member.
		We want to work together to beat China, and we're going to work together to beat China because that unites all of us.
		Everybody in this room and everybody in this chamber wants America to be first, and we're going to work together to do that.
		I think this is important.
		We may disagree on this policy.
		I think it's important.
		And I encourage my colleagues to vote for this bill, and I will yield back.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		The gentleman yields.
		All-time debate for debate has expired.
		Pursuant to House Resolution 879, the previous question is ordered on the bill.
Tribute to Cheney 00:02:10
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		The question is on engrossment of the third reading of the bill.
		Those in favor say yay.
		Those opposed say nay.
		The yeas have it that the third reading.
tylease alli ▲ ● ▼		A bill to repeal restrictions on the export and import of natural gas.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		The question is on the passage of the bill.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		Those in favor say yay.
unidentified		Aye.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		Those opposed say no.
frank pallone ▲ ● ▼		Mr. Speaker, I have a nays.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		In the opinion of the chair, the yeas have it.
frank pallone ▲ ● ▼		But I would ask the yays and nays, Mr. Speaker.
dale strong ▲ ● ▼		The yeas and nays have been requested.
		Those favoring a vote by the yays and nays will rise.
		Seeing a sufficient number have risen, the yeas and nays are ordered.
		Pursuant to clause 8 of Rule 20, further proceedings of this question will be postponed.
		Pursuant to clause 12A of Rule 1, the chair declares the House in recess, subject to the call of the chair.
unidentified		The House today working on legislation related to energy resources, including a bill that would eliminate all current restrictions on the import and export of liquefied natural gas.
		When members return, watch live coverage of floor proceedings here on C-SPAN.
		Tonight, a tribute to former Vice President Dick Cheney.
		His funeral service at Washington National Cathedral includes remarks from his daughter, former Wyoming Congresswoman Liz Cheney, and former President George W. Bush.
		C-SPAN also spoke about the former Vice President's life and legacy with University of St. Louis professor emeritus Joel Goldstein.
		Watch at 9 p.m. Eastern on C-SPAN, C-SPAN Now, our free mobile app, and online at c-span.org.
		We bring you into the chamber, onto the Senate floor, inside the hearing room, up to the mic, and to the desk in the Oval Office.

Chapters

00:00:00 Oil Lobby Report Requirement
00:10:13 U.S. Refinery Capacity Crisis
00:13:30 Congress Ignores Electric Bills
00:20:00 Frustrations of the Republican Side
00:26:31 California's Energy Transition
00:41:42 Urge Action on Affordability Crisis
00:47:21 Ayes Have It
00:49:24 U.S. LNG Exports Controversy
01:04:29 LNG Exports and Their Costs
01:19:46 Passing H.R. 1949
01:35:19 Supporting LNG Exports
01:51:08 Natural Gas Politics
01:56:47 Tribute to Cheney