Newly introduced legislation aims to make it easier to export energy used for warming and lighting up homes in the United States and around the globe.
The “Unlocking our Domestic LNG Potential Act of 2025’’ would grant “exclusive authority” to sign off on applications for liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports and exports to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, moving it away from the Department of Energy.
The Biden administration stopped clearing LNG export applications and put out a study in December warning about potential long-term cost risks as well as environmental concerns, according to Reuters.
President Donald Trump speaking at Cameron LNG Export Terminal in Hackberry, Louisiana, in 2019. (Scott Clause/USA Today)
However, South Carolina Republican Sen. Tim Scott, the bill’s Senate sponsor, told Fox News Digital it is critical for various reasons, including national security.
“If you want your prices to go down, your production has to go up,” Scott said.
“I remember back to 2014 when I was still on the Energy Committee […] we had the Lithuania Minister of Energy come before our committee and talk about exporting LNG as a way of sidelining Russia and reducing our dependence on adversaries,” he added. “I’ll never forget that hearing when he was there, it really stuck with me.”
Texas Republican Rep. August Pfluger, the legislation’s House sponsor, shared the potential long-term benefits will “tremendously impact” his central and west Texas district, as the state “is the leading LNG exporter in the United States.”
“This bill will support thousands of new jobs in Texas, from construction and engineering to operations at export terminals along the Gulf. Furthermore, it will give natural gas producers in Texas a more competitive edge in international markets, ensuring that Texas remains a global energy leader,” he said.
The Trump administration appears to be excited about the prospect of expanding LNG efforts domestically, as Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Energy Secretary Chris Wright both visited a facility in Louisiana last week amid an $18 million investment from its owner, Venture Global. The U.S. currently leads the world in natural gas creation, according to the Department of Energy.
Accompanied by tugs, the LNG tanker “Hellas Diana” transports a cargo of LNG to the “Deutsche Ostsee” energy terminal on Aug. 28, 2024. (Photo: Stefan Sauer/dpa/Sipa USA)
“If you think about the America First strategy, the simple answer is an America Last strategy is depending on foreign adversaries for our energy, whether it’s LNG, oil, gas, whatever it is. So the more we do in America to increase our production, the more we engage in the energy America First strategy,” he said.
The legislation is meant to be a long-term measure to ultimately make it harder for the policies of a specific administration to determine what permits are approved.
However, Scott noted in the short term that “having President Trump in office is the most effective weapon.”
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A tank car written with “On the move for you: LNG by rail” can be seen before loading at the Elbehafen port in Brunsbuettel, Germany, on April 25, 2016. (Bodo Marks/picture alliance via Getty Images)
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“Our goal, of course, is making sure that in the future, no matter who’s in office, that we have in place something that tethers the production to FERC and hopefully avoids the disaster that we saw under the Biden administration – their ability to manipulate the Department of Energy,” Scott added.
Last year, legislation under the same title passed the House but did not make it to former President Joe Biden’s desk.
Cameron Arcand is a politics writer at Fox News Digital in Washington D.C. Story tips can be sent to Cameron.Arcand@Fox.com and on Twitter: @cameron_arcand
