U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., recently introduced the “Expediting Natural Gas Exports to Allies Act.”
Rubio’s office offered some of the rationales behind the proposal.
“Many U.S. allies have come to rely on gas from our foreign adversaries. American natural gas is cleaner, creates U.S. jobs, and strengthens both our and allies’ national security interests. But, under the Natural Gas Act, securing approval for export projects can take several years,” Rubio’s office.
The bill will “expand expedited export approval processes under the Natural Gas Act to projects intended to supply allies and key strategic partners like Ukraine and Taiwan, which are threatened by aggression from the Kremlin and the Chinese Communist Party.”
Rubio weighed in on why he introduced the bill.
“Too many of our allies allowed themselves to become dangerously dependent on Russian natural gas, when American natural gas is the obviously safe and reliable alternative. Expediting the approval of U.S. natural gas exports to allies and strategic partners is a common sense step to reduce our allies’ economic reliance on foreign adversaries while creating more jobs for Americans at home,” said Rubio.
U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., is co-sponsoring the bill.
“Louisiana produces the cleanest natural gas in the world. Unleashing American energy supports our allies, creates jobs for Louisiana families, strengthens our economy, and lowers global emissions,” said Cassidy.
The bill was sent to the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. So far, there is no companion measure over in the U.S. House.
