H.R. 1949

Unlocking our Domestic LNG Potential Act of 2025

Sponsor: August Pfluger

43 cosponsors
Follow this bill

Official summary

Written by the Congressional Research Service.

Unlocking our Domestic LNG Potential Act of 2025

This bill repeals certain restrictions on the import and export of natural gas under the Natural Gas Act, including requirements for Department of Energy (DOE) approval and related provisions that address free trade agreements.

In addition, the bill grants the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) the exclusive authority to approve or deny applications to authorize the siting, construction, expansion, or operation of facilities (e.g., liquefied natural gas terminals) to export natural gas to foreign countries or import natural gas from foreign countries. (Currently, DOE authorizes the export or import of natural gas, and FERC authorizes related facilities.)

In determining whether to approve or deny an application, FERC must deem the exportation or importation of natural gas to be consistent with the public interest.

Text of the bill

Expand all
Sec. 2. Advancing United States global leadership Since introduced

Section 3 of the Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. 717b) is amended—

(1) by striking subsections (a) through (c);

(2) by redesignating subsections (e) and (f) as subsections (a) and (b), respectively;

(3) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (c), and moving such subsection after subsection (b), as so redesignated;

(4) in subsection (a), as so redesignated, by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:

Text this section adds to the law

(1) The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (in this subsection referred to as the Commission) shall have the exclusive authority to approve or deny an application for authorization for the siting, construction, expansion, or operation of a facility to export natural gas from the United States to a foreign country or import natural gas from a foreign country, including an LNG terminal. In determining whether to approve or deny an application under this paragraph, the Commission shall deem the exportation or importation of natural gas to be consistent with the public interest. Except as specifically provided in this Act, nothing in this Act is intended to affect otherwise applicable law related to any Federal agency’s authorities or responsibilities related to facilities to import or export natural gas, including LNG terminals.

; and

(5) by adding at the end the following new subsection:

Text this section adds to the law

(d)

(1) Nothing in this Act limits the authority of the President under the Constitution, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), part B of title II of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6271 et seq.), the Trading With the Enemy Act (50 U.S.C. 4301 et seq.), or any other provision of law that imposes sanctions on a foreign person or foreign government (including any provision of law that prohibits or restricts United States persons from engaging in a transaction with a sanctioned person or government), including a country that is designated as a state sponsor of terrorism, to prohibit imports or exports.

(2) In this subsection, the term state sponsor of terrorism means a country the government of which the Secretary of State determines has repeatedly provided support for international terrorism pursuant to—

(A) section 1754(c)(1)(A) of the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 (50 U.S.C. 4318(c)(1)(A));

(B) section 620A of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2371);

(C) section 40 of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2780); or

(D) any other provision of law.