What This Bill Does
This bill amends the Natural Gas Act to expand natural gas exports to more countries. Congress states that expanding natural gas exports will increase investment and development of domestic natural gas supplies, which will create jobs and economic development.
Who It Affects
Companies that export natural gas and companies that develop natural gas supplies domestically.
Key Provisions
• Natural gas can be exported to any nation not excluded by the bill, rather than only to certain countries (Sec. 2(b)(1))
• Nations under United States sanctions or trade restrictions are excluded from expedited approval for natural gas imports or exports (Sec. 2(b)(2)(A))
• The President or Congress can designate additional nations to be excluded from expedited approval for reasons of national security (Sec. 2(b)(2)(B))
• No government order is required to authorize the export or import of natural gas to or from Canada or Mexico (Sec. 2(b)(3))
What Changes
The bill creates an expedited application and approval process for natural gas exports. Companies would no longer need to get a government order to trade natural gas with Canada or Mexico.
Important Definitions
None defined in bill text.
II
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
S. 438
To amend the Natural Gas Act to provide for expanded natural gas exports.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
FEBRUARY 15, 2023
Mr. CRUZ (for himself, Mrs. CAPITO, Mr. CRAMER, and Mr. KENNEDY) intro-
duced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Com-
mittee on Energy and Natural Resources
A BILL
To amend the Natural Gas Act to provide for expanded
natural gas exports.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
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tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
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This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Natural Gas Export
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Expansion Act’’.
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SEC. 2. NATURAL GAS EXPORTS.
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(a) FINDING.—Congress finds that expanding nat-
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ural gas exports will lead to increased investment and de-
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velopment of domestic supplies of natural gas that will
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contribute to job growth and economic development.
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•S 438 IS
(b) NATURAL GAS EXPORTS.—Section 3(c) of the
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Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. 717b(c)) is amended—
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(1) by inserting ‘‘or any other nation not ex-
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cluded by this section’’ after ‘‘trade in natural gas’’;
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(2) by striking ‘‘(c) For purposes’’ and insert-
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ing the following:
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‘‘(c) EXPEDITED
APPLICATION
AND
APPROVAL
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PROCESS.—
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‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—For purposes’’; and
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(3) by adding at the end the following:
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‘‘(2) EXCLUSIONS.—
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‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Any nation subject to
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sanctions or trade restrictions imposed by the
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United States is excluded from expedited ap-
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proval under paragraph (1).
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‘‘(B) DESIGNATION
BY
PRESIDENT
OR
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CONGRESS.—The President or Congress may
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designate nations that may be excluded from
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expedited approval under paragraph (1) for rea-
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sons of national security.
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‘‘(3) ORDER NOT REQUIRED.—No order is re-
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quired under subsection (a) to authorize the export
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or import of any natural gas to or from Canada or
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Mexico.’’.
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Æ
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