Energy Security Cooperation with Allied Partners in Europe Act of 2019

I 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 7751 To enhance the security of the United States and its allies, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JULY 23, 2020 Mrs. MILLER (for herself and Mr. MCKINLEY) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subse- quently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To enhance the security of the United States and its allies, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Energy Security Co- 4 operation with Allied Partners in Europe Act of 2019’’. 5 SEC. 2. STATEMENT OF POLICY. 6 It is the policy of the United States— 7 (1) to reduce the dependency of allies and part- 8 ners of the United States on Russian energy re- 9 VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:36 Aug 14, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7751.IH H7751 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 7751 IH sources, especially natural gas, in order for those 1 countries to achieve lasting and dependable energy 2 security; 3 (2) to condemn the Government of the Russian 4 Federation for, and to deter that government from, 5 using its energy resources as a geopolitical weapon 6 to coerce, intimidate, and influence other countries; 7 (3) to improve energy security in Europe by in- 8 creasing access to diverse, reliable, and affordable 9 energy; 10 (4) to promote energy security in Europe by 11 working with the European Union and other allies of 12 the United States to develop liberalized energy mar- 13 kets that provide diversified energy sources, sup- 14 pliers, and routes; 15 (5) to continue to strongly oppose the Nord 16 Stream 2 pipeline based on its detrimental effects on 17 the energy security of the European Union and the 18 economy of Ukraine and other countries in Central 19 Europe through which natural gas is transported; 20 and 21 (6) to support countries that are allies or part- 22 ners of the United States by expediting the export 23 of energy resources from the United States. 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:36 Aug 14, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7751.IH H7751 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 7751 IH SEC. 3. NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION. 1 The President should direct the United States Per- 2 manent Representative on the Council of the North Atlan- 3 tic Treaty Organization (in this Act referred to as 4 ‘‘NATO’’) to use the voice and influence of the United 5 States to encourage NATO member countries to work to- 6 gether to achieve energy security for those countries and 7 countries in Europe and Eurasia that are partners of 8 NATO. 9 SEC. 4. TRANSATLANTIC ENERGY STRATEGY. 10 (a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con- 11 gress that the United States and other NATO member 12 countries should explore ways to ensure that NATO mem- 13 ber countries diversify their energy supplies and routes in 14 order to enhance their energy security, including through 15 the development of a transatlantic energy strategy. 16 (b) TRANSATLANTIC ENERGY STRATEGY.— 17 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 18 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec- 19 retary of State, in coordination with the Adminis- 20 trator of the United States Agency for International 21 Development and the Secretary of Energy, shall sub- 22 mit to the appropriate congressional committees a 23 transatlantic energy strategy for the United 24 States— 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:36 Aug 14, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7751.IH H7751 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 7751 IH (A) to enhance the energy security of 1 NATO member countries and countries that are 2 partners of NATO; and 3 (B) to increase exports of energy, energy 4 technologies, and energy development services 5 from the United States to such countries. 6 (2) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMIT- 7 TEES DEFINED.—In this subsection, the term ‘‘ap- 8 propriate congressional committees’’ means— 9 (A) the Committee on Foreign Relations of 10 the Senate; and 11 (B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of 12 the House of Representatives. 13 SEC. 5. EXPEDITED APPROVAL OF EXPORTATION OF NAT- 14 URAL GAS TO UNITED STATES ALLIES. 15 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 3(c) of the Natural Gas 16 Act (15 U.S.C. 717b(c)) is amended— 17 (1) by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ before ‘‘For purposes’’; 18 (2) by striking ‘‘nation with which there is in 19 effect a free trade agreement requiring national 20 treatment for trade in natural gas’’ and inserting 21 ‘‘foreign country described in paragraph (2)’’; and 22 (3) by adding at the end the following: 23 ‘‘(2) A foreign country described in this para- 24 graph is— 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:36 Aug 14, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7751.IH H7751 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 5 •HR 7751 IH ‘‘(A) a nation with which there is in effect 1 a free trade agreement requiring national treat- 2 ment for trade in natural gas; 3 ‘‘(B) a member country of the North At- 4 lantic Treaty Organization; 5 ‘‘(C) subject to paragraph (3), Japan; and 6 ‘‘(D) any other foreign country if the Sec- 7 retary of Energy, in consultation with the Sec- 8 retary of State and Secretary of Defense, deter- 9 mines that exportation of natural gas to that 10 foreign country would promote the national se- 11 curity interests of the United States. 12 ‘‘(3) The exportation of natural gas to Japan 13 shall be deemed to be consistent with the public in- 14 terest pursuant to paragraph (1), and applications 15 for such exportation shall be granted without modi- 16 fication or delay under that paragraph, during only 17 such period as the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation 18 and Security, signed at Washington January 19, 19 1960, and entered into force June 23, 1960 (11 20 UST 1632; TIAS 4509), between the United States 21 and Japan, remains in effect.’’. 22 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 23 this section shall apply with respect to applications for the 24 authorization to export natural gas under section 3 of the 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:36 Aug 14, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7751.IH H7751 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 6 •HR 7751 IH Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. 717b) that are pending on, 1 or filed on or after, the date of the enactment of this Act. 2 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:36 Aug 14, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H7751.IH H7751 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS