CSE last week featured the insatiable global demand for LNG from allies in Europe. Now, a group of Democrat Senators have written a letter to Secretary Granholm asking her to “consider halting permit approvals of U.S. LNG export facilities” and further restrict American access to the international market.

Thankfully some in Congress recognize the opportunity to simultaneously support Americans and allies. Senator John Barrasso’s S.819  and Congresswoman Carol Miller’s H.R.2046 companion bills include a path forward to supporting American industry (and jobs!), while also encouraging the support for our allies around the world.

With rising tensions in Eastern Europe due to the potential for armed conflict, citizens across the continent are feeling the financial burden in their energy bills. A third of European natural gas is provided by Russia. So, European leaders are scrambling to resolve the conflict and get gas flowing from Russia through Nord Stream 2 and other pipelines. In short, our allies are feeling pressure on several fronts.

Encouraging U.S. production and exports would support American industry (win!), ease gas and energy shortages among allied nations (win!), reduce allied dependence on a geopolitical adversary (win!), and bring a cleaner source of gas to the market (win!).

Bottom Line: It appears that Sen. Warren and her colleagues are set on restricting access to natural gas for the international community, just as they have done to their constituents. Sen. Barrasso’s bill does the opposite.

Elected leaders should be looking for ways to promote domestic industry, create jobs and make the global environment cleaner. The demand for inexpensive fuel and rare earth metals isn’t going to just disappear because of an international climate treaty.

Bottom Line: Joe Biden and his admin asking OPEC to produce more and silencing athletes competing in China is not a winning strategy for American energy or cleaning up the global environment, much less for protecting human rights.

Hearing On Environmental Justice For All Act: On Tuesday, February 15, the House Natural Resources Committee will hold a virtual legislative hearing on H.R. 2021, the Environmental Justice For All Act.

Hearings On Infrastructure: On Tuesday, February 15, the House Small Business Subcommittee on Rural Development, Agriculture, Trade, and Entrepreneurship will hold a hearing on “The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act’s Benefits for Small Businesses.” And, the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures will hold a hearing on “Examining the Economic Impact of Federal Infrastructure Investment.”

Hearing On Power Grid Reliability: On Tuesday, February 15, the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis will hold a hearing on “Keeping the Lights On: Strategies for Grid Resilience and Reliability.”

Hearing On The Renewable Fuel Standard Program: On Wednesday, February 16, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will hold a hearing “to examine the Environmental Protection Agency’s Renewable Fuel Standard program, focusing on challenges and opportunities.”

Second Meeting Of The Joint Federal-State Task Force On Electric Transmission: On Wednesday, February 16, the second public meeting of the Joint Federal-State Task Force on Electric Transmission will be held in Washington, D.C..

FERC Open Meeting: On Thursday, February 17, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission will hold a Virtual Open Meeting of the Commission.