NorthAmOil: Republicans attempt to overturn Biden’s halt on LNG export approvals

US House Republicans are seeking to reverse the Biden administration’s pause on US LNG export approvals with legislation introduced on February 1 that calls for LNG export reviews to be removed from the Department of Energy’s (DOE) authority.

The legislation, called the Unlocking Domestic LNG Potential Act, if successful, would replace the DOE’s role in approving LNG export terminals and make it the remit of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

Meanwhile, Senate Republicans have also brought forth companion legislation. Both bills are similar to legislation that was introduced last year and passed in the House but could not get approval in the Democrat-controlled Senate.

A vote in the House is expected in mid-February, Bloomberg reported citing a Republican lawmaker.

The bill is expected to be broadly supported in the Republican-controlled House. However, the legislation faces a much stiffer challenge in the Democrat-controlled Senate.

Nevertheless, a handful of Democrat senators have expressed concerns about the moratorium on LNG export approvals. Pennsylvania Democrat Senators John Fetterman and Bob Casey Jr. declared in a joint statement to the Washington Examiner that they would push President Biden to reverse his decision.