Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “License Natural Gas Now Act of 2017” or the “LNG Now Act of 2017”.
License Natural Gas Now Act of 2017
A BILL
To terminate the prohibitions on the exportation and importation of natural gas, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Findings
Congress finds that—
the exportation of natural gas produced in the United States is in the interest of the United States; and
because natural gas produced in the United States has a lower greenhouse gas emissions profile than other energy sources used in high volumes in other countries, the exportation of natural gas from the United States may help lower global emissions of carbon dioxide.
Sec. 3 Exportation or importation of natural gas
by striking the section heading and all that follows through “(a) After” and inserting the following:
“3. Exportation or importation of natural gas; LNG terminals
“(a) Authorization To export or import natural gas
“(1) In general—After”
in subsection (a)—
in paragraph (1) (as so designated)—
in the second sentence, by striking “, unless,” and all that follows through the period at the end of the sentence and inserting “without modification or delay.”; and
in the third sentence, by striking “by its order” and all that follows through the period at the end of the sentence and inserting “condition the order on a requirement that the applicant, on request, provide relevant data to the Commission to facilitate the information collection and statistical activities of the Commission.”; and
by adding at the end the following:
“(2) Prohibitions
“(A) Prohibition on restricting natural gas importation or exportation—Except as provided in paragraph (1) or in any Federal authorization to export natural gas from the United States to a foreign country or to import natural gas into the United States from a foreign country in effect on the date of enactment of the LNG Now Act of 2017, to promote the efficient exploration, production, storage, supply, marketing, pricing, and regulation of energy resources, including fossil fuels, no employee of the Federal Government shall impose or enforce any restriction or condition on—
“(i) the exportation of natural gas from the United States to a foreign country; or
“(ii) the importation of natural gas into the United States from a foreign country.
“(B) Treatment of imported natural gas—The Commission shall not treat, on the basis of national origin, any imported natural gas on an unjust, unreasonable, unduly discriminatory, or preferential basis.
“(3) Consideration of imported natural gas as a first sale—The importation of natural gas into the United States from a foreign country shall be considered to be a first sale (as defined in section 2 of the Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978 (15 U.S.C. 3301)).”
by striking subsections (b) and (c); and
by redesignating subsections (d) through (f) as subsections (b) through (d), respectively.
Effect— The amendments made by subsection (a) shall not affect any Federal authorization to export natural gas from the United States to a foreign country or to import natural gas into the United States from a foreign country in effect on the date of enactment of the LNG Now Act of 2017.
Sec. 4 Report on fostering natural gas exports
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Energy shall submit to Congress a report describing actions taken by the United States Government, and actions that could be taken by the United States Government, to foster the exportation of natural gas from the United States to foreign countries.
Sec. 5 Report on existing regulations
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Energy shall submit to Congress a report that identifies regulations in effect as of such date of enactment that inhibit the growth of the market for natural gas exported from the United States.