Daines Accuses Biden Administration of Playing Politics with U.S. Energy

Pausing U.S. LNG Export Permitting Panders to Radical Climate Activists at Expense of Working Families

By Denise Rivette

U.S. Senator Steve Daines, a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, delivered the following opening statement on Thursday, February 8, at the committee’s hearing examining the administration’s pause on liquefied natural gas (LNG) export approvals. Daines recently joined a letter with his Republican colleagues to President Biden and Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm urging the administration to stop their shortsighted pause and immediately resume consideration of LNG Export applications. Below is a transcript of Daines’ statement:

“I didn't think I'd live to see the day where you'd have an Administration work to pause and go backwards as relates to liquefied natural gas.

“The Biden administration's recent pause on LNG exports approval is in affront to the American people. It's going to lead to fewer jobs, less security and bolsters our adversaries. Unfortunately, this action, I think, only demonstrates how far out of touch this Administration is from reality.

“Once again, the Biden administration is bending to the wills of an extreme green agenda and turning its back on hardworking Americans. Less than a year ago, the Department of Energy rightfully denied extreme climate groups’ petition to change the Department's process for approving LNG export terminals. Yet out of the blue, President Biden just announced that he's pausing all applications and now reviewing the process. What changed between last year and now? Nothing.

“The only thing that has changed is this Administration has caved to the woke green agenda to appease activists at the expense of working families. Simply look at the White House website, go look at it. They're promoting quotes like ‘#StopLNG’ and, ‘this is the most significant action taken by the President to curb fossil fuel expansion.’

“It is beyond a doubt that U.S. exports of LNG are good for the economy, good for jobs, good for national security and good for our allies. This pause will do nothing but hurt Americans, it will help Russia, it will help Iran, it will help other adversaries.”

You can watch Daines deliver his opening statement below:

Below you can watch Daines’ interactions with witnesses showing that Federal law requires that approval by the government for LNG exports “shall be issued unless it finds that the proposed exportation will not be consistent with the public interest.” He further proceeded to show how continued exports of LNG are in the public interest providing benefits such as increased jobs, support for our allies, increased revenue for local communities and decreased emissions.