S.Amdt. 6277

1. Adds SEC. 31__. EXPORTATION OR IMPORTATION OF NATURAL GAS at the end of subtitle D of title XXXI

   Adds a section

   In S.Amdt. 5499 as proposed

   (3) Requirement for research and development plan and report with respect to nuclear forensics capabilities.--Section 3114 of the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 (50 U.S.C. 2574) is repealed.

   Inserted: SEC. 31__. EXPORTATION OR IMPORTATION OF NATURAL GAS.

   Inserted: (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--

   Inserted: (1) the exportation of natural gas produced in the United States is in the interest of the United States; and

   Inserted: (2) 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.

   Inserted: (b) Regulatory Authority Clarification.--Section 2(9) of the Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. 717a(9)) is amended by striking "Power" and inserting "Energy Regulatory".

   Inserted: (c) Exportation or Importation of Natural Gas.--

   Inserted: (1) In general.--Section 3 of the Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. 717b) is amended--

   Inserted: (A) by striking the section heading and all that follows through "(a) After" and inserting the following:

   Inserted: "SEC. 3. EXPORTATION OR IMPORTATION OF NATURAL GAS; LNG TERMINALS.

   Inserted: "(a) Authorization to Export or Import Natural Gas.--

   Inserted: "(1) In general.--After";

   Inserted: (B) in subsection (a)--

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   Inserted: (i) in paragraph (1) (as so designated)--

   Inserted: (I) by striking the second sentence and inserting the following: "The proposed exportation or importation shall be deemed to be consistent with the public interest, and the Commission shall issue such order upon application without modification or delay."; and

   Inserted: (II) 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

   Inserted: (ii) by adding at the end the following:

   Inserted: "(2) Prohibitions.--

   Inserted: "(A) Prohibition on restricting natural gas importation or exportation.--Except as provided in paragraph (1) and subparagraph (C) 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 James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023, 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--

   Inserted: "(i) the exportation of natural gas from the United States to a foreign country; or

   Inserted: "(ii) the importation of natural gas into the United States from a foreign country.

   Inserted: "(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.

   Inserted: "(C) Prohibition on import from or export to certain nations.--The export of natural gas to, or the import of natural gas from, a nation subject to sanctions imposed by the United States is prohibited.

   Inserted: "(3) Consideration of exported natural gas as a first sale.--The exportation of natural gas to a foreign country from the United States 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)).";

   Inserted: (C) in subsection (e)--

   Inserted: (i) by striking "(e)(1) The Commission" and inserting the following:

   Inserted: "(e) LNG Terminals.--

   Inserted: "(1) Authority.--

   Inserted: "(A) In general.--Except for those matters deemed to be consistent with the public interest pursuant to subsection (a), the Commission";

   Inserted: (ii) in paragraph (1)--

   Inserted: (I) in subparagraph (A) (as so designated), in the second sentence, by striking "Except as" and inserting the following:

   Inserted: "(C) Effect.--Except as"; and

   Inserted: (II) by inserting after subparagraph (A) (as so designated) the following:

   Inserted: "(B) Approval.--

   Inserted: "(i) In general.--The Commission shall issue an order approving an application for the siting, construction, expansion, or operation of an LNG terminal unless, after opportunity for hearing in accordance with paragraph (2), the Commission finds that the proposed siting, construction, expansion, or operation of the LNG terminal will not be consistent with the public interest.

   Inserted: "(ii) Supplemental order.--The Commission may from time to time, after opportunity for hearing, and for good cause shown, make such supplemental order in the premises as the Commission may find necessary or appropriate.";

   Inserted: (D) by striking subsections (b) and (c); and

   Inserted: (E) by redesignating subsections (d) through (f) as subsections (b) through (d), respectively.

   Inserted: (2) Effect.--The amendments made by paragraph (1) 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 this Act.

   Original wording

   At the end of subtitle D of title XXXI, add the following:

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As printed