Expressing opposition to the completion of Nord Stream II, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding, and I thank the ranking member for bringing forth this resolution that I cosponsored.

Mr. Speaker, Nord Stream II is an underwater gas pipeline that, if completed, will transport natural gas from the Russian Federation-- Russian gas--through the Baltic Sea to Germany.

This project may seem innocent enough, but it does several very dangerous things. One, it circumvents Ukraine, and the impact it has there. Two, it further dominates the European energy supply. Three, it will threaten European security and stability. And, four, it attempts to drive a wedge between NATO allies.

This project is being sold to our European allies and partners as many things. They are being told, and we are being told, that the current routes lack transit capacity to meet the demand in Western Europe. Mr. Speaker, this is false. There is a 55 billion cubic meter surplus in transit lines existing currently through Ukraine that Nord Stream II plans to completely circumvent, which is the capacity of the Nord Stream II.

In other words, Mr. Speaker, Russia is working to strangle Ukraine's existing pipeline. Once Nord Stream II reaches its planned terminus in Germany, it is to move southward away from Western markets and back into existing lines.

Mr. Speaker, the impact that that will have on the Ukraine pipeline is that, if it goes empty, then it will cease to exist and cease to operate. The argument that if Russia tried to use Nord Stream II as some leverage they could revert back to using the gas going through Ukraine lines is simply false and is misleading.

We are also being told that the pipeline will reduce gas prices in Europe. This also is false. Nord Stream II circumvents market competitors and further reinforces Russia's dominance in the market, essentially creating zero incentive to lower energy prices.

We are also being told that Nord Stream II is a commercial deal with zero geopolitical impact. Compared to Nord Stream I, which is owned by a variety of stakeholders from Western Europe, Nord Stream II is 100 percent Russian owned and operated through Gazprom, which is controlled by the Russian state, i.e., Vladimir Putin, who is known to pursue political goals and whose chairman, Alexey Miller, is currently sanctioned by the United States.

Mr. Speaker, the handwriting is on the wall. It could not be clearer, and we can no longer kid ourselves what Nord Stream II is and what it is not. It will provide greater latitude for the Russians to continue defiance of global norms, sovereign borders, and international law. The project is simply another tool for Vladimir Putin to wield in Russia's ever-increasing aggressive and subversive activities against the West.

Mr. Speaker, Nord Stream II is a danger to peace as we know it. Our German and NATO colleagues should see clearly what it is. It allows Vladimir Putin to have an additional place to put his boot on the jugular of Europe.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage support for this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1035) expressing opposition to the completion of Nord Stream II, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material in the Record.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, for many years, Russia has conducted a campaign of armed aggression and intimidation against many neighboring countries, but especially Ukraine and Georgia. That threat now includes massive Russian military exercises along the border of our NATO allies and repeated intrusions into the air and sea space of these and other countries in Europe.

But Vladimir Putin is also employing more subtle weapons of influence. This includes leveraging energy exports, especially oil and natural gas. Many European countries, including key NATO allies, are dependent on Russian energy and, thus, are vulnerable to Moscow's pressure.

But even as the United States, its NATO allies, and other partners are seeking to impose economic costs on Russia to force it to end its aggression, a massive new pipeline known as Nord Stream II is being built. It will increase the flow of Russian gas directly to Germany and on to other countries in the heart of Europe.

Moscow's strategy is to undermine the energy security of our NATO allies, because the more dependent they are on Russian energy, the greater Moscow's influence over them will be.

Nord Stream II has another purpose, which is to strike at Ukraine. It will end Moscow's reliance on Ukraine's natural gas pipelines, thereby cutting off an important source of revenue and eliminating one of Ukraine's few means of leverage against Russian aggression.

H.R. 3364, the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, which I introduced and was passed overwhelmingly by Congress, authorizes the President to impose sanctions on persons assisting the construction of this and other pipelines.

This resolution recognizes the danger that Nord Stream II represents to the Atlantic alliance and urges the President to use the authority Congress has given him to prevent this pipeline from being constructed.

If Nord Stream II is completed, it will undermine U.S. interests in Europe by rendering key NATO allies more vulnerable to Russian blackmail and convincing Moscow that its policy of aggression is, in fact, succeeding.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time, and I ask unanimous consent that the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) control the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this measure.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Conaway of Texas for authoring this resolution, and, again, I thank Chairman Royce.

Mr. Speaker, in Europe's far eastern reaches, construction has begun on a new pipeline to move natural gas, the Nord Stream II. If this project reaches completion, it will represent much more than a way to move fuel from point A to point B. It will, in fact, be a new tool for Russia to interfere in European politics, to pit ally against ally and neighbor against neighbor, to put down deeper roots in the heart of the European Union, and to weaken efforts to confront Russia for a range of aggressive behaviors.

Russia has already shown the way it uses its gas resources as a weapon, choking off supplies to Ukraine and inflating prices. If the Nord Stream II

goes forward, this dangerous practice could increase a hundredfold.

We want to see a Europe that has access to a range of energy sources. The last thing European countries should do is become more dependent on Russian gas. There are plenty of other options, whether from the Caspian basin or from right here in the United States.

This measure calls on European governments to reject this clear threat to stability and security. It is an appeal to our allies not to allow Russia another avenue to undermine European unity and involve itself in European politics.

Mr. Speaker, I am glad to support this measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, Russia is already enough of a problem for our European friends. Putin's efforts to undermine democracy and stoke instability are a constant threat to European peace and unity. In 6 months' time, Russia could have another way to exert even more leverage on Europe, and that is if its development of the Nord Stream II pipeline goes forward. Today we are going on record to say that that is a terrible idea, and we hope our allies and partners in Europe see it the same way.

So I again thank the authors of this measure, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, Nord Stream II is energy blackmail. If completed, it will make our European allies more dependent on Russian gas to meet their energy needs.

For three decades, Russia has used its abundant energy supplies to coerce European neighbors into doing its bidding. Europe, lacking natural gas reserves of its own, once had little choice in energy providers, allowing the Kremlin to block the flow of gas if Europe was opposing its interests.

In fact, I was in Ukraine in 2009 when the Russians turned off the gas in Ukraine, and it was cold. People died. It is blackmail since they are a monopoly on European natural gas. This includes forcing Europe's silence over Russia's illegal aggression in not only Ukraine, but Georgia and Crimea as well.

Today, Europe has other options, however. American natural gas is increasingly available on the global market thanks to the advances in technology. In 2019, the United States' LNG exports are expected to surge by almost 80 percent. In Texas, Mr. Speaker, we have more natural gas than we ever had and more than we need. We should use all we can, and then we should sell the rest to the Europeans.

Across Europe, more LNG terminals are coming online and allowing more American natural gas to reach the European market. Even Germany has pledged to build a new LNG terminal as a result of President Trump's push to renew the transatlantic trade relationship. With the expanding availability of U.S. natural gas, Europe can and should say ``no'' to Nord Stream II.

Vladimir Putin, the Napoleon of Siberia, cannot be trusted to be a fair trading partner. His recent aggression in Ukraine demonstrates Russia is a threat and not a friend. We must pass this resolution and send a message to our European allies that Nord Stream II is a bad idea.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the chairman of the Agriculture Committee, Mr. Conaway, for bringing this resolution, and I also want to thank the ranking member and chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee for their support.

And that is just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Conaway), the chairman of the Committee on Agriculture and the author of this measure.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe), chairman of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, Russia's ongoing aggression has taken many forms, from outright invasion and annexation of territory in Ukraine to cyberattacks and other assaults against the U.S. and our NATO allies.

One of the most powerful weapons in its armory is its export of energy, especially oil and gas. The Nord Stream II pipeline from Russia to Germany will hand Moscow another source of influence to wield against our NATO allies and Ukraine. The result will be to undermine Europe's energy security and perhaps the will to resist Russian aggression.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to vote for this resolution and urge the President to use all of the means at his disposal to prevent this pipeline from being constructed. Only then can U.S. interests in Europe, including the integrity of the NATO alliance, be made secure.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.