[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 188 Introduced in House (IH)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 188

 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with respect to 
promoting energy security of European allies through the opening of the 
                         Southern Gas Corridor.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 26, 2015

 Mr. Turner (for himself, Mr. David Scott of Georgia, Mr. Shuster, Mr. 
Cohen, Mr. Guthrie, Ms. Meng, Mr. Marino, Mr. Gibson, Mr. Bridenstine, 
  Mr. Perry, and Mr. Austin Scott of Georgia) submitted the following 
   resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with respect to 
promoting energy security of European allies through the opening of the 
                         Southern Gas Corridor.

Whereas reducing the vulnerability of European allies to gas supply disruptions 
        and developing multiple sources of gas are key components of efforts to 
        ensure European energy security;
Whereas diversification of sources of gas and the routes of delivery will foster 
        a more competitive and transparent energy market, helping to provide 
        European allies with greater choice and independence;
Whereas the Caspian Sea region, strategically located at the crossroads of 
        Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, holds significant energy resources, 
        including the proven natural gas reserves of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, 
        Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, estimated to be 741 trillion cubic feet or 
        approximately 11 percent of the world's reserves;
Whereas the off-shore Shah Deniz field in Azerbaijan is one of the world's 
        largest gas-condensate fields, with approximately 40 trillion cubic feet 
        of gas in place;
Whereas development of the second phase of the Shah Deniz project, which is a 
        stepping stone in the opening of the Southern Gas Corridor, will deliver 
        the first sizeable quantities of alternative gas to European markets 
        from the Caspian Sea region;
Whereas it is the policy of the United States in the countries of the South 
        Caucasus and Central Asia to assist in the development of infrastructure 
        necessary for energy and trade on an East-West axis in order to build 
        strong international relations and commerce between those countries;
Whereas Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Georgia have worked collaboratively with the 
        United States, European allies, and other regional partners to jointly 
        develop and promote energy projects in the Caspian Sea region for almost 
        two decades;
Whereas energy exploration in this region is a remarkable example of 
        international cooperation with over 34 companies representing 15 
        countries, including the United States, engaged in these projects;
Whereas successive United States administrations supported development of energy 
        resources in the Caspian Sea region, including construction of the 
        landmark Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzerum gas 
        pipeline that are main arteries delivering Caspian energy resources to 
        global markets;
Whereas further energy exploration in the Caspian Sea region and its westward 
        exports will reduce the dependence of United States allies on energy 
        from volatile and unreliable suppliers;
Whereas the priority now becomes the realization of the Southern Gas Corridor to 
        deliver additional volumes of natural gas from the Caspian Sea region to 
        European markets;
Whereas the European Union-United States Energy Council at its first meeting in 
        Washington, DC, on November 4, 2009, stated a commitment to promote the 
        Southern Gas Corridor to enhance global energy security;
Whereas the European Union-United States Energy Council at its second meeting in 
        Brussels on November 19, 2010, was encouraged by progress of the 
        development of the Southern Gas Corridor to diversify Europe's energy 
        resources;
Whereas the European Union-United States Energy Council at its third meeting in 
        Washington, DC, on November 28, 2011, reiterated support for the 
        Southern Gas Corridor to provide substantial volumes of gas to Europe;
Whereas at the third meeting of the bilateral Economic Partnership Commission, 
        convened in Washington, DC, on April 18, 2012, the United States and the 
        Republic of Azerbaijan reaffirmed the importance of a high-level 
        dialogue on energy security in the Caspian region to discuss issues of 
        mutual interest in the energy sector, including establishment of the 
        Southern Gas Corridor;
Whereas the European Union-United States Energy Council at its fourth meeting in 
        Brussels on December 5, 2012, noted progress on the realization of the 
        Southern Gas Corridor and reaffirmed that it remains a pivotal 
        opportunity to diversify supply and allow new providers to participate 
        in the European Union energy market;
Whereas the European Union-United States Energy Council at its fifth meeting in 
        Brussels on April 2, 2014, reaffirmed the strategic importance of the 
        Southern Gas Corridor to help diversify natural gas resources to Europe;
Whereas Energy Ministers from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United 
        Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union Commissioner for 
        Energy at the G-7 Energy Ministerial meeting in Rome on May 6, 2014, 
        stated support for the Southern Gas Corridor to provide new energy 
        supply routes for Europe;
Whereas the European Union-United States Energy Council at its sixth meeting in 
        Brussels on December 3, 2014, recognized the importance of the September 
        2014 groundbreaking of the Southern Gas Corridor to the establishment of 
        critical energy security infrastructure;
Whereas the existing South Caucasus Pipeline and its expansion, which will 
        transit Azerbaijan and Georgia, the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas 
        Pipeline, which will transit Turkey, and the Trans Adriatic Pipeline, 
        which will transit Greece and Albania and connect to Italy, are the key 
        components of the Southern Gas Corridor to deliver Caspian Sea natural 
        gas to Europe;
Whereas the Southern Gas Corridor will improve Europe's energy diversification 
        and security, as well as advance overall regional development and 
        prosperity;
Whereas the establishment of the Southern Gas Corridor lays the foundation for 
        increased natural gas and regional pipeline infrastructure development 
        to bring additional energy resources to Europe;
Whereas the Southern Gas Corridor complements other efforts by the European 
        Union to diversify its sources of gas supply;
Whereas such energy projects have stimulated social and economic progress in the 
        region, promoting friendly relations and economic cooperation among 
        regional countries;
Whereas the development of natural gas resources and building of new routes to 
        European markets for energy producers in the South Caucasus and in 
        Central Asia will further provide economic development and consolidate 
        political independence of these countries; and
Whereas apart from establishing direct energy and transport links between Europe 
        and the countries of the Caspian region, such projects foster Western 
        orientation of these nations, help promote market-oriented principles 
        and practices, and further contribute to their integration with the 
        European and Euro-Atlantic institutions: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That--
            (1) the House of Representatives--
                    (A) notes that further energy exploration in the 
                Caspian Sea region will enhance energy security of 
                European allies;
                    (B) affirms that it is in the national interest of 
                the United States to support and enhance Europe's 
                energy security by opening up the Southern Gas 
                Corridor; and
                    (C) encourages the Administration to continue to 
                actively engage with the Governments of Azerbaijan, 
                Turkey, Georgia, and other regional partners to provide 
                support for new and ongoing projects; and
            (2) it is the sense of the House of Representatives that it 
        is in the national interest of the United States to support and 
        enhance Europe's energy security by working with the 
        Governments of Azerbaijan, Turkey, Georgia, and other regional 
        partners to make available additional gas and oil supplies to 
        that market in a cost effective and secure manner.
                                 <all>