[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 438 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 438

   To amend the Natural Gas Act to provide for expanded natural gas 
                                exports.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 15, 2023

   Mr. Cruz (for himself, Mrs. Capito, Mr. Cramer, and Mr. Kennedy) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
               Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To amend the Natural Gas Act to provide for expanded natural gas 
                                exports.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Natural Gas Export Expansion Act''.

SEC. 2. NATURAL GAS EXPORTS.

    (a) Finding.--Congress finds that expanding natural gas exports 
will lead to increased investment and development of domestic supplies 
of natural gas that will contribute to job growth and economic 
development.
    (b) Natural Gas Exports.--Section 3(c) of the Natural Gas Act (15 
U.S.C. 717b(c)) is amended--
            (1) by inserting ``or any other nation not excluded by this 
        section'' after ``trade in natural gas'';
            (2) by striking ``(c) For purposes'' and inserting the 
        following:
    ``(c) Expedited Application and Approval Process.--
            ``(1) In general.--For purposes''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(2) Exclusions.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Any nation subject to sanctions 
                or trade restrictions imposed by the United States is 
                excluded from expedited approval under paragraph (1).
                    ``(B) Designation by president or congress.--The 
                President or Congress may designate nations that may be 
                excluded from expedited approval under paragraph (1) 
                for reasons of national security.
            ``(3) Order not required.--No order is required under 
        subsection (a) to authorize the export or import of any natural 
        gas to or from Canada or Mexico.''.
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