[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 195 (Tuesday, December 11, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H10073-H10075]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       EXPRESSING OPPOSITION TO THE COMPLETION OF NORD STREAM II

  Mr. ROYCE of California. 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.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1035

       Whereas Nord Stream II is an underwater gas pipeline that, 
     if completed, will transport natural gas from the Russian 
     Federation through the Baltic Sea to Germany;
       Whereas Russia controls the supply of nearly 40 percent of 
     Europe's gas and 11 European countries rely on Russian gas 
     for 75 percent or more for their annual needs;
       Whereas Nord Stream II will increase Russian control over 
     the European energy market;
       Whereas Donald Tusk, the President of the European Council, 
     stated that Nord Stream II would ``not help diversification, 
     nor would it reduce [European] dependency'' on Russian gas;
       Whereas it has been longstanding United States policy to 
     support European energy security through diversification of 
     supplies, such as the Southern Gas Corridor which will 
     deliver Caspian Sea energy resources to Southern and Central 
     Europe;
       Whereas the existing Ukrainian gas transit system currently 
     has 55 billion cubic meters of spare capacity which is equal 
     to Nord Stream II's planned capacity;
       Whereas Ukraine has been a stable and reliable transit hub 
     for energy flowing to European destinations;
       Whereas Russia's geopolitical interest in Nord Stream II is 
     not to increase European energy security, but rather to drive 
     a wedge between countries in Europe and drastically diminish 
     Ukraine's political leverage regarding Russia and the 
     significant income Ukraine derives from transit fees;
       Whereas according to Deputy Assistant Secretary of State 
     for Energy Diplomacy, Sandra Oudkirk, ``because [Nord Stream 
     II] has such a potentially large impact on the national 
     security of some of our largest partners in the world, it has 
     an impact on our national security''; and
       Whereas Members of Congress on a bipartisan basis have 
     expressed strong opposition to Nord Stream II through 
     statements and legislation: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) finds that Nord Stream II is a drastic step backwards 
     for European energy security and United States interests;
       (2) calls upon European governments to reject the Nord 
     Stream II project;
       (3) urges the President to use all available means to 
     support European energy security through a policy of reducing 
     reliance on the Russia Federation; and
       (4) supports the imposition of sanctions with respect to 
     Nord Stream II under section 232 of the Countering America's 
     Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (22 U.S.C. 9526).

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Royce) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. ROYCE of California. 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.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ROYCE of California. 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.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ENGEL. 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

[[Page H10074]]

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.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. 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. CONAWAY. 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.

                              {time}  1545

  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. ENGEL. 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.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. 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. POE of Texas. 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.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. 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.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Royce) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1035, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the

[[Page H10075]]

rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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