[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 38 (Wednesday, March 2, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S954]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 4957. Mr. BARRASSO submitted an amendment intended to be proposed
by him to the bill H.R. 3076, to provide stability to and enhance the
services of the United States Postal Service, and for other purposes;
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
TITLE __--ENERGY SECURITY
SEC. __01. SHORT TITLE.
This title may be cited as the ``Energy Security
Cooperation with Allied Partners in Europe Act of 2021''.
SEC. __02. STATEMENT OF POLICY.
It is the policy of the United States--
(1) to reduce the dependency of allies and partners of the
United States on Russian energy resources, especially natural
gas, in order for those countries to achieve lasting and
dependable energy security;
(2) to condemn the Government of the Russian Federation
for, and to deter that government from, using its energy
resources as a geopolitical weapon to coerce, intimidate, and
influence other countries;
(3) to improve energy security in Europe by increasing
access to diverse, reliable, and affordable energy;
(4) to promote energy security in Europe by working with
the European Union and other allies of the United States to
develop liberalized energy markets that provide diversified
energy sources, suppliers, and routes;
(5) to continue to strongly oppose the Nord Stream 2
pipeline based on its detrimental effects on the energy
security of the European Union and the economy of Ukraine and
other countries in Central Europe through which natural gas
is transported; and
(6) to support countries that are allies or partners of the
United States by expediting the export of energy resources
from the United States.
SEC. __03. NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION.
The President should direct the United States Permanent
Representative on the Council of the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization (in this title referred to as ``NATO'') to use
the voice and influence of the United States to encourage
NATO member countries, including the United States, to work
together to achieve energy security for those countries and
countries in Europe and Eurasia that are partners of NATO.
SEC. __04. TRANSATLANTIC ENERGY STRATEGY.
(a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that
the United States and other NATO member countries should
explore ways to ensure that NATO member countries diversify
their energy supplies and routes in order to enhance their
energy security, including through the development of a
transatlantic energy strategy.
(b) Transatlantic Energy Strategy.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in
coordination with the Administrator of the United States
Agency for International Development and the Secretary of
Energy, shall submit to the appropriate congressional
committees a transatlantic energy strategy, to be presented
to NATO--
(A) to enhance the energy security of NATO member countries
and countries that are partners of NATO; and
(B) to increase exports of energy from the United States to
such countries.
(2) Appropriate congressional committees defined.--In this
subsection, the term ``appropriate congressional committees''
means--
(A) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on
Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on
Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives.
SEC. __05. EXPEDITED APPROVAL OF EXPORTATION OF NATURAL GAS
TO UNITED STATES ALLIES.
(a) In General.--Section 3(c) of the Natural Gas Act (15
U.S.C. 717b(c)) is amended--
(1) by inserting ``(1)'' before ``For purposes'';
(2) by striking ``nation with which there is in effect a
free trade agreement requiring national treatment for trade
in natural gas'' and inserting ``foreign country described in
paragraph (2)''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(2) A foreign country described in this paragraph is--
``(A) a nation with which there is in effect a free trade
agreement requiring national treatment for trade in natural
gas;
``(B) a member country of the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization;
``(C) subject to paragraph (3), Japan; and
``(D) any other foreign country if the Secretary of State,
in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, determines
that exportation of natural gas to that foreign country would
promote the national security interests of the United States.
``(3) The exportation of natural gas to Japan shall be
deemed to be consistent with the public interest pursuant to
paragraph (1), and applications for such exportation shall be
granted without modification or delay under that paragraph,
during only such period as the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation
and Security, signed at Washington January 19, 1960, and
entered into force June 23, 1960 (11 UST 1632; TIAS 4509),
between the United States and Japan, remains in effect.''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section
shall apply with respect to applications for the
authorization to export natural gas under section 3 of the
Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. 717b) that are pending on, or
filed on or after, the date of the enactment of this Act.
______