[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.
                                 ______