[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 23 (Thursday, February 8, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S507]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 1404. Mr. BARRASSO (for himself and Mr. Cassidy) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 1388 submitted by 
Mrs. Murray (for herself and Mr. Schumer) and intended to be proposed 
to the bill H.R. 815, to amend title 38, United States Code, to make 
certain improvements relating to the eligibility of veterans to receive 
reimbursement for emergency treatment furnished through the Veterans 
Community Care program, and for other purposes; which was ordered to 
lie on the table; as follows:

        At the appropriate place in division A, insert the 
     following:

     SEC. ____. ACTION ON APPLICATIONS TO EXPORT LIQUEFIED NATURAL 
                   GAS.

       Section 3 of the Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. 717b) is 
     amended--
       (1) by striking subsection (c) and inserting the following:
       ``(c) Public Interest.--
       ``(1) In general.--For purposes of subsection (a), all of 
     the following shall be deemed to be consistent with the 
     public interest and applications for such importation or 
     exportation shall be granted without modification or delay:
       ``(A) The importation of natural gas referred to in 
     subsection (b).
       ``(B) The exportation of natural gas to a nation with which 
     there is in effect a free trade agreement requiring national 
     treatment for trade in natural gas.
       ``(C) The exportation of natural gas to a nation that--
       ``(i) imports, directly or indirectly, natural gas 
     (including liquefied natural gas) from the Russian Federation 
     or the Islamic Republic of Iran;
       ``(ii) has the physical capability to import, directly or 
     indirectly, natural gas (including liquefied natural gas) 
     from the Russian Federation or the Islamic Republic of Iran; 
     or
       ``(iii) has previously imported, directly or indirectly, 
     natural gas (including liquefied natural gas) from the 
     Russian Federation or the Islamic Republic of Iran.
       ``(2) Exclusions.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply with 
     respect to the exportation of natural gas--
       ``(A) to any nation that is subject to sanctions imposed by 
     the United States; or
       ``(B) to any nation that is designated as excluded from 
     that paragraph by an Act of Congress.'';
       (2) in subsection (e)(3)(A), by inserting ``and subsection 
     (g)'' after ``subparagraph (B)''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(g) Action on Applications to Export LNG.--
       ``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection:
       ``(A) Covered application.--The term `covered application' 
     means an application submitted with respect to a covered 
     facility for an authorization to export natural gas under 
     subsection (a).
       ``(B) Covered facility.--The term `covered facility' means 
     a liquefied natural gas export facility for which a proposal 
     to site, construct, expand, or operate is required to be 
     approved under subsection (e).
       ``(2) Decision deadline.--The Commission shall issue a 
     final decision on a covered application not later than 45 
     days after the later of--
       ``(A) the date on which each review required under the 
     National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et 
     seq.) with respect to the siting, construction, expansion, or 
     operation of the covered facility that is the subject of the 
     covered application is published; and
       ``(B) the date of enactment of this subsection.
       ``(3) Untimely final decision.--
       ``(A) In general.--If the Commission fails to issue a final 
     decision under paragraph (2) by the applicable date required 
     under that paragraph, the covered application shall be 
     considered approved, and the environmental review shall be 
     considered sufficient to satisfy all requirements of the 
     National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et 
     seq.).
       ``(B) Final agency action.--A determination under 
     subparagraph (A) shall be considered to be a final agency 
     action.
       ``(4) Judicial review.--
       ``(A) Jurisdiction.--Except for review in the Supreme Court 
     of the United States, the court of appeals of the United 
     States for the circuit in which a covered facility is, or 
     will be, located pursuant to a covered application shall have 
     original and exclusive jurisdiction over any civil action for 
     the review of an order issued by the Commission with respect 
     to the covered application.
       ``(B) Expedited review.--The applicable United States Court 
     of Appeals shall--
       ``(i) set any civil action brought under this subsection 
     for expedited review; and
       ``(ii) set the action on the docket as soon as practicable 
     after the filing date of the initial pleading.
       ``(C) Transfer of existing actions.--In the case of a 
     covered application for which a petition for review has been 
     filed as of the date of enactment of this subsection, the 
     petition shall be--
       ``(i) on a motion by the applicant, transferred to the 
     court of appeals of the United States in which the covered 
     facility that is the subject of the covered application is, 
     or will be, located; and
       ``(ii) adjudicated in accordance with this paragraph.''.
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