TITLE: Urging Congress to expedite the permitting process for the export of liquefied natural gas.

SUMMARY: Urging Congress to expedite the permitting process for the export of liquefied natural gas.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, Expediting liquefied natural gas exports will spur the advancement of a vital industry that promotes the prosperity and security of our state and nation; and WHEREAS, Improved technologies and abundant resources have allowed America to overtake Saudi Arabia and Russia as the world's leading natural gas producer; however, while the combination of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling provides access to enough domestic natural gas to last for at least a century, efforts to export the fuel are hampered by an antiquated and expensive permitting approval process that can take three years or longer; and WHEREAS, Today, Russia is the largest source of natural gas for Ukraine and most of our European allies, and the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, has become increasingly aggressive in his drive to increase his nation's share of the Asian market; in response to these issues and to Russian military escalation in Ukraine, calls have been made for the United States to streamline the approval process for LNG export project applications; and WHEREAS, By eliminating red tape in the U.S. Department of Energy, the United States can offer greater energy security to its allies and weaken Russia's position on the world stage; moreover, Japan and Europe are among the most lucrative LNG markets, and helping to meet their energy needs will strengthen existing relationships while boosting our economy, creating high-paying jobs, and encouraging more drilling and construction of LNG export infrastructure in the United States, thereby further promoting economic growth; and WHEREAS, American innovation in the energy industry has already led to tremendous job and revenue growth, but the nation has not yet taken full advantage of the potential of its natural resources and advanced technology; by bringing the LNG permitting process into the 21st century, the United States will realize tremendous economic and geopolitical gains; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas Legislature hereby respectfully urge the United States Congress to expedite the permitting process for the export of liquefied natural gas; and, be it further RESOLVED, That the chief clerk of the Texas House of Representatives forward official copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to the U.S. secretary of commerce, to the U.S. secretary of energy, to the president of the Senate and the speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States Congress, and to all the members of the Texas delegation to Congress with the request that this resolution be entered in the Congressional Record as a memorial to the Congress of the United States of America.