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EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE HOUSE OF

REPRESENTATIVES WITH RESPECT TO PROMOTING ENERGY SECURITY OF EUROPEAN

ALLIES THROUGH OPENING UP THE SOUTHERN

GAS CORRIDOR

MARKUP

BEFORE THE

SUBCOMMITTEE ON EUROPE, EURASIA, AND 

EMERGING THREATS

OF THE

COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

ONE HUNDRED THIRTEENTH CONGRESS

FIRST SESSION

ON

H. Res. 284

SEPTEMBER 19, 2013

Serial No. 113–64

Printed for the use of the Committee on Foreign Affairs

(

Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.foreignaffairs.house.gov/ or

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/

(II)

COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS 

EDWARD R. ROYCE, California, Chairman 

CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey 

ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN, Florida 

DANA ROHRABACHER, California 

STEVE CHABOT, Ohio 

JOE WILSON, South Carolina 

MICHAEL T. MCCAUL, Texas 

TED POE, Texas 

MATT SALMON, Arizona 

TOM MARINO, Pennsylvania 

JEFF DUNCAN, South Carolina 

ADAM KINZINGER, Illinois 

MO BROOKS, Alabama 

TOM COTTON, Arkansas 

PAUL COOK, California 

GEORGE HOLDING, North Carolina 

RANDY K. WEBER SR., Texas 

SCOTT PERRY, Pennsylvania 

STEVE STOCKMAN, Texas 

RON DESANTIS, Florida 

TREY RADEL, Florida 

DOUG COLLINS, Georgia 

MARK MEADOWS, North Carolina 

TED S. YOHO, Florida 

LUKE MESSER, Indiana 

ELIOT L. ENGEL, New York 

ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA, American 

Samoa 

BRAD SHERMAN, California 

GREGORY W. MEEKS, New York 

ALBIO SIRES, New Jersey 

GERALD E. CONNOLLY, Virginia 

THEODORE E. DEUTCH, Florida 

BRIAN HIGGINS, New York 

KAREN BASS, California 

WILLIAM KEATING, Massachusetts 

DAVID CICILLINE, Rhode Island 

ALAN GRAYSON, Florida 

JUAN VARGAS, California 

BRADLEY S. SCHNEIDER, Illinois 

JOSEPH P. KENNEDY III, Massachusetts 

AMI BERA, California 

ALAN S. LOWENTHAL, California 

GRACE MENG, New York 

LOIS FRANKEL, Florida 

TULSI GABBARD, Hawaii 

JOAQUIN CASTRO, Texas

AMY PORTER, Chief of Staff THOMAS SHEEHY, Staff Director

JASON STEINBAUM, Democratic Staff Director 

SUBCOMMITTEE ON EUROPE, EURASIA, AND EMERGING THREATS

DANA ROHRABACHER, California, Chairman 

TED POE, Texas 

TOM MARINO, Pennsylvania 

JEFF DUNCAN, South Carolina 

PAUL COOK, California 

GEORGE HOLDING, North Carolina 

STEVE STOCKMAN, Texas 

WILLIAM KEATING, Massachusetts 

GREGORY W. MEEKS, New York 

ALBIO SIRES, New Jersey 

BRIAN HIGGINS, New York 

ALAN S. LOWENTHAL, California 

(III)

C O N T E N T S 

Page

MARKUP OF 

H. Res. 284, Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with 

respect to promoting energy security of European allies through opening 

up the Southern Gas Corridor ............................................................................ 2

Amendment in the nature of a substitute to H. Res. 284 offered by the 

Honorable Dana Rohrabacher, a Representative in Congress from the 

State of California, and chairman, Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, 

and Emerging Threats ..................................................................................... 7

APPENDIX 

Markup notice .......................................................................................................... 18

Markup minutes ...................................................................................................... 19

Markup summary .................................................................................................... 20

The Honorable Gregory W. Meeks, a Representative in Congress from the 

State of New York: Prepared statement ............................................................ 21

(1)

EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE HOUSE OF 

REPRESENTATIVES WITH RESPECT TO PROMOTING ENERGY SECURITY OF EUROPEAN 

ALLIES THROUGH OPENING UP THE 

SOUTHERN GAS CORRIDOR 

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2013

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

SUBCOMMITTEE ON EUROPE, EURASIA, AND EMERGING THREATS,

COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS,

Washington, DC. 

The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 2 p.m., in room 

2200, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Dana Rohrabacher 

(chairman of the subcommittee) presiding. 

Mr. ROHRABACHER. I call this hearing of the Subcommittee on 

Europe, Eurasia, and Emerging Threats to order, pursuant to notice. For the purpose of markup, I call up. H. Resolution 284, expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with respect to 

promoting energy security of European allies through opening up 

the Southern Gas Corridor, and move its recommendation go to full 

committee. 

Without objection, the bipartisan amendment in the nature of a 

substitute provided to all members earlier this week will be the 

base text and is considered as read and open for an amendment at 

any point. 

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Mr. ROHRABACHER. I now recognize myself to speak on this 

measure. 

House Resolution 284, introduced by Congressman Turner, is a 

timely piece of legislation which supports Azerbaijani, the European Union efforts to promote the development of energy reserves 

in the Caspian region and transportation lines to the West. This 

will help further Europe’s energy security and the development of 

economic ties that will add stability to the region. 

This tremendous energy project will be an economic building factor that will benefit a wide swath of global population. Some see 

it as a balance to be used against Russia’s influence, and that is 

a very negative way to look at it. It instead should be looked at as 

an uplifting project, not hostile to anyone or any country. Making 

oil and gas more accessible, more efficiently transported, and available to more people is a positive thing. That is why I am supporting this legislation and would not do so if the Southern Gas 

Corridor project was aimed at hurting any one country, especially 

Russia. 

This subcommittee has been investigating the issue of resource 

competition in Central Asia in the Caucasus. The United States 

should be supportive of our friends and allies who are developing 

the energy resources and building infrastructure which creates stability and lifts people out of poverty. 

I would especially like to highlight the significant role Azerbaijan 

is playing to develop the Southern Gas Corridor. Azerbaijan is an 

ally of the United States in a very tough part of the world. After 

having been to Baku, it is my sincere hope that the economic and 

security cooperation between our two Nations will continue to 

grow. Azerbaijan has come a long way since their independence 

from the Soviet Union, and we will continue to be their friend as 

they keep on the path of development of a vibrant economy and development of democratic institutions that are good for the people 

and good for the economy. 

The bipartisan amendment in the nature of substitute, which the 

ranking member and I have agreed to, includes an update to reflect 

the final selection of the trans-Adriatic pipeline route to carry natural gas from Caspian Sea to the markets in Europe. 

Members will have 5 days to submit their statements for the 

record. 

I now recognize my ranking member for his comments on this 

resolution. Mr. Keating. 

Mr. KEATING. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And I thank you for 

working with me to include language to narrow the scope of today’s 

resolution and promote energy-diversification initiatives, such as 

the development of the Southern Gas Corridor. 

Although our focus today rests on the Southern Gas Corridor, I 

support the promotion and development of energy-diversification 

projects worldwide, including in Armenia and Turkmenistan. Such 

projects have the added benefit of increasing regional cooperation. 

Further, it might be cliche to say that energy security is a national 

security issue, but the fact remains that access to secure, reliable, 

affordable, and sustainable energy is essential to America’s future 

prosperity, to defending our way of life, and to maintaining our 

global leadership. 

13

In recent years the United States has made tremendous strides 

in energy security using new technologies to diversify our energy 

mix and reduce our dependence on foreign sources. While I personally would like to see greater emphasis made on renewable types 

of energy sources, the progress we have made thus far has 

strengthened America’s political and economic standing around the 

world. 

It is in America’s interest to help other countries strengthen 

their own energy security, not just our partners and allies, but 

countries around the world. Overdependence on a single source of 

energy places a country at great risk in the event of conflict or natural disaster. In cases where one country depends almost exclusively on another for its energy, it also increases vulnerability to 

threats and coercion. 

Energy diversity dramatically reduces the risk of regional conflict 

and instability. It also promotes competition and innovation, which 

in turn reduce the cost of energy and increase its availability, 

which in turn helps alleviate poverty in developing countries and 

spur global economic growth. 

Innovation and new technologies have had a significant effect on 

world energy markets by increasing the number of energy-producing countries; however, equally significant advancements in energy-delivery mechanisms are needed to enable energy producers to 

export their energy to countries where energy is scarce. By helping 

countries transform themselves from energy producers into energy 

providers, we can significantly enhance global energy security. 

For decades, many European relied much too heavily on one 

source of natural gas. Development of the Southern Corridor 

project would change that reality by bringing vast reserves of natural gas from the Caspian to an eager European market. The 

United States can and should support this initiative by working 

with Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and the European Union and its 

member states to further develop this important gas corridor. 

Mr. Chairman, American support for the Southern Corridor 

project is not a zero-sum game intended to privilege one energy 

producer over another, nor should it be viewed as part of a global 

chess match. It is in the U.S. interests that our European partners 

and allies have access to a diversity of secure, reliable sources of 

energy. By helping to strengthen Europe’s energy security, we 

strengthen the transatlantic partnership. 

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

Mr. ROHRABACHER. Thank you, Mr. Keating. 

And I now recognize Judge Poe. 

Mr. POE. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

I would like to offer my support for H. Res. 284. The bill recognizes the importance of European energy security. Supporting the 

Southern Gas Corridor is one way to do that. The Southern Gas 

Corridor reduces the EU’s dependence on Russia by allowing access 

to resources from the Caspian and Central Asian regions. 

Supporting a non-Russian and non-Iranian pipeline to move natural gas from the Caspian region and Central Asia to Europe 

should be a priority. EU member states rely on natural gas. Natural gas comprised nearly 25 percent of the EU’s primary energy 

consumption in 2011, that number expected to grow about 30 perVerDate 0ct 09 2002 09:03 Oct 21, 2013 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00017 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 Y:\WORK\_EEET\091913M\82845 HFA PsN: SHIRL
14

cent by 2030. Far too long European customers have been held hostage by the Russians. Mr. Chairman, I was in the Ukraine when 

the Russians cut off the gas in the winter, and they cut it off for 

political reasons, and I can tell you it was cold in the Ukraine without that energy, and all because of political reasons. So competition 

would promote security for individual nations, but also for the region. Southern Gas Corridor would allow Europe to be less reliant 

on Russia. 

Just like the Caspian region, the U.S. has huge natural gas reserves. In April, I had a hearing on expanding exports of U.S. natural gas. U.S. companies want to export LNG to our friends and 

allies abroad. Unfortunately, the Department of Energy has been 

more of a hindrance than a help. Currently, in order to export natural gas, a person, or a company, has to get both a FERC and a 

DOE permit. FERC is approving the permits at a reasonable rate; 

DOE is not. These companies are at a standstill, so I am working 

on legislation to change that. Under my bill, if a company has both 

a FERC permit and a contract to export LNG, then DOE will have 

60 days to either approve or deny them a permit. If DOE does not 

reach a decision in those 60 days, the company will get the permit 

to export. 

Just like our friends in Europe, we don’t have time to wait 

around on government. In that same spirit, I would urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 284. 

I yield back. 

Mr. ROHRABACHER. Thank you very much, Your Honor. 

And I now recognize Congressman Stockman from Texas. 

Mr. STOCKMAN. Thanks. 

Mr. Chairman, I ask that you put my name also on the bill. But 

in direction to my colleague, Mr. Poe, on the gas, if you do that, 

please add my name to the bill because it is important, especially 

to my district. We are anxiously awaiting on the DOE also. 

I just got back from Azerbaijan, and this is a nation which has 

really turned around quite significantly. It is a nation which the 

GDP, since the new leader has taken over and gone to free economics, has developed very rapidly, and this is good not just for Europe, but it is also good for the region and for competition. And I 

just—excited that you are—Mr. Chairman, that you have introduced it. 

And I yield back the balance of my time. 

Mr. ROHRABACHER. Thank you very much. 

And would you—do you have a statement? 

Mr. MARINO. No, sir. 

Mr. ROHRABACHER. All right. Well, you got here just in time. 

So no other members, I see, are seeking to speak on this resolution. So are there any amendments to this resolution? 

All right. Hearing no amendments, the question occurs on the 

motion to report H. Res. 284 favorably, as amended. All in favor, 

say ‘‘aye.’’

All opposed? 

I don’t hear any. In the opinion of the Chair, the ayes have it. 

The motion is approved. The bill is reported favorably. 

Okay. That is it. Is there anyone—no other requests? That is it. 

15

Want to thank the members and the staff for all their assistance. 

And let us move forward now with full committee. And, as I say, 

I think that when we are facilitating this—a transportation, we are 

making energy more accessible throughout the world, wherever 

that is. That is a positive thing. It uplifts people. We are talking 

about the creating the existence of wealth. And the existence of 

wealth is a very positive thing, especially for people who are trying 

to uplift their conditions in so many parts of the world, especially 

now Central Asia, which is the focus of this committee. 

So with that said, the subcommittee now stands adjourned. 

[Whereupon, at 2:15 p.m., the subcommittee was adjourned.] 

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