I 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 89 

To provide for expedited approval of exportation of natural gas to World 

Trade Organization countries, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 6, 2015 

Mr. BRIDENSTINE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Energy and Commerce 

A BILL 

To provide for expedited approval of exportation of natural 

gas to World Trade Organization countries, and for other 

purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Domestic Prosperity 

5 and Global Freedom Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. ACTION ON APPLICATIONS. 

7 (a) DECISION DEADLINE.—For proposals that must 

8 also obtain authorization from the Federal Energy Regu9 latory Commission or the United States Maritime Admin10 istration to site, construct, expand, or operate LNG export 


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1 facilities, the Department of Energy shall issue a final de2 cision on any application for the authorization to export 

3 natural gas under section 3 of the Natural Gas Act (15 

4 U.S.C. 717b) not later than 30 days after the later of— 

5 (1) the conclusion of the review to site, con6 struct, expand, or operate the LNG facilities re7 quired by the National Environmental Policy Act of 

8 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); or 

9 (2) the date of enactment of this Act. 

10 (b) CONCLUSION OF REVIEW.—For purposes of sub11 section (a), review required by the National Environ12 mental Policy Act of 1969 shall be considered concluded— 

13 (1) for a project requiring an Environmental 

14 Impact Statement, 30 days after publication of a 

15 Final Environmental Impact Statement; 

16 (2) for a project for which an Environmental 

17 Assessment has been prepared, 30 days after publi18 cation by the Department of Energy of a Finding of 

19 No Significant Impact; and 

20 (3) upon a determination by the lead agency 

21 that an application is eligible for a categorical exclu22 sion pursuant to National Environmental Policy Act 

23 of 1969 implementing regulations. 

24 (c) JUDICIAL ACTION.—(1) The United States Court 

25 of Appeals for the circuit in which the export facility will 


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1 be located pursuant to an application described in sub2 section (a) shall have original and exclusive jurisdiction 

3 over any civil action for the review of— 

4 (A) an order issued by the Department of En5 ergy with respect to such application; or 

6 (B) the Department of Energy’s failure to issue 

7 a final decision on such application. 

8 (2) If the Court in a civil action described in para9 graph (1) finds that the Department of Energy has failed 

10 to issue a final decision on the application as required 

11 under subsection (a), the Court shall order the Depart12 ment of Energy to issue such final decision not later than 

13 30 days after the Court’s order. 

14 (3) The Court shall set any civil action brought under 

15 this subsection for expedited consideration and shall set 

16 the matter on the docket as soon as practical after the 

17 filing date of the initial pleading. 

18 SEC. 3. PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF EXPORT DESTINATIONS. 

19 Section 3 of the Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. 717b) 

20 is amended by adding at the end the following: 

21 ‘‘(g) PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF LNG EXPORT DES22 TINATIONS.—As a condition for approval of any authoriza23 tion to export LNG, the Secretary of Energy shall require 


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1 the applicant to publicly disclose the specific destination 

2 or destinations of any such authorized LNG exports.’’. 

Æ 


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