Title: European Energy Security and Diversification Act of 2019
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
European Energy Security and Diversification Act of 2019
This bill directs the Department of State to prioritize assistance to develop energy infrastructure in Europe, in particular for projects involving the European Commission and governments in the region. Assistance shall include political, technical, and diplomatic support.
Projects eligible for such assistance include infrastructure for natural gas, electricity transmission, and renewable energy. The State Department shall give preference to projects that (1) improve the capacity to transfer gas and electricity within and between European countries, (2) have been identified by the European Commission as integral for regional energy security, (3) are expected to enhance energy market integration, (4) can attract other sources of funding, and (5) can potentially use U.S. goods and services.
The bill reauthorizes through FY2021 the Countering Russian Influence Fund and establishes that U.S. agencies may use the fund to provide assistance under the bill.
The President shall report to Congress annually about U.S. assistance provided under the bill.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1453 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1453

  To prioritize the efforts of and enhance coordination among United 
  States agencies to encourage European countries to diversify their 
 energy sources and supply routes, increase European countries' energy 
 security, and help the United States reach its global energy security 
                     goals, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 28, 2019

Mr. Kinzinger (for himself, Mr. McCaul, and Mr. Fitzpatrick) introduced 
  the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To prioritize the efforts of and enhance coordination among United 
  States agencies to encourage European countries to diversify their 
 energy sources and supply routes, increase European countries' energy 
 security, and help the United States reach its global energy security 
                     goals, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``European Energy Security and 
Diversification Act of 2019''.

SEC. 2. STATEMENT OF POLICY.

    (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the United 
States has economic and national security interests in assisting 
European countries achieve energy security through diversification of 
their energy sources and supply routes.
    (b) Statement of Policy.--It is the policy of the United States--
            (1) to advance United States foreign policy and development 
        goals by assisting European countries to reduce their 
        dependence on energy resources from countries that use energy 
        dependence for undue political influence, such as the Russian 
        Federation, which has used natural gas to coerce, intimidate, 
        and influence other countries;
            (2) to promote the energy security of European countries by 
        encouraging the development of accessible, transparent, and 
        competitive energy markets that provide diversified sources, 
        types, and routes of energy;
            (3) to encourage United States public and private sector 
        investment in energy infrastructure projects in European 
        countries to bridge the gap between energy security 
        requirements and commercial demand in a way that is consistent 
        with the region's absorptive capacity; and
            (4) to help facilitate the export of United States energy 
        resources, technology, and expertise to global markets in a way 
        that benefits the energy security of European countries.

SEC. 3. PRIORITIZATION OF EFFORTS AND ASSISTANCE FOR ENERGY 
              INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS IN EUROPE.

    (a) In General.--In pursuing the policy described in section 2(b), 
the Secretary of State, in coordination with the heads of United States 
agencies that operate under the foreign policy guidance of the 
Secretary, shall, as appropriate, prioritize and expedite the efforts 
of the Department of State or of such agencies to support the efforts 
of European countries to increase their energy security, including 
through--
            (1) providing diplomatic, political, and technical support 
        to European countries--
                    (A) to facilitate international negotiations with 
                respect to cross-border infrastructure;
                    (B) to enhance European countries' regulatory 
                environment with respect to energy; or
                    (C) to develop accessible, transparent, and 
                competitive energy markets supplied by diverse sources, 
                types, and routes of energy; and
            (2) providing support to improve European energy markets, 
        including early-stage project support and late-stage project 
        support, for the construction or improvement of energy 
        infrastructure--
                    (A) to diversify the energy sources and supply 
                routes of European countries;
                    (B) to enhance energy market integration across the 
                region; or
                    (C) to increase competition within energy markets.
    (b) Project Selection.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary, in consultation with the 
        agencies described in subsection (a), shall identify energy 
        infrastructure projects that would be appropriate for United 
        States assistance under this section.
            (2) Project eligibility.--A project is eligible for United 
        States assistance under this section if the project is--
                    (A) related to--
                            (i) natural gas infrastructure, such as 
                        interconnectors, storage facilities, liquefied 
                        natural gas import facilities, or reverse flow 
                        capacity;
                            (ii) electricity transmission 
                        infrastructure, electricity storage projects, 
                        or smart grid projects;
                            (iii) renewable energy projects in wind, 
                        solar, tidal, or other forms; or
                            (iv) the improvement, rehabilitation, or 
                        construction of natural gas, coal, nuclear, or 
                        other electricity generation facilities to 
                        increase the efficiency and reliability of 
                        electricity production; and
                    (B) located in a European country.
            (3) Preference.--In selecting among projects that are 
        eligible under paragraph (2), the agencies described in 
        subsection (a) shall give preference to projects that--
                    (A) improve the capacity of energy systems to 
                efficiently transfer gas and electricity within and 
                between European countries;
                    (B) have already been identified by the European 
                Commission as being integral for the energy security of 
                European countries;
                    (C) are expected to enhance energy market 
                integration and transparency;
                    (D) can attract funding from the private sector, an 
                international financial institution, the government of 
                the country in which the project will be carried out, 
                or the European Commission; or
                    (E) have the potential to use United States goods 
                and services.
    (c) Countering Russian Influence Fund.--Section 254 of the 
Countering Russian Influence in Europe and Eurasia Act of 2017 (22 
U.S.C. 9543) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a), by striking ``fiscal years 2018 and 
        2019'' and inserting ``fiscal years 2018 through 2021''; and
            (2) in subsection (b), by adding at the end the following:
            ``(7) To assist United States agencies in providing 
        assistance under section 3 of the European Energy Security and 
        Diversification Act of 2019.''.

SEC. 4. PROGRESS REPORTS.

    Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, and annually thereafter for seven years, the President shall 
submit to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the 
Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives a report 
on progress made in providing assistance for projects under section 3 
that includes--
            (1) a description of the energy infrastructure projects for 
        which the United States has provided assistance; and
            (2) for each such project--
                    (A) a description of the role of the United States 
                in the project, including the amount and form of any 
                early-stage project support or late-stage project 
                support; and
                    (B) an update on the progress made on the project 
                as of the date of the report.

SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) European country.--The term ``European country'' means 
        the following:
                    (A) Albania.
                    (B) Andorra.
                    (C) Austria.
                    (D) Belgium.
                    (E) Bosnia and Herzegovina.
                    (F) Bulgaria.
                    (G) Croatia.
                    (H) Cyprus.
                    (I) The Czech Republic.
                    (J) Denmark.
                    (K) Estonia.
                    (L) Finland.
                    (M) France.
                    (N) Germany.
                    (O) Greece.
                    (P) Hungary.
                    (Q) Ireland.
                    (R) Italy.
                    (S) Kosovo.
                    (T) Latvia.
                    (U) Liechtenstein.
                    (V) Lithuania.
                    (W) Luxembourg.
                    (X) Moldova.
                    (Y) Monaco.
                    (Z) Montenegro.
                    (AA) The Netherlands.
                    (BB) North Macedonia.
                    (CC) Norway.
                    (DD) Poland.
                    (EE) Portugal.
                    (FF) Romania.
                    (GG) San Marino.
                    (HH) Serbia.
                    (II) Slovakia.
                    (JJ) Slovenia.
                    (KK) Spain.
                    (LL) Sweden.
                    (MM) Switzerland.
                    (NN) Ukraine.
                    (OO) United Kingdom.
                    (PP) Vatican City.
            (2) Early-stage project support.--The term ``early-stage 
        project support'' includes--
                    (A) feasibility studies;
                    (B) resource evaluations;
                    (C) project appraisal and costing;
                    (D) pilot projects;
                    (E) commercial support, such as trade missions, 
                reverse trade missions, technical workshops, 
                international buyer programs, and international partner 
                searchers to link suppliers to projects;
                    (F) technical assistance and other guidance to 
                improve the local regulatory environment and market 
                frameworks to encourage transparent competition and 
                enhance energy security; and
                    (G) long-term energy sector planning.
            (3) Late-stage project support.--The term ``late-stage 
        project support'' includes loans, guarantees, insurance, 
        reinsurance, equity investments, and transaction advisory 
        services.
            (4) International financial institution.--The term 
        ``international financial institution'' has the meaning given 
        the term in section 1701(c) of the International Financial 
        Institutions Act (22 U.S.C. 262r(c)).
                                 <all>