In a decisive move, the House passed legislation on Thursday to counter President Joe Biden’s decision to halt domestic Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) production. Concerns over the potential advantages this permit freeze could offer to American adversaries like Russia and Qatar loomed large.
The Unlocking Our Domestic LNG Potential Act, championed by Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX), garnered approval from 215 Republicans and 9 Democrats. Although the Democrat-controlled Senate is unlikely to consider it, the vote served as a platform for House Republicans to voice their opposition to the LNG ban in advance of the 2024 election.
Biden’s directive has elicited praise from left-leaning climate advocacy groups while drawing criticism from conservative circles and national security advocates.
Perceived as a concession to Biden’s progressive base in an election year, the policy has received substantial support from left-leaning donors, who have contributed millions to activist groups advocating for the LNG pause, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.
According to sources cited by the Washington Free Beacon, John Podesta, the incoming climate czar, played a pivotal role in advocating for the policy behind the scenes. Meanwhile, his brother, Tony Podesta, a prominent Washington lobbyist, has represented numerous foreign clients within the LNG industry, potentially benefiting from the U.S. permit freeze, the Free Beacon disclosed on Thursday.
Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI) highlighted Tony Podesta’s lobbying efforts in a floor speech urging the reversal of the LNG freeze on Thursday, stating, “Today it was reported that one of the plan’s main architects, soon-to-be climate envoy John Podesta, might have other reasons to damper America’s LNG future. His brother [is] a long-time lobbyist for foreign LNG companies, including one founded by Russian energy oligarchs.”
Chairwoman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R., Wash.), emphasized the significance of American LNG exports, particularly in supporting European allies amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. She noted that since the invasion, American LNG exports have helped reduce natural gas prices for European nations by over 83 percent and lessen their reliance on Russia.
