Sens. Cruz and Cornyn Introduce Protect LNG Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) introduced the Protect LNG Act. The legislation ensures that a court cannot vacate a previously authorized LNG permit, clarifies the venue for LNG lawsuits before federal courts, and mandates that courts grant expedited decisions in relevant cases.

Sen. Cruz said, “Texas energy producers have made the United States the largest exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the world and have created jobs for thousands of Texans. However, fringe environmental groups and politicized courts are threatening those successes, and in the process endangering the development of energy projects across the United States. The Protect LNG Act protects energy producers from these attacks.”

Sen. Cornyn said, “As the leading producer of oil and natural gas in the nation, Texas plays a key role in supporting thousands of well-paying jobs at home and keeping the lights on across the country. This legislation will help crack down on frivolous lawsuits by left-wing climate activists who seek to weaponize our courts and threaten American energy, and I’m glad to join Sen. Cruz in halting this effort and maintaining Texas’ energy dominance.”

The full text of the Protect LNG Act is available here.

BACKGROUND:

In August, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit vacated reauthorizations for the Rio Grande LNG and Texas LNG projects, threatening 7,000 jobs and undermining $24 billion in investments in the Rio Grande Valley. On September 25, 2024, Sen. Cruz sent a letter to the Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission urging him to appeal this terrible decision.

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