Texas Border Business
By Roberto Hugo González
In a significant move, ten House Democrats, including notable figures such as Congresswomen Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), and Mary Peltola (AK-AL), alongside Congressmen Vicente Gonzalez (TX-34), Marc Veasey (TX-33), Don Davis (TX-01), Henry Cuellar (TX-28), Jim Costa (CA-21), Lou Correa (CA-46), and Colin Allred (TX-32), have come together to strongly endorse the United States’ liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports. Their unified stance emphasizes the critical role of LNG in bolstering U.S. national interests, economic prosperity, and energy security, as well as its pivotal contribution to global energy stability and the transition towards more sustainable energy sources.
The letter addressed to President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. shows a bipartisan concern over the implications of restricting LNG exports for the United States’ strategic energy interests. The signatories advocate for continued and enhanced support for U.S. LNG exports, asserting that such policies are essential for ensuring affordable, accessible, and sustainable energy resources both domestically and globally. They argue that U.S. LNG exports are a boon for the American economy and a key instrument in fostering global stability, reducing reliance on energy from geopolitically unstable regions, and assisting international partners in their energy transition efforts.
The letter highlights the significant economic benefits of LNG exports, including job creation, economic growth, and improvements to the national trade deficit. The U.S. natural gas industry is credited with providing over one million American jobs and contributing substantially to reducing the national trade deficit by a factor of $60-$100 billion per year. Despite concerns, the correspondents clarify that the increase in LNG exports has not adversely impacted domestic natural gas prices, which have remained low, thus dispelling myths about the negative effects of LNG exports on domestic energy costs.
From an environmental perspective, the letter stresses the role of U.S. LNG in aiding the global community to meet its emissions reduction goals. U.S. LNG exports are positioned as a crucial component in the global energy transition by providing a cleaner-burning alternative to coal and other high-intensity fuels. The potential climate impact of replacing international coal usage with U.S. LNG by 2030 is likened to major domestic environmental initiatives, showcasing the global environmental benefits of U.S. LNG exports.
The correspondence emphasizes the strategic importance of LNG exports in enhancing global energy security. By diversifying energy supplies and reducing reliance on volatile regions, U.S. LNG exports strengthen the United States’ alliances and partnerships worldwide. The signatories advocate for the U.S. to continue leading the way in ensuring the security of energy supplies, both for itself and its allies, highlighting the role of LNG exports in reinforcing global energy security and stability.
A Call for Continued Support
The letter concludes with a call to the Biden administration to maintain and enhance support for U.S. LNG exports, reflecting a shared conviction among the signatories about the vital role of LNG in advancing national interests, economic prosperity, energy security, and global alliances. They express appreciation for the administration’s historic commitment to promoting U.S. LNG exports and urge continued collaborative efforts to preserve LNG exports as a key component of the nation’s energy and national security strategy.
This collective endorsement by ten House Democrats surly demonstrates the bipartisan recognition of the importance of U.S. LNG exports in shaping a future marked by energy stability, sustainability, and prosperity, both domestically and internationally.
Read the full letter here. And Below:
