House Vote to Send More Liquified Methane Overseas Would Send Prices Spiraling Upwards
WASHINGTON — The U.S. House of Representatives voted today to strip away key federal safeguards intended to protect American families from higher prices caused by record liquefied methane gas exports (also known as liquefied natural gas or LNG) would have on U.S. energy markets, national security, the environment, and local communities. If the proposal became law, H.R. 1949, Unlocking our Domestic LNG Potential Act, would eliminate the requirement that any company seeking to export natural gas must first obtain a determination from the federal government that such exports are “consistent with the public interest.” If the requirement were removed, it would create a fast track for shipping the fossil fuel overseas without key safeguards for working families’ energy affordability, frontline communities or the climate. In response, Tyson Slocum, director of Public Citizen’s Energy Program, issued the following statement:
“Public Citizen estimates that natural gas prices for American households have increased by $10.3 billion from January through August 2025 compared to the same time period a year earlier—a 20% increase. Eight LNG export terminals now consume more natural gas than all American households combined.
“The U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration’s November 2025 Short Term Energy Outlook concludes that Americans face sharply higher natural gas prices ‘primarily due to increased liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports.’
“This radical, and reckless deregulatory proposal eliminates the requirement that gas exports comply with the public interest, allowing fossil fuel companies to enjoy unregulated exports at the expense of affordable energy here at home. President Trump explicitly promised during the campaign that he would lower Americans’ utility bills by half within 12 months. Not only has Trump obviously failed on that promise, but this legislation would exacerbate the energy affordability crisis. The move by Congress to allow bypassing these safeguards could have catastrophic impacts on the consumers in the U.S., sending energy prices soaring, while allowing climate change to get far worse.
“Despite Trump promising he would cut Americans’ energy bills, Congress is set to put consumers at risk of paying more, raising major questions about Trump’s close allegiance with dirty energy executives who want to ship more fuel overseas. Creating more capacity to export U.S. fossil fuels abroad will only accelerate the climate crisis and hurt U.S. consumers.”
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