Bill Summary
The Energy Security Cooperation with Allied Partners in Europe Act of 2019 aims to enhance the security of the United States and its allies by reducing their dependency on Russian energy resources. It condemns the use of energy resources as a geopolitical weapon by the Russian government and promotes energy security in Europe by diversifying energy sources, suppliers, and routes. The bill also supports the development of a transatlantic energy strategy and allows for the expedited export of natural gas to countries that are allies or partners of the United States. It also amends the Natural Gas Act to allow for the expedited export of natural gas to certain countries, including NATO member countries, as deemed in the public interest. This legislation seeks to strengthen energy security for the United States and its partners, while also addressing potential environmental concerns.
Possible Impacts
1. If passed, this legislation could impact people by potentially increasing the cost of natural gas for those living in European countries that rely heavily on Russian energy resources. This could result in higher energy bills or shortages of natural gas for heating and other purposes.
2. The policy outlined in this bill could also affect people by potentially reducing the power and influence of the Russian government, which has been known to use its energy resources as a tool for political gain.
3. The expedited approval of natural gas exports to allies could have economic impacts on both the United States and the recipient countries. For example, the United States could potentially see an increase in exports and economic growth, while the recipient countries could see a decrease in their reliance on other sources of energy.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1830 Reported in Senate (RS)]
<DOC>
Calendar No. 334
116th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1830
To enhance the security of the United States and its allies, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 13, 2019
Mr. Barrasso (for himself, Mr. Gardner, Mr. Daines, Mr. Perdue, Mr.
Cotton, Mrs. Capito, Mr. Tillis, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr. Roberts, Mr.
Kennedy, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Cramer, Mr. Braun, Mr. Enzi, Mr. Hoeven, Mr.
Isakson, Mr. Scott of Florida, Mr. Boozman, Mr. Sullivan, and Mr. Cruz)
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the
Committee on Foreign Relations
December 17, 2019
Reported by Mr. Risch, with an amendment
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To enhance the security of the United States and its allies, and for
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>
<DELETED> This Act may be cited as the ``Energy Security Cooperation
with Allied Partners in Europe Act of 2019''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 2. STATEMENT OF POLICY.</DELETED>
<DELETED> It is the policy of the United States--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) to reduce the dependency of allies and
partners of the United States on Russian energy resources,
especially natural gas, in order for those countries to achieve
lasting and dependable energy security;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) to condemn the Government of the Russian
Federation for, and to deter that government from, using its
energy resources as a geopolitical weapon to coerce,
intimidate, and influence other countries;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) to improve energy security in Europe by
increasing access to diverse, reliable, and affordable
energy;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) to promote energy security in Europe by
working with the European Union and other allies of the United
States to develop liberalized energy markets that provide
diversified energy sources, suppliers, and routes;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (5) to continue to strongly oppose the Nord Stream
2 pipeline based on its detrimental effects on the energy
security of the European Union and the economy of Ukraine and
other countries in Central Europe through which natural gas is
transported; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (6) to support countries that are allies or
partners of the United States by expediting the export of
energy resources from the United States.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 3. NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION.</DELETED>
<DELETED> The President should direct the United States Permanent
Representative on the Council of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
(in this Act referred to as ``NATO'') to use the voice and influence of
the United States to encourage NATO member countries to work together
to achieve energy security for those countries and countries in Europe
and Eurasia that are partners of NATO.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 4. TRANSATLANTIC ENERGY STRATEGY.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that
the United States and other NATO member countries should explore ways
to ensure that NATO member countries diversify their energy supplies
and routes in order to enhance their energy security, including through
the development of a transatlantic energy strategy.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Transatlantic Energy Strategy.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in
coordination with the Administrator of the United States Agency
for International Development and the Secretary of Energy,
shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a
transatlantic energy strategy for the United States--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) to enhance the energy security of NATO
member countries and countries that are partners of
NATO; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) to increase exports of energy from the
United States to such countries.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) Appropriate congressional committees
defined.--In this subsection, the term ``appropriate
congressional committees'' means--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) the Committee on Foreign Relations of
the Senate; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of
the House of Representatives.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 5. EXPEDITED APPROVAL OF EXPORTATION OF NATURAL GAS TO
UNITED STATES ALLIES.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) In General.--Section 3(c) of the Natural Gas Act (15
U.S.C. 717b(c)) is amended--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) by inserting ``(1)'' before ``For
purposes'';</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) by striking ``nation with which there is in
effect a free trade agreement requiring national treatment for
trade in natural gas'' and inserting ``foreign country
described in paragraph (2)''; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) by adding at the end the following:</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(2) A foreign country described in this paragraph is--
</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(A) a nation with which there is in effect a
free trade agreement requiring national treatment for trade in
natural gas;</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(B) a member country of the North Atlantic
Treaty Organization;</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(C) subject to paragraph (3), Japan;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(D) any other foreign country if the Secretary
of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense,
determines that exportation of natural gas to that foreign
country would promote the national security interests of the
United States.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(3) The exportation of natural gas to Japan shall be
deemed to be consistent with the public interest pursuant to paragraph
(1), and applications for such exportation shall be granted without
modification or delay under that paragraph, during only such period as
the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security, signed at Washington
January 19, 1960, and entered into force June 23, 1960 (11 UST 1632;
TIAS 4509), between the United States and Japan, remains in
effect.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section
shall apply with respect to applications for the authorization to
export natural gas under section 3 of the Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C.
717b) that are pending on, or filed on or after, the date of the
enactment of this Act.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 6. MANDATORY SANCTIONS WITH RESPECT TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF
PIPELINES IN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) In General.--The President shall impose five or more
of the sanctions described in section 235 of the Countering America's
Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (22 U.S.C. 9529) with respect to a
person if the President determines that the person knowingly, on or
after the date of the enactment of this Act, makes an investment
described in subsection (b) or sells, leases, or provides to the
Government of the Russian Federation, or to any entity owned or
controlled by that government, for the construction of Russian energy
export pipelines, goods, services, technology, information, or support
described in subsection (c)--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) any of which has a fair market value of
$1,000,000 or more; or</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) that, during a 12-month period, have an
aggregate fair market value of $5,000,000 or more.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Investment Described.--An investment described in this
subsection is any contribution of assets, including a loan guarantee or
any other transfer of value, that directly and significantly
contributes to the enhancement of the ability of the Government of the
Russian Federation, or any entity owned or controlled by that
government, to construct energy export pipelines.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (c) Goods, Services, Technology, Information, or Support
Described.--Goods, services, technology, information, or support
described in this subsection are goods, services, technology,
information, or support that could directly and significantly
facilitate the maintenance or expansion of the construction,
modernization, or repair of energy export pipelines by the Government
of the Russian Federation or any entity owned or controlled by that
government.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (d) Presidential Waiver Authority and Notice to
Congress.--The President may waive the application of sanctions under
this section for a period of not more than 90 days, and may renew such
a waiver for additional periods of not more than 90 days each, if, not
less than 15 days before the waiver or the renewal of the waiver takes
effect, the President--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) determines that the waiver is in the national
security interests of the United States; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) submits to the Committee on Foreign Relations
of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House
of Representatives a notification of, and written justification
for, the waiver.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (e) Exception for Importation of Goods.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) In general.--The authority to impose sanctions
under subsection (a) shall not include the authority to impose
sanctions with respect to the importation of goods.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) Good defined.--In this subsection, the term
``good'' means any article, natural or manmade substance,
material, supply or manufactured product, including inspection
and test equipment, and excluding technical data.</DELETED>
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Energy Security Cooperation with
Allied Partners in Europe Act of 2019''.
SEC. 2. STATEMENT OF POLICY.
It is the policy of the United States--
(1) to reduce the dependency of allies and partners of the
United States on Russian energy resources, especially natural
gas, in order for those countries to achieve lasting and
dependable energy security;
(2) to condemn the Government of the Russian Federation
for, and to deter that government from, using its energy
resources as a geopolitical weapon to coerce, intimidate, and
influence other countries;
(3) to improve energy security in Europe by increasing
access to diverse, reliable, and affordable energy;
(4) to promote energy security in Europe by working with
the European Union and other allies of the United States to
develop liberalized energy markets that provide diversified
energy sources, suppliers, and routes;
(5) to continue to strongly oppose the Nord Stream 2
pipeline based on its detrimental effects on the energy
security of the European Union and the economy of Ukraine and
other countries in Central Europe through which natural gas is
transported; and
(6) to support countries that are allies or partners of the
United States by expediting the export of energy resources from
the United States.
SEC. 3. NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION.
The President should direct the United States Permanent
Representative on the Council of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
(in this Act referred to as ``NATO'') to use the voice and influence of
the United States to encourage NATO member countries to work together
to achieve energy security for those countries and countries in Europe
and Eurasia that are partners of NATO.
SEC. 4. TRANSATLANTIC ENERGY STRATEGY.
(a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the United
States and other NATO member countries should explore ways to ensure
that NATO member countries diversify their energy supplies and routes
in order to enhance their energy security, including through the
development of a transatlantic energy strategy.
(b) Transatlantic Energy Strategy.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in
coordination with the Administrator of the United States Agency
for International Development and the Secretary of Energy,
shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a
transatlantic energy strategy for the United States--
(A) to enhance the energy security of NATO member
countries and countries that are partners of NATO; and
(B) to increase exports of energy, energy
technologies, and energy development services from the
United States to such countries.
(2) Appropriate congressional committees defined.--In this
subsection, the term ``appropriate congressional committees''
means--
(A) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the
Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House
of Representatives.
SEC. 5. EXPEDITED APPROVAL OF EXPORTATION OF NATURAL GAS TO UNITED
STATES ALLIES.
(a) In General.--Section 3(c) of the Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C.
717b(c)) is amended--
(1) by inserting ``(1)'' before ``For purposes'';
(2) by striking ``nation with which there is in effect a
free trade agreement requiring national treatment for trade in
natural gas'' and inserting ``foreign country described in
paragraph (2)''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(2) A foreign country described in this paragraph is--
``(A) a nation with which there is in effect a free trade
agreement requiring national treatment for trade in natural
gas;
``(B) a member country of the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization;
``(C) subject to paragraph (3), Japan; and
``(D) any other foreign country if the Secretary of State,
in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, determines that
exportation of natural gas to that foreign country would
promote the national security interests of the United States.
``(3) The exportation of natural gas to Japan shall be deemed to be
consistent with the public interest pursuant to paragraph (1), and
applications for such exportation shall be granted without modification
or delay under that paragraph, during only such period as the Treaty of
Mutual Cooperation and Security, signed at Washington January 19, 1960,
and entered into force June 23, 1960 (11 UST 1632; TIAS 4509), between
the United States and Japan, remains in effect.
``(4) Nothing in this section may be construed--
``(A) to authorize the use of eminent domain to seize land
or land rights; or
``(B) to waive any requirement under--
``(i) the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C.
1531 et seq.);
``(ii) the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33
U.S.C. 1251 et seq.);
``(iii) the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); or
``(iv) the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401 et
seq.).''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall
apply with respect to applications for the authorization to export
natural gas under section 3 of the Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. 717b)
that are pending on, or filed on or after, the date of the enactment of
this Act.
Calendar No. 334
116th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1830
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To enhance the security of the United States and its allies, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
December 17, 2019
Reported with an amendment