Washington, DC– Congressman David B. McKinley, P.E., (WV-1) voted today to expand liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports to United States allies around the world, which will create jobs at home and strengthen America abroad. The LNG Permitting Certainty and Transparency Act, would end the bureaucratic slowdown by President Obama and streamline permits for export infrastructure.

“Over the past five years, there has been an economic bright spot that is significant for the future of our state and our nation – natural gas extraction from the Marcellus and Utica Shale. From farmers and landowners to drillers and manufacturers, West Virginians have benefited from the safe extraction of this clean-burning resource. By allowing West Virginia’s natural gas to be sold around the world, we can ensure a growing market and continued job growth for our state,”McKinley said.

In addition to aiding the local economy, LNG exports will give America’s allies more choices on the international market. Currently, U.S. allies in Europe, such as Germany and Poland, are forced to import huge amounts of their energy from Russia, which has invaded its neighbor Ukraine.

“If America was able to export gas to Europe, for instance, we would find our allies more willing to push back against Russian aggression,” said McKinley.

Despite the jobs, investments, affordable energy for businesses and consumers, and chance to increase American influence with LNG exports, President Obama has made approvalfor export terminals unnecessarily costly and hard to obtain.

“Radical environmentalists in the Obama Administration would prefer to keep the gas in the ground, along with all the jobs and economic growth that accompany it. Instead of throwing up road blocks to LNG exports, investments in pipeline infrastructure, and more production, we should be promoting and facilitating it. West Virginia can lead the way in America’s energy renaissance, but only if government stays out of the way,”said McKinley

Rep. McKinley wrote an opinion-editorialfor the Charleston Daily Mail on LNG exports last November.

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