Speaker of the House Mike Johnson issued a statement following the passage of H.R. 1949, known as the Unlocking Our Domestic LNG Potential Act of 2025, by the House of Representatives. The legislation aims to change how liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports are approved in the United States.
“President Trump and Congressional Republicans are working together to unleash reliable American energy to lower costs for families, support American workers and energy producers, and ensure America is never again held hostage by radical climate bureaucrats and activists. President Biden’s natural gas export ban was among his most damaging policy decisions, and it was a major setback for American energy, workers, producers, consumers, partners, and allies,” Speaker Johnson said. “The House passage of the Unlocking Our Domestic LNG Potential Act helps guarantee that a ban is never placed on American LNG exports again, depoliticizes the permitting process and unleashes American energy producers from the bonds of the Biden-era subversive bureaucratic overreach. This legislation codifies more of President Trump’s executive orders, advances Republicans’ energy dominance agenda, and returns to regular order on LNG exports so America can once again be a leader in the global market.”
Chairman Guthrie commented on Republican efforts regarding U.S. energy policy: “By unleashing American energy, House Republicans are leading the way to support our nation’s energy security, strengthen our grid, and lower prices for hard-working families. The REFINER Act will help to ensure our refineries are being used effectively to produce the oil, gas, and other critical feedstocks we rely upon while the Unlocking our Domestic LNG Potential Act expands American energy production and infrastructure by removing U.S. LNG export restrictions, which the Biden-Harris Administration politicized and abused.”
Congressman Pfluger added: “Today’s House passage of my Unlocking Our Domestic LNG Potential Act is another major victory in achieving American energy dominance. My legislation reforms the broken, politically weaponized approval process so we can streamline permitting for exporting LNG once and for all. It’s simple: Exporting American LNG strengthens our economy, stabilizes prices, drives much-needed investment in energy infrastructure, and bolsters the energy security of our global partners. I thank my colleagues for supporting this critical legislation, and I urge its swift passage in the Senate under Senator Scott’s strong leadership.”
During President Biden’s administration no new authorizations were granted for U.S. LNG exports due to a ban enacted by his administration. Since January 2025 when President Trump took office again, at least three final authorizations have been issued for such exports; six new projects valued at over $70 billion have also received final investment decisions.
H.R. 1949 proposes transferring sole authority over LNG export approvals from the Department of Energy (DOE) to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). FERC would be responsible for reviewing applications related to siting, construction or operation of facilities involved in importing or exporting natural gas.
The bill does not limit presidential authority to impose sanctions against foreign governments or restrict imports or exports if needed.
Mike Johnson has represented Louisiana’s 4th district in Congress since 2017 after serving in Louisiana’s state legislature from 2015-2017. He was born in Shreveport in 1972 and currently resides in Benton with academic credentials from Louisiana State University where he earned both his BA (1995) and JD (1998).
