Mark Alford: “I thank my friend from Pennsylvania for yielding me the time. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support the rule and to…”

“I thank my friend from Pennsylvania for yielding me the time. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support the rule and to address a pressing issue affecting each and every American--our energy security. You see, Mr. Speaker, energy is not a luxury. It is the bedrock of our Nation's strength. It heats our homes, it cooks our food, and it fuels our travels. Yet, our energy independence is threatened as domestic energy producers face unprecedented challenges. The pause on LNG export permits empowers countries like Russia and Iran and hurts our allies who depend on U.S. energy. This is precisely why we need this legislation, Unlocking our Domestic LNG Potential Act. We have witnessed a regulatory assault that has stifled investment. It has spiked energy prices. It has hit families where it hurts the most, in their pocketbooks and purses. Remember, American-produced LNG is cleaner with 41 percent lower life-cycle emissions than Russian gas, but now, because of a political stunt by the President of the United States, our Strategic Petroleum Reserve is at its lowest level since the 1980s. This is just not an environmental issue. It is an economic and security crisis. The energy sector supports millions of American jobs and has been the engine of our economy, but the current policies risk these jobs and our growth. This is not about politics. This is about our very survival as a Nation. We must act, and we must act now.…”