{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=0e18f9e4-6d30-4be6-9cbe-3bd6bd099905", "COCHRAN & WICKER CALL FOR EXPEDITED LNG EXPORT PROJECTS", "2014-08-07", "2014", "2014-08", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Thad Cochran, R-Miss., and Roger Wicker, R-Miss., are calling on the Obama Administration to expedite approval of project applications to export liquefied natural gas (LNG).\u00a0 The Senators today sent a letter to U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz regarding the issue.\r\nThe letter sent by the Senators states, \u201cLNG exports are\u2026important to America\u2019s national security interests at home and abroad.\u00a0 If the United States can provide an abundant and reliable natural gas alternative to our allies, we can help reduce the leverage of nations like Russia that use the energy market to impose their will and create unrest.\u00a0 In light of Russia\u2019s actions in Ukraine, we must consider how increased U.S. natural gas capacity can help mitigate the effects of such aggression and violations of international law.\r\n\u201cThe Administration, however, has been slow to approve applications to export LNG to countries that do not yet have free trade agreements with the United States.\u00a0 One of the facilities awaiting a decision is the Gulf LNG Liquefaction Company in Pascagoula, Mississippi.\u00a0 The company estimates that Department of Energy approval of its request could lead to approximately $8 billion in investment and the creation of numerous jobs for the region.\u00a0 And yet, the Gulf LNG application has been pending with DOE since 2012.\r\n\u201cThere is significant bipartisan support in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives to expedite and streamline LNG export applications.\u00a0 The economic and national security advantages of supporting LNG exports are too great for bureaucratic roadblocks to stall America\u2019s potential.\u00a0 We strongly encourage you to improve the LNG export application process for our domestic energy industry.\u201d\r\nCochran and Wicker are cosponsors of the \u201cExpedited LNG for American Allies Act of 2013\u201d S.192, which was authored by Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo. The bill would allow the Secretary of Energy to approve exports of natural gas, including LNG, to NATO allies and Japan.\u00a0 Under current law, the Secretary is only required to approve natural gas exports to countries that have free trade agreements with the United States.\r\nA copy of the letter is available below.\r\nRELATED LINK:  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Mississippi Leaders Advocate Growth of LNG Export Market:\u00a0 http://bit.ly/1ouOpBy\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=0e18f9e4-6d30-4be6-9cbe-3bd6bd099905"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.1196047998964787, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}