{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.inhofe.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/inhofe-expand-lng-exports-to-turn-tables-on-putin", "Inhofe: Expand LNG Exports to Turn Tables on Putin", "2014-10-27", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "OK", "James Inhofe", "I000024", "www.inhofe.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Inhofe: Expand LNG Exports to Turn Tables on Putin\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tMonday, October 27, 2014\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), senior member of the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, today sent a letter to President Obama highlighting the steps Lithuania is taking to free itself of energy dependence on Russia and to support regional stability.\r\nInhofe sent the letter after attending today\u2019s inauguration of Lithuania\u2019s first liquefied natural gas (LNG) import facility in Klaipeda. During his time in country, he also met with Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite, Prime Minister\u00a0Algirdas Butkevi?ius\u00a0of Lithuania, Prime Minister\u00a0Laimdota Straujuma\u00a0of Latvia, and Prime Minister Taavi Roivas\u00a0of Estonia.\r\nInhofe wrote,\u00a0\"The inauguration of Lithuania\u2019s first liquefied natural gas (LNG) import facility marks an important step in our European allies\u2019 efforts to free themselves from the grip and influence of Russia, which manipulates natural resources markets to advance its foreign policy agenda.\u00a0 Energy assets have always been seen as strategic from a geopolitical perspective, and Russia has long been among the most aggressive at exercising this power.\"\r\nInhofe continued,\u00a0\"The strong arm of Russia\u2019s energy exports enables the nation to act as a bully to many of our strongest allies, and it is threatening energy embargoes if political steps are taken that President Putin does not like.\u00a0\u00a0Fortunately, the region is bolstering its energy infrastructure with additional LNG import terminals and pipeline capacity, which are lessening Russia\u2019s grip.\r\n\"With that in mind, it is now our responsibility to supply their demand with American natural gas.\u00a0\u00a0I applaud the steps your Administration has taken to approve permits for facilities to export LNG to countries with which the United States does not have Free Trade Agreements; it is imperative that you continue building on this success.\" \u00a0\r\nInhofe has long advocated for the export of domestic LNG, and in July 2013 led a bipartisan letter with 33 of his colleagues, urging the U.S. Department of Energy to expedite its consideration of LNG export permit applications.\r\nInhofe concluded,\u00a0\"Global demand for LNG is expanding, and the more LNG the United States makes available, the more quickly we will be able to turn the tables on President Putin and ensure the energy security of our friends and allies around the world.\u201d\r\nTo read the full text of the letter click here.\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u00a0###", 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.inhofe.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/inhofe-expand-lng-exports-to-turn-tables-on-putin"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.3097600787878036, "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"}