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HR1949FEDERALSession 119Federal Billpassed chamber

Passed

Unlocking our Domestic LNG Potential Act of 2025

Last action · December 8, 2025: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 286.Sponsors: August Pfluger and 43 others

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Law

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Public stanceCommunity reactions are separate from the official record and reporting.

What This Bill Would Do

This bill proposes to remove existing federal restrictions on the import and export of natural gas. It grants the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) exclusive authority to approve or deny natural gas facility applications and mandates that such exports or imports be automatically considered in the .

Why it matters

The bill would change the federal approval process for natural gas terminals by removing current regulatory hurdles and requiring regulators to presume that all natural gas exports and imports are in the .

Who It Would Affect

Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

Natural Gas Industry

Companies involved in the construction and operation of LNG terminals would face a new regulatory approval process that presumes their projects are in the public interest.

Directly affected

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

The agency is granted exclusive authority over the approval of natural gas export and import facilities.

Key Facts

The bill repeals existing subsections (a) through (c) of Section 3 of the Natural Gas Act.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is granted exclusive authority to approve or deny applications for siting, construction, expansion, or operation of natural gas export/import facilities.
FERC must deem all applications for natural gas export or import to be consistent with the public interest.
The bill preserves the President's existing authority to prohibit imports or exports under emergency powers, sanctions laws, or the Trading With the Enemy Act.

Show all 7 facts

The bill explicitly maintains the President's power to restrict trade with countries designated as state sponsors of terrorism.
The bill does not affect other federal agency authorities or responsibilities regarding natural gas facilities beyond the specific changes to the Natural Gas Act.
The bill defines 'state sponsor of terrorism' based on existing criteria in the Export Control Reform Act, Foreign Assistance Act, and Arms Export Control Act.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this bill remove all government oversight of natural gas terminals?

No. The bill grants the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) exclusive authority to approve or deny applications and preserves the President's authority to restrict trade under emergency and sanctions laws.

Will this bill allow exports to countries sanctioned by the U.S.?

No. The bill explicitly states that it does not limit the President's authority to prohibit imports or exports to countries designated as state sponsors of terrorism or those subject to other U.S. sanctions.

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Where This Stands

Currently passed chamber. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Law.

Procedural history

23 actions

Dec 8, 2025Senate
Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 286.
Dec 8, 2025Senate
Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time. (Legislative Day December 4, 2025).
Dec 2, 2025Senate
Received in the Senate.
Nov 20, 2025House
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Nov 20, 2025HouseFloor
On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 217 - 188 (Roll no. 304). (text: CR H4841)
Nov 20, 2025HouseFloor
Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 217 - 188 (Roll no. 304). (text: CR H4841)

Show 17 earlier actions

Nov 20, 2025House
Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H4850-4851)
Nov 20, 2025House
POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on H.R. 1949, the Chair put the question on passage of the bill and by voice vote announced the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Pallone demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings until a time to be announced.
Nov 20, 2025House
The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
Nov 20, 2025House
DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 1949.
Nov 20, 2025House
Rule provides for consideration of S.J. Res. 80, H.J. Res. 130, H.J. Res. 131, H. Con. Res. 58, H.R. 1949, H.R. 3109, H.R. 5107 and H.R. 5214. The resolution provides for consideration of S.J. Res. 80, H.J. Res. 130, H.J. Res. 131, H. Con. Res. 58, H.R. 1949, H.R. 3109, H.R. 5107, and H.R. 5214 under a closed rule with one hour of general debate on each measure. The resolution also provides for one motion to recommit on H.J. Res. 130, H.J. Res. 131, H.R. 1949, H.R. 3109, H.R. 5107, and H.R. 5214, and one motion to commit S.J. Res. 80.
Nov 20, 2025House
Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 879. (consideration: CR H4841-4849)
Nov 17, 2025House
Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 879 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of S.J. Res. 80, H.J. Res. 130, H.J. Res. 131, H. Con. Res. 58, H.R. 1949, H.R. 3109, H.R. 5107 and H.R. 5214. The resolution provides for consideration of S.J. Res. 80, H.J. Res. 130, H.J. Res. 131, H. Con. Res. 58, H.R. 1949, H.R. 3109, H.R. 5107, and H.R. 5214 under a closed rule with one hour of general debate on each measure. The resolution also provides for one motion to recommit on H.J. Res. 130, H.J. Res. 131, H.R. 1949, H.R. 3109, H.R. 5107, and H.R. 5214, and one motion to commit S.J. Res. 80.
Nov 17, 2025House
Supplemental report filed by the Committee on Energy and Commerce, H. Rept. 119-269, Part II.
Sep 11, 2025House
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 225.
Sep 11, 2025HouseCommittee
Reported by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 119-269.
Jun 25, 2025HouseCommittee
Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 26 - 23.
Jun 25, 2025House
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Jun 5, 2025House
Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by the Yeas and Nays: 15 - 13.
Jun 5, 2025House
Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Jun 3, 2025HouseCommittee
Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy.
Mar 6, 2025HouseCommittee
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Mar 6, 2025HouseIntroduced
Introduced in House

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

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Voting Record

Outcome not reportedHouse11/20/2025Voteview

Total

403

Yes: 217
No: 186
Present: 0
Not voting: 0
Abstain: 0

How they voted (403)

379 more members

Marilyn StricklandDno

April McClain DelaneyDno

John MannionDno

David RouzerRyes

Don BaconRyes

Christopher DeluzioDno

Tom EmmerRyes

Michelle FischbachRyes

Nellie PouDno

Dale StrongRyes

Madeleine DeanDno

Nicholas LangworthyRyes

Monica De La CruzRyes

John LarsonDno

Jim JordanRyes

Michael BaumgartnerRyes

Bonnie Watson ColemanDno

Mike HaridopolosRyes

Scott FranklinRyes

Mario Diaz-BalartRyes

Kristen McDonald RivetDno

Jefferson Van DrewRyes

Richard McCormickRyes

Chuck EdwardsRyes

Teresa Leger FernandezDno

Christopher SmithRyes

Debbie Wasserman SchultzDno

Pramila JayapalDno

Nicole MalliotakisRyes

Mariannette Miller-MeeksRyes

James McGovernDno

Maria SalazarRyes

Terri SewellDno

Charles FleischmannRyes

Sydney Kamlager-DoveDno

Brian FitzpatrickRyes

Alexandria Ocasio-CortezDno

Morgan McGarveyDno

Sean CastenDno

Brittany PettersenDno

Jennifer McClellanDno

Sheila Cherfilus-McCormickDno

Diana HarshbargerRyes

Guy ReschenthalerRyes

Show 1 earlier roll call

Motion succeededHouse11/20/2025U.S. CongressOfficial roll call ↗

On Passage

Total

433

Yes: 217
No: 188
Present: 0
Not voting: 28
Abstain: 0

How they voted (1)

Raúl GrijalvaDno

Full roll-call analysis →

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Related Legislation

hearing transcript

Hearing on the National Emergencies Act

The House Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management held a hearing on May 24, 2023, to examine the National Eme

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift100% confidence

Presumption of Public Interest

The bill shifts the burden of proof by mandating that regulators must automatically consider natural gas exports/imports to be in the public interest.

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Connected Entities

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, August Pfluger

OrganizationFederal Energy Regulatory Commission“The agency granted exclusive authority to approve or deny natural gas facility a”Map →

PersonAugust Pfluger“Primary sponsor of the bill in the House of Representatives.”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.congress.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance85
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy75
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment10
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz40
Current news / social attention level

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