119-s1274

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1274 Introduced in Senate

    (IS) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 S. 1274

To prohibit the export of liquefied natural gas and petroleum products 
 to certain countries.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

 April 3, 2025

 Mr. Merkley (for himself, Mr. Reed, and Mr. King) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
 Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

To prohibit the export of liquefied natural gas and petroleum products 
 to certain countries.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Protecting American Households From 
Rising Energy Costs Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

 In this Act:

    (1) Petroleum product.--The term ``petroleum product'' has 
 the meaning given the term in 

section 3 of the Energy Policy 
 and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6202).

    (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
 of Energy.

SEC. 3. PROHIBITION ON EXPORTS OF LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS AND PETROLEUM 
 PRODUCTS TO CERTAIN COUNTRIES.

    (a) Prohibitions.--

    (1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
 law, unless a waiver has been issued under subsection

    (b) , no 
 person or entity may export or resell, either directly or 
 indirectly through 1 or more third parties, liquefied natural 
 gas or petroleum products--
        (A) to any entity operating in the territory of, or 
 territory owned by, the People's Republic of China (or 
 the Chinese Communist Party), the Russian Federation, 
 the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, or the 
 Islamic Republic of Iran; or
        (B) to any entity that is under the ownership or 
 control, as determined by the Secretary in consultation 
 with the Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of 
 Commerce, of the People's Republic of China (or the 
 Chinese Communist Party), the Russian Federation, the 
 Democratic People's Republic of Korea, or the Islamic 
 Republic of Iran.

    (2) Responsibility.--It is the responsibility of the export 
 authorization holder to ensure compliance with this Act and any 
 other applicable law or policy, including rules, regulations, 
 orders, and other determinations made by--
        (A) the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the 
 Department of the Treasury; and
        (B) the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

    (b) Waiver.--

    (1) In general.--On application by an exporter, the 
 Secretary may waive, prior to the date of the applicable 
 contract, the prohibitions described in subsection

    (a) with 
 respect to the sale of liquefied natural gas or petroleum 
 products.

    (2) Requirement.--The Secretary may issue a waiver under 
 this subsection only if the Secretary determines that an 
 imminent and acute national security emergency to the United 
 States exists and that other means of responding to the 
 emergency would be inadequate.

    (3) Applications.--An exporter seeking a waiver under this 
 subsection shall submit to the Secretary an application by such 
 date, in such form, and containing such information as the 
 Secretary may require.

    (4) Notice to congress.--Not later than 15 days after 
 issuing a waiver under this subsection, the Secretary shall 
 provide a copy of the waiver to the Committee on Energy and 
 Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and 
 Commerce of the House of Representatives.
            (c) Rulemaking.--The Secretary may promulgate, amend, and rescind 
rules and regulations, as the Secretary determines to be appropriate, 
to carry out this Act.

SEC. 4. ENFORCEMENT PROVISIONS.

    (a) Unlawful Acts.--It shall be unlawful for a person to violate, 
attempt to violate, conspire to violate, or cause a violation of any 
prohibition of, or any waiver, license, order, or regulation issued 
pursuant to this Act.

    (b) Civil Penalty.--

    (1) In general.--The Secretary may impose a civil penalty 
 on any person who commits an unlawful act described in 
 subsection

    (a) in an amount not to exceed the greater of--
        (A) $250,000,000; and
        (B) an amount that is twice the amount of the 
 transaction that is the basis of the violation with 
 respect to which the penalty is imposed.

    (2) Notice and opportunity for hearing.--A civil penalty 
 under paragraph

    (1) may be imposed by the Secretary by an order 
 made on the record after providing written notice to the person 
 to be assessed the civil penalty and an opportunity for a 
 hearing in accordance with this section and sections 554 
 through 557 of title 5, United States Code.

    (3) Civil action.--If a person described in paragraph

    (1) fails to pay a civil penalty imposed by the Secretary under 
 this subsection after receiving notice and an opportunity for a 
 hearing under paragraph

    (2) , the Secretary may bring a civil 
 action against that person in an appropriate district court of 
 the United States.

    (4) Relief.--If a civil action brought by the Secretary 
 under paragraph

    (3) is successful, the applicable court may 
 grant appropriate relief, including--
        (A) a temporary injunction;
        (B) a permanent injunction; and
            (C) enforcing the civil penalties described in 
 paragraph

    (1) .
            (c) Criminal Penalty.--A person who knowingly commits, knowingly 
attempts to commit, or knowingly conspires to commit, or aids or abets 
in the commission of, an unlawful act described in subsection

    (a) shall 
be fined not more than $100,000,000, imprisoned for not more than 20 
years, or both.
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