Senator Markey, Representative Espaillat, and Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Lower Household Energy Bills by Stopping Exports of Natural Gas Abroad

Bill Text (PDF)

Washington (December 17, 2025) - Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, and Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) today introduced the Lowering American Energy Costs Act. The bill directs the President to prohibit most U.S. exports of natural gas due to their contribution to rising household energy costs-a move that will protect consumers from utility price hikes and reduce greenhouse gases. This would not be the first time Congress has prohibited fossil fuel exports: in 1975, Congress passed a ban on crude oil and natural gas exports-a ban that was repealed in 2015.

The Lowering American Energy Costs Act is cosponsored by Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.); Representatives Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.). Representative Clarke previously co-led the Lowering American Energy Costs Act with Representative Espaillat in the House.

"Fossil fuel billionaires aren't just harming our health by polluting our air, land, and water-they're busting our budgets every month through massive exports of fossil fuels that drive higher prices on the international market and create sky-high prices for us at home," said Senator Markey. "The Lowering American Energy Costs Act would put a stop to natural gas exports that are draining Americans' pockets, polluting our planet, and destroying our chance at a livable future."

"The Lowering American Energy Costs Act would have an immediate impact on Americans' energy bills, which have skyrocketed in the past year, with many households seeing double digit increases in the rates they pay," said Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13). "While this cost explosion is unprecedented, the solutions are clear. We must ramp up renewable energy generation and ensure that American households are our primary and priority consumers, not AI companies or foreign purchasers. I am proud to join Senator Markey, Representative Clarke, and our colleagues to offer this legislation, which would reestablish the export ban on fossil fuels that was lifted in 2015 at the behest of billionaire oil barons, and lighten the cost burden that energy bills are having on Americans."

"When each passing day of inaction increases the severity of the climate crisis and decreases our ability to fight back against it, solutions like the Lowering American Energy Costs Act grow all the more critical. Banning the export of our energy resources is a necessary step towards, at long last, putting American families, futures, and communities first, and I am proud to co-lead this legislative answer to an already existential problem. It's past time we prioritize the American people over someone else's profits," said Representative Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09).

Several stakeholders joined the lawmakers in endorsing the Lowering American Energy Costs Act.

"This bill is exactly what American families need to help stop soaring energy bills, driven by unchecked LNG exports. By leading this important legislation, Senator Markey and Representative Espaillat are standing up for consumers who are being exploited by profiteering LNG exporters, while also protecting communities from dangerous and unnecessary fossil fuel infrastructure," said Jim Walsh, Policy Director of Food & Water Watch.

"At a time when household energy costs are skyrocketing for millions of Americans, stopping the expansion of costly, polluting gas export infrastructure is paramount. We are grateful that Senator Markey's Lowering American Energy Costs Act prohibits the export of U.S. methane gas in order to lower costs and prevent already overburdened communities from more pollution and harm caused by the unnecessary fossil fuel buildout," said Claire Dorner, Associate Director, Legislative and Administrative Advocacy, Beyond Dirty Fuels.

"This bold, commonsense bill will help protect the health and pocketbooks of American families, who're being ravaged by filthy fossil fuels," said Camden Weber, climate and energy policy specialist at the Center for Biological Diversity. "By banning U.S. methane gas exports, this bill prioritizes public health, tackles the emissions driving the climate crisis, and shields Americans from soaring energy costs. Sen. Markey is showing true leadership by putting the American people above corporate profits while the Trump administration and complicit Republicans side with fossil fuel interests."

This legislation is endorsed by Food & Water Watch, Beyond Dirty Fuels, Center for Biological Diversity, Sierra Club, Public Citizen, Earthworks, WE ACT for Environmental Justice, 198 Methods, 350Hawaii, 350NYC, Better Brazoria, the Carrizo/Comecrudo Nation of Texas, Center for Oil and Gas Organizing, Climate Conversation Brazoria County, Climate Hawks Vote, Dayenu: A Jewish Call to Climate Action, Delaware Riverkeeper Network, Earth Ethics, Elders Coalition for Climate Action, For a Better Bayou, Freeport Haven Project, GreenLatinos, Greenpeace USA, Hip Hop Caucus, Institute for Policy Studies Climate Policy Program, League of Conservation Voters, Oil and Gas Action Network, Oil Change International, Oil Field Witness, Port Arthur Community Action Network, Putnam Progressives, Stand.Earth, The People's Justice Council, Third Act Ohio, Turtle Island Restoration Network, Vessel Project of Louisiana, Waterkeeper Alliance, Bronx Council for Environmental Quality, and New York Restoration Project.

The United States is the largest exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the world-the country's eight operating LNG export terminals consume more natural gas than 73 million American households combined. Unconstrained exports of natural gas have a direct impact on utility bills for American households, as confirmed repeatedly by Department of Energy studies conducted in 2012, 2018, and 2024 and by Energy Information Administration analysis released last month from the Energy Information Administration. Since Trump took office, United States households paid $12 billion more for natural gas than they did last year, largely because of the continuing rise in LNG exports-an average of about $124 more per household.

Senator Markey has long been outspoken about rising energy costs for American households, as well as the harmful economic and environmental impacts of unconstrained natural gas exports.

• In November, Senator Markey introduced the Stop Shut-Offs During Shutdowns Act, legislation that calls on electric and gas utilities across the country to immediately suspend shut-offs of service for nonpayment during federal government shutdowns.
• In March, Senator Markey reintroduced the Heating and Cooling Relief Act, legislation to significantly expand and modernize the severely underfunded Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).
• During COP29 in November, Senator Markey partnered with Representative Lisa Badum of Germany and Senator Rosa Galvez of Canada to lead more than 130 leaders from around the world in sending an open letter urging world leaders and UN-level negotiators to support an immediate moratorium on the expansion of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) infrastructure worldwide.
• In September 2024, Senator Markey held a bicameral meeting between the Senate Climate Change Task Force and the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC) titled "Liquefied Fossil Gas (LNG): International and Domestic Impacts of the Rapid Rise in U.S. Exports."
• In September 2024, Senator Markey led a letter with over 130 global legislators calling on Biden to fully halt LNG exports.
• In July 2024, Senator Markey sent a letter with several New England Senators to the Department of Energy urging it to consider the disproportionate negative impacts of liquefied natural gas (LNG) on New England as the department considers updates to its underlying environmental and economic analyses to improve export authorization decisions for LNG.
• In May 2024, Senator Markey sent a letter with Senators Merkley and Reed to thank the Biden administration for its January 2024 pause on LNG export approvals to countries without a free trade agreement on hold until evidence is reviewed and public input is taken into consideration.
• In December 2023, Senator Markey led an open letter alongside German Member of Parliament (MP) Lisa Badum and Canadian Senator Rosa Galvez criticizing the global proliferation of LNG infrastructure.
• In May 2023, Senator Markey reintroduced the Block All New (BAN) Fossil Fuel Exports Act. This bill would amend the Energy Policy and Conservation Act by directing the President to impose a rule banning the export of U.S. crude oil and natural gas abroad-reinstating the export ban lifted in 2015.

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