Congress moves to block natural gas exports to protect home heating bills
S. 4735 — Protecting Americans from High Electricity Prices Act of 2026 · Filed by Jeff Merkley (D-OR) · Introduced Jun 10, 2026 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill amends the Natural Gas Act to require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to consider whether natural gas exports raise prices for American households and businesses, increase greenhouse gas emissions (including indirect emissions across supply chains), or supply energy to countries deemed hostile to U.S. national security (Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, and others designated by the Department of Energy). FERC must deny or restrict exports that fail these tests. The bill benefits consumers and climate advocates by potentially blocking exports that raise domestic prices or increase emissions; it harms natural gas exporters and producers who profit from overseas sales.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core mechanism is to restrict natural gas exports by imposing new public-interest criteria (domestic price impact, emissions, national security) on FERC approval. While framed as consumer protection, it functions as a de facto export control that prioritizes climate and domestic affordability over industry revenue.
What the text implies
- FERC's new 30-day rulemaking deadline may force hasty criteria that invite legal challenge, creating regulatory limbo for pending export projects.
- The bill's inclusion of Scope 3 emissions (indirect supply-chain emissions) is unusually broad and may be difficult to quantify, giving FERC discretion to block exports on subjective climate grounds.
The full analysis lists 5 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
domestic natural gas consumers (households, utilities, industrial users); renewable energy companies (reduced competition from cheap exported gas); climate-focused investment funds