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Bennet's comments were a sign that Biden faces dissent from his
fellow Democrats on the move, which attempts to balance his
climate goals with support for Europe during Russia's war on
Ukraine.
Biden in late January paused new approvals for pending and
future applications to export liquefied natural gas. The move —
cheered by climate activists — could delay decisions on new
plants until after the Nov. 5 election.
The Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives last week
passed a bill that would strip away Biden's power to freeze
approvals of the gas exports. The measure passed largely along
party lines and faces uphill odds in the Democratic-run Senate.
Bennet, whose home state of Colorado is a natural gas producer,
called Biden's decision "short-sighted" during an interview on
Fox News Sunday but did not say whether he would support
legislation to reverse it.
Russia has been a large oil and gas supplier to Europe, but
since Moscow invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Europe has
increasingly purchased U.S. liquefied natural gas.
"I think it's been very important for American liquefied natural
gas to replace the natural gas that Russia was sending to
Europe," Bennet said. "I believe one of the United States’
massive strategic strengths is our energy, our clean energy and
our fossil fuels."
A European Commission official said last week that Biden's
decision will have no effect on U.S. supplies to Europe over the
next two or three years.
(Reporting by Ted Hesson in Washington; Editing by Lisa
Shumaker)
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