Today is National Agriculture Day! Farmers work hard every day to provide food for Americans to eat, but they're being hurt by President Biden's war on American energy production. Earlier this Congress, the Energy and Commerce Committee heard directly from David, a fifth-generation farm owner and operator, who shared how energy is foundational to everything he does.

Farmers across the country are being crushed by higher prices as a result of President Biden's American liquified natural gas (LNG) export ban. American LNG creates jobs, energy security, and economic prosperity. It’s past time for President Biden to end his war on American energy.

Energy and Commerce Republicans led on H.R. 7176, the Unlocking our Domestic LNG Potential Act, to reverse President Biden’s American LNG export ban and lower energy costs, advance U.S. energy security, and reduce emissions. The bill, led by Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX), passed the House with a bipartisan vote of 224-200.

Read more about the LNG ban’s consequences on American farmers here:

“Natural gas development over the past 15 years has had a significant impact on agricultural stakeholders in this state. The partnership between two leading economic sectors in this state, natural gas and farming, has led to farmers receiving royalty payments from natural gas companies in return for leasing out the minerals found on their lands.

“So when President Joe Biden announced at the end of January that he was pausing all exports of natural gas, his decision not only chilled the producers and employees in the industry, but also equally distressed American farmers. This was particularly true of those here in Pennsylvania and neighboring Ohio, where hundreds of millions of dollars last year alone went to farmers and landholders who hold leases.

“[Chris] Herr [Executive Director of PennAg Industries Association] said this source of income for farmers in the past few years here in Pennsylvania has been a game changer, 'Especially for family farms. They are now provided a source of revenue to expand their operations, or invest in new equipment or technologies, and sometimes just to save a farm on the brink.'

“Jonathan Fritz, who has served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives since 2017, said what he has seen in the rural swaths of Wayne and Susquehanna counties thanks to the natural gas industry has improved his constituents’ overall quality of life, and 'It has also contributed to young people to stay here rather than move away because of new opportunities.'   

[…]

“The pushback on Biden’s pause has been notable. Pennsylvania’s three major statewide elected officials, Sens. John Fetterman and Bob Casey Jr., and Gov. Josh Shapiro, all are Democrats as Biden is, but all three stridently oppose his decision.”

[…]

“Anne Bradbury, CEO of the American Exploration and Production Council, said when America is the world leader in LNG exports, it isn’t just the people in the industry that benefit, but everyone in the country does in ways they perhaps don’t always think about.

“‘Not only do LNG exports strengthen our economy and our allies’ energy security, but they also provide direct financial support to families, farmers, and landowners in the form of royalty payments,’ she said.”

[…]

“Herr, meanwhile, added another concern.

‘I think there is the other thing I think about when we put on LNG it also creates higher prices,” he said. “When you stymie production, you raise prices and we’ve all seen the impact of when farmers have to raise their prices because of energy prices like the cost of diesel. We haven’t begun to understand the economic costs this is going to have.’”

CLICK HERE to read about how Biden’s LNG export ban is a gift to Putin.

CLICK HERE to read the letter from more than 150 House Republicans demanding President Biden end his de facto LNG export ban.