115th CONGRESS 2d Session |
Expressing opposition to the completion of Nord Stream II, and for other purposes.
July 26, 2018
Mr. Conaway (for himself, Mr. Jody B. Hice of Georgia, Ms. Stefanik, Ms. Kaptur, Mr. Turner, Mr. Francis Rooney of Florida, Mr. Bacon, Mr. Cramer, Mr. Bishop of Utah, Mr. Heck, Ms. Tenney, Mr. Harris, Mr. Gianforte, Mr. Austin Scott of Georgia, Mr. Sensenbrenner, and Mr. Hudson) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Financial Services, Oversight and Government Reform, the Judiciary, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
Expressing opposition to the completion of Nord Stream II, and for other purposes.
Whereas Nord Stream II is an underwater gas pipeline that, if completed, will transport natural gas from the Russian Federation through the Baltic Sea to Germany;
Whereas Russia controls the supply of nearly 40 percent of Europe’s gas and 11 European countries rely on Russian gas for 75 percent or more for their annual needs;
Whereas Nord Stream II will increase Russian control over the European energy market;
Whereas Donald Tusk, the President of the European Council, stated that Nord Stream II would “not help diversification, nor would it reduce [European] dependency” on Russian gas;
Whereas it has been longstanding United States policy to support European energy security through diversification of supplies, such as the Southern Gas Corridor which will deliver Caspian Sea energy resources to Southern and Central Europe;
Whereas the existing Ukrainian gas transit system currently has 55 billion cubic meters of spare capacity which is equal to Nord Stream II’s planned capacity;
Whereas Ukraine has been a stable and reliable transit hub for energy flowing to European destinations;
Whereas Russia’s geopolitical interest in Nord Stream II is not to increase European energy security, but rather to drive a wedge between countries in Europe and drastically diminish the existing Ukrainian gas transit system;
Whereas according to Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Diplomacy, Sanda Oudkirk, “because [Nord Stream II] has such a potentially large impact on the national security of some of our largest partners in the world, it has an impact on our national security”; and
Whereas Members of Congress on a bipartisan basis have expressed strong opposition to Nord Stream II through statements and legislation: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved,
(1) finds that Nord Stream II is a drastic step backwards for European energy security and United States interests;
(2) calls upon European governments to reject the Nord Stream II project;
(3) urges the President to use all available means to support European energy security through a policy of diversification to lessen reliance on the Russia Federation; and
(4) supports the imposition of sanctions with respect to Nord Stream II under section 232 of the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (22 U.S.C. 9526).