,,ii  #aahth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #chbh  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,february #bh1 
#bjbd,mr4 ,merkley 7for himself1 ,mr4   
,brown1 ,mr4 ,king1 and ,mr4 ,reed7     
introduced the following bill2 which was
 read twice and referred to the         
,committee on ,energy and ,natural      
,resources  ,a ,,bill  ,to prohibit the 
export of liquefied natural gas and     
petroleum products to certain countries4
  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be    
cited as the ,protecting ,american      
,households ,from ,rising ,energy ,costs
 ,act of #bjbd4  #b4 ,prohibition on    
exports of liquefied natural gas and    
petroleum products to certain countries 
7a7 ,prohibitions ,notwithstanding any  
other provision of law1 unless a waiver 
has been issued under subsection 7b71 no
 person or entity may export liquefied  
natural gas or petroleum products-- 7#a7
 to any entity that is under the        
ownership or control of the ,chinese    
,communist ,party1 the ,people's        

,republic of ,china1 the ,russian       
,federation1 the ,democratic ,people's  
,republic of ,korea1 or the ,islamic    
,republic of ,iran2 or  7#b7 except on  
the condition that such liquefied       
natural gas or petroleum product will   
not be exported to the ,people's        
,republic of ,china1 the ,russian       
,federation1 the ,democratic ,people's  
,republic of ,korea1 or the ,islamic    
,republic of ,iran4  7b7 ,waiver  7#a7  
,in general ,on application by an       
exporter1 the ,secretary of ,energy may 
waive1 prior to the date of the         
applicable contract1 the prohibitions   
described in subsection 7a7 with respect
 to the sale of liquefied natural gas or
 petroleum products4  7#b7 ,requirement 
,the ,secretary of ,energy may issue a  
waiver under this subsection only if the
 ,secretary of ,energy determines that  
the waiver is in the interest of the    
national security of the ,united        
,states4  7#c7 ,applications ,an        
exporter seeking a waiver under this    

subsection shall submit to the          
,secretary of ,energy an application by 
such date1 in such form1 and containing 
such information as the ,secretary of   
,energy may require4  7#d7 ,notice to   
,congress ,not later than #ae days after
 issuing a waiver under this subsection1
 the ,secretary of ,energy shall provide
 a copy of the waiver to the ,committee 
on ,energy and ,natural ,resources of   
the ,senate and the ,committee on       
,energy and ,commerce of the ,house of  
,representatives4  #c4 ,enforcement     
provisions  7a7 ,unlawful acts ,it shall
 be unlawful for a person to violate1   
attempt to violate1 conspire to violate1
 or cause a violation of any prohibition
 of1 or any waiver1 license1 order1 or  
regulation issued pursuant to this ,act4
  7b7 ,civil penalty ,the ,secretary of 
,energy may impose a civil penalty on   
any person who commits an unlawful act  
described in subsection 7a7 in an amount
 not to exceed the greater of-- 7#a7    
#bej1jjj1jjj2 and  7#b7 an amount that  

is twice the amount of the transaction  
that is the basis of the violation with 
respect to which the penalty is imposed4
  7c7 ,criminal penalty ,a person who   
knowingly commits1 knowingly attempts to
 commit1 or knowingly conspires to      
commit1 or aids or abets in the         
commission of1 an unlawful act described
 in subsection 7a7 shall be fined not   
more than #ajj1jjj1jjj1 imprisoned for  
not more than #bj years1 or both4