mr. chairman , my colleagues supporting this amendment say we do not have a crisis . 
we do have a crisis . 
natural gas prices are triple what they should be . 
we are paying more to heat and cool our homes and also for our raw materials for our chemical industry and all of our industries , so we need to do something . 
the solution is to either drill more or import it , and lng is one of ways we can do it . 
we have a great safety record not only in our own country but worldwide in liquefied natural gas . 
and it is frustrating when you say you do not want to drill , you do not want to refine , and you do not even want to import . 
the only way you will get around then is by walking . 
in houston , we are too big to walk so we will have to have gasoline and we have to have something to cool our homes in the summer . 
the low natural gas supply is impacting our jobs and driving up electricity prices causing higher consumer prices . 
higher prices are leading to inflation and slow-down worries , which is why alan greenspan testified before our committee that the united states needs more lng . 
lng import terminals can be our interstate commerce . 
that is why we need to have a federal role , but the states will still have a very important role in this process . 
states will have influence over the kind and use of facility ; the existing and projected population of the local area ; the existing and proposed land use near the local area ; and the natural and physical aspects of the location . 
the bill creates new authority for states to inspect lng terminals for safety and security , beyond what they have in interstate natural gas projects . 
low natural gas supply is impacting jobs , driving up electricity prices , and causing higher consumer prices for a variety of goods and services . 
higher prices are leading to inflation and slowdown worries , which is why alan greenspan testified to our committee that the u.s. needs more lng . 
lng import terminals are engaged in both foreign and , in most cases , interstate commerce . 
lng is a matter of national or , at the very least , regional importance . 
approval and siting is properly done in the national interest consistent with the commerce clause of the constitution . 
the federal energy regulatory commission has sited interstate natural gas pipelines under the natural gas act since 1942 . 
states participate in the ferc 's national environmental policy act process , and have new authority in this bill to inspect for safety and security . 
states retain their authority to issue or deny permits under federal statutes such as the coastal zone management act and the clean water act . 
this bill takes away no state authority , as long as state permitting agencies issue timely decisions . 
let me repeat : state permitting authority remains in place under h.r. 6 . 
states can still deny lng facilities on their coasts . 
but they need a reason -- clean air act , clean water act , or the coastal zone management act . 
