Austin News

U.S. Senator Ted Cruz has expressed approval of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit's decision to reinstate approvals for LNG projects in Texas. The court had previously vacated permits for the Rio Grande LNG and Texas LNG Brownsville projects in August 2024.

Senator Cruz stated, “The D.C. Circuit was right to reexamine its previous decision and restore these permits, which had already been issued and should never have been vacated. The previous decision jeopardized 7,000 high-paying jobs and $24 billion in investment in the Rio Grande Valley, set a dangerous precedent for energy infrastructure development and investment nationwide, and needed to be revisited. I was proud to lead the fight against that terrible decision that hurt Texas jobs, and am deeply gratified that it has now been reversed. I will remain steadfast in championing Texas jobs and Texas energy.”

In November, Senator Cruz led a bipartisan effort by filing an amicus brief concerning the court's earlier decision to vacate the project authorizations. He also urged the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to appeal that decision.

Additionally, Senator Cruz introduced the Protect LNG Act with Senator John Cornyn. This legislation aims to prevent courts from vacating previously authorized LNG permits, clarify jurisdiction for related lawsuits, and require expedited decisions from courts on such matters.