U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV), Chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) introduced the bipartisan North American Transatlantic Resource Security Partnership Act of 2023 (NATRSPA). The NATRSPA would help strengthen energy security partnerships between our European and North American allies and partners by providing the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) with additional authority to enhance supply chain security, conduct multilateral technology-neutral engagement, and promote domestic energy production and manufacturing.

“While nothing compares with the devastation felt by those in Ukraine, our European allies and partners have not been spared from Russia and Vladimir Putin’s global war on energy. It has never been more important for North America and Europe to work together to enhance energy security and protect our energy supply against nations that wish us harm. The United States is ready and able to be Europe’s primary energy partner, and the additional authority this bill gives to the Secretary of Energy will help to make that partnership possible,” said Chairman Manchin.

“I’m proud to work with Chairman Manchin on this timely measure to strengthen our partnerships with Europe and our collective energy and mineral security. As we continue to stand with Ukraine, we need to do everything in our power to make sure our allies can end their reliance on the Russian regime,” said Senator Lisa Murkowski. “From our own domestic production and exports, to the assistance our international development organizations can provide, no nation can do more to advance this cause than the United States.” 

Key provisions of the North American Transatlantic Resource Security Partnership Act of 2023:

• Program to Reduce Reliance on Russian Energy: The Secretary of Energy would provide financial and technical assistance to allies and partner nations to eliminate their reliance on natural gas, petroleum, coal, critical minerals, nuclear fuel, isotopes, and other energy-related technologies and commodities produced in Russia.
• Domestic Energy Security Evaluation: Directs the Secretary to develop a report to identify threats to U.S. supply, transmission, distribution, or use of energy in the U.S. and the impact of those threats on the economy and consumers.
• Energy and Related Infrastructure Supply Chain Reliability Assurance Program: Creates a program to facilitate collaboration with Federal agencies, industrial partners, Mexico, and Canada to grow and maintain a reliable domestic supplier base of critical energy materials and technologies by establishing government-to-government and public-private partnerships.
• North American Energy Security Cooperation: Directs the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of State, Commerce, and other relevant agencies, to carry out a program to promote cooperation on energy issues With Mexico and Canada.

To read the legislation, please click here.

Original source can be found here