Former Democratic Congressman Tim Ryan of Ohio criticized President Joe Biden on Friday for suspending natural gas exports to appease environmental activists.

In January, the White House announced a moratorium on several liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects and ordered the Department of Energy (DOE) to assess how much proposed export terminals would impact climate change. Ryan appeared on Bill Maher's Real Time Show. Asked The host asked whether Biden made a “mistake” by halting natural gas exports and whether it would dampen his appeal to voters. (Related: 'Easy vote': House passes bipartisan condemnation of Biden administration's 'radical' natural gas restrictions)

“Yes…natural gas is 40% of our energy system here in the United States,” Ryan said before asking Maher why Biden made that decision.

“Perhaps to win votes from environmentalists, but the problem is that natural gas makes up 40% of the energy mix here. The United States has lost the most carbon in the world from 2005 to 2019. “We led the world in carbon reduction because we replaced coal with natural gas, and now it's a good idea to continue to do that and export it to the U.S. and to coal-producing countries around the world,” Ryan said. Told.

Ryan also said the president's decision would likely hurt his standing with “working-class voters” in Pennsylvania, where “natural gas is a huge industry.”

Republicans expressed dissatisfaction with the president's decision and passed a bill on February 15 to lift Biden's moratorium on LNG export terminals. The bill passed on a bipartisan vote of 224-200, and the bill now awaits a vote in the Democratic-controlled Senate.

The United States led the world in natural gas exports in the first half of 2023. according to To the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Energy experts previously warned the Daily Caller News Foundation that halting natural gas exports would only embolden overseas producers and ultimately fail to curb global carbon emissions.

The White House did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation's request for comment.

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