U.S. Senator introduces bill to go slow on U.S. LNG exports

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Edward Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat, introduced a bill on Thursday opposing efforts to push the Obama administration to speed up liquefied natural gas (LNG) export approvals in light of Russia's threats to Ukraine. The American Natural Gas Security and Consumer Protection Act would require the Department of Energy to weigh the impacts of proposed exports on consumers, the economy and foreign policy. "Using this crisis as an excuse to rapidly and massively expand exports of America's natural gas won't help Ukraine now," Markey said in a release. He said approving large amounts of exports would undercut American manufacturers trying to create jobs. (Reporting by Timothy Gardner, Editing by Franklin Paul)