Yes, there are factions within our party that have long been wary of the energy industry. But Democrats would be wise to avoid the all-or-nothing approach of ideologues. Instead, Democrats should take the lead in championing strategies that attempt to build upon the energy sector’s successes, including long-overdue policies that would help transform America into a major global energy supplier.

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Consider what is happening in the area of natural gas development. Since 2007, there has been a 50 percent increase in U.S. shale oil and gas production. Prices have dropped and stockpiles have grown; and entire regions of the country have been revitalized. It has shored up the U.S. economy at a critical moment, putting Americans back to work, powering industry and drawing manufacturing back to domestic soil.

Hundreds of American companies—including household names like Ford, GE, and Whirlpool—whose business was once considered lost to more competitive markets have begun to re-shore their operations here at home. Now as we look to broaden the benefits of our energy renaissance, exporting excess supplies of natural gas would help continue this streak of innovation and expansive job growth.

But sadly, this growth threatens to stall, largely because of the bureaucratic apathy of regulators in Washington. Only seven permits to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) have been approved by the Department of Energy; and of them, only one site has received the green light to begin construction. Twenty-four applications still await review at the agency, where they have sat for months—and in some cases years. If we simply expand our access to export markets, this abundant resource can help the United States create more jobs, incentivize additional growth and even foster greater stability in global markets.

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Why hold back on this historic moment? The jobs that natural gas has already created—1.7 million, by some estimates—are reviving the heart of small town America. States like Arkansas, Pennsylvania, and Ohio are rapidly expanding production. Industries like steel and shipbuilding, dormant only a few years ago, are growing again. Experts predict LNG exports will generate as much as $73 billion in GDP, which, under the right policies, can be sustained for decades.

Domestically, we are relying less and less on the whim of other nations for energy. The United States was 87 percent self-sufficient for energy needs in the first half of 2013. President Obama said himself that energy independence is within reach, thanks to natural gas. There is no lack of global demand. In the wake of the turmoil in Ukraine, for example, many of our European allies have pleaded for increased energy support. We should not bottle up these resources at home when we can use them as strong diplomatic leverage abroad, where Russia’s thinly veiled regional ambitions have put this issue center stage.

Democrats should take the lead in driving legislation that has already been introduced in Congress to expedite energy exports. This would allow the party to achieve a notable accomplishment in advance of the elections: a sound strategy for job growth, energy development, and foreign policy After all, many Democrats, primarily electorally vulnerable ones from energy-producing states, are under pressure to demonstrate that they can deliver energy projects that produce jobs, particularly after the administration delayed its decision on the Keystone XL Pipeline.