Congressman Mo Brooks (R-AL05) voted to prohibit the United States from importing oil and gas from Russia.
The House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly in favor of the measure in response to Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine and the indiscriminate slaying of Ukrainian civilians in that war – the largest military action in Europe since World War II.
“The United States should not be subsidizing the Russian Federation’s War on Ukraine nor Vladimir Putin’s war crimes," Brooks said. "Banning oil and gas from Russia is just one step in the fight to further isolate Russia’s economy. Now is not the time for weakness. President Biden must confront Putin for what he is if history is not to repeat itself. The Biden administration must show strength on the global stage and use all efforts to remove Russia from the World Trade Organization and to further decimate the value of the ruble."
The bill, which goes further than Biden's ban, was approved Wednesday night by the house calls for a review of Russia’s status at the World Trade Organization. Brooks said he thinks the president can go even further to support the American people.
“Simultaneously, I am calling on President Biden to end his bureaucratic war on American energy independence and restore American energy independence by authorizing the Keystone XL pipeline, opening new leasing in the Outer Continental Shelf and federal lands, expediting permitting and environmental reviews and reducing foreign reliance on energy."
Congressman Mike Rogers (R-AL03) agreed with Brooks.
“Every barrel of Russian oil we buy has Ukrainian blood on it,” Rogers said. “Energy independence is economic & national security – President Trump knew this and made it a priority. Biden needs to support all American energy production & stop importing Russian oil.
“I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again – energy independence is economic and national security. Banning the import of Russian oil is an important step that I have repeatedly pushed the Biden administration to take. However, I am incredibly concerned about reports that the Biden administration is looking at buying oil from equally evil regimes in Venezuela and Iran. President Trump knew the importance of energy independence and made it a priority. Unfortunately, President Biden undid President Trump’s pro-energy policies and Americans are suffering because of it. We have the resources and ability to produce our own energy – why is President Biden so keen on giving money to regimes who hate our country instead of buying American?”
The House voted to ban Russian oil and natural gas imports the day after the Biden administration enacted its own ban. It remains unclear whether the Senate will also pass a Russian oil and gas ban.
The House approved the bipartisan measure in a 414-17 vote. The 17-page House bill would impose a ban on Russian oil and natural gas. The bill also calls for beginning the process of suspending Russia from the World Trade Organization and reauthorizing the Magnitsky Act, which allows the US government to sanction entities that it determines to be guilty of committing human rights violations.
Brooks is running for U.S. Senate in the May 24 Republican primary.
The sanctions on Russian oil could further inflate the cost of gas at the pump for American consumers, leading many Republicans to urge a dramatic expansion of American oil and gas production.
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