WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Peter Meijer (R-MI), a member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Problem Solvers Caucus (PSC), today joined a bipartisan group of his colleagues in introducing a bill to ban the United States from importing Russian crude oil, petroleum, petroleum products, liquefied natural gas (LNG), and coal. PSC Co-Chairs, Representatives Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), are leading the effort in the House, and Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) introduced the companion legislation in the Senate.
“Banning Russian oil imports will send a clear and swift signal to Vladimir Putin that the ongoing aggression against Ukraine will continue to be met with serious consequences,” said Rep. Meijer. “Our country’s existing dependence on Russian oil is a serious national security threat, and this bipartisan bill enables us to strip Putin of any ability to use energy as a weapon of war. I am proud to join my colleagues in this effort to reaffirm our commitment to our NATO allies and our domestic energy independence.”
The Ban Russian Energy Imports Act would:
- Declare a national emergency specifically with respect to the threat to our national security, foreign policy, and economy that exists as a result of Russian aggression against Ukraine and directs the President to prohibit imports of crude oil, petroleum, petroleum products, LNG, and coal from Russia.
- The President has had the authority to take these actions since 1917; this legislation does not grant additional authority. This approach is modeled on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
- The ban would be in place during the national emergency and either the President or Congress would be able to terminate the emergency and the import ban.
- The bill exempts product that is already loaded or in transit at the time of enactment.
