Senator Baldwin Joins Bipartisan Effort to Ban Russian Energy Imports

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) has cosponsored the Ban Russian Energy Imports Act, introduced by Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK. The bipartisan legislation would prohibit the importation of Russian crude oil, petroleum, petroleum products, liquefied natural gas (LNG), and coal.

In 2021, the United States imported an average of 670,000 barrels of oil and petroleum products, with a high of 848,000 barrels per day in June 2021, with imports up 24% in 2021 over 2020. The U.S. has also imported Russian LNG and coal despite having some of the largest reserves domestically. This import strategy puts American national security at risk and supports Vladimir Putin’s ability to stay in power.

“I support this bipartisan legislation to ban Russian oil imports to the U.S. because taking action to punish Putin with an import ban is the right thing to do,” said Senator Baldwin. “We can't let Putin profit from our purchases of Russian oil and fund his war on Ukraine. I am proud to stand with my Senate colleagues in a bipartisan show of support to the Ukrainian people who want peace, independence, and freedom.”

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.

The full text of the legislation can be found here.

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