Civic Register
| 3.8.22

Biden Reverses Course, Announces Ban on Russian Energy Imports

Do you support or oppose the ban on Russian energy imports?

What’s the story?

  • President Joe Biden announced Tuesday that the U.S. will ban Russian energy imports in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine after his administration spent the last week expressing opposition to such a ban. Biden’s decision to reverse his position comes amid growing bipartisan support in both chambers of Congress for legislation blocking Russian energy imports. 
  • In the Senate, Sens. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) had 16 bipartisan cosponsors for their Ban Russian Energy Imports Act. The House Ways and Means Committee spent the weekend drafting similar bipartisan legislation that would strip Russia of “most favored nation” trade status that reduces tariffs on imported goods.
  • The Biden administration attempted to stymie efforts to draft bipartisan legislation as it lobbied Democratic senators not to cosponsor the Ban Russian Energy Imports Act and the president himself reportedly intervened in an effort to block the House bill. However, the White House’s efforts were unable to persuade leading Democrats to keep the bipartisan bills from reaching the floor.
  • Faced with mounting bipartisan pressure, Biden relented in his opposition to banning Russian energy imports and announced Tuesday that he would take executive action to implement a ban on imports of Russian oil, liquefied natural gas, and coal. He spoke to the press at the White House to announce the move and explained:
“This is a step that we’re taking to inflict further pain on Putin.  But there will be costs as well here in the United States.  I said I would level with the American people from the beginning.  And when I first spoke to this, I said defending freedom is going to cost — it’s going to cost us as well, in the United States. Republicans and Democrats understand — alike understand that.  Republicans and Democrats alike have been clear that we must do this.”
  • The House is still expected to consider bipartisan legislation to ban Russian energy imports this week with a vote possible as early as Tuesday. It’s unclear if the final bill text will be negotiated with the Senate so that it can clear the upper chamber later in the week, and if the two chambers can’t compromise then the Senate may consider its own bill.

Status of U.S. Energy Imports From Russia

  • The U.S. imported an average of 670,000 barrels of oil and petroleum products per day from Russia in 2021 according to the Energy Information Agency ― an increase of 24% in 2021 compared to 2020. 
  • Preliminary EIA data for the week after Russia launched its invasion shows that U.S. imports of Russian oil fell to zero due to refineries’ fears of sanctions. 
  • Over the last year and a half, there have been occasional weeks when Russian energy imports fell to zero during periods when there wasn’t such a broad push for an embargo on Russian petroleum products.


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— Eric Revell

(Photo Credit: iStock.com / MicroStockHub)

  • 1,206
    Dennis
    03/26/2022

    Sanction Russia back to the stone age

  • 40
    kris
    03/16/2022

    Ban them yesterday.

  • 388
    Sharon
    03/15/2022

    I support any non-military intervention and the military intervention of providing weapons and funding to Ukraine. I know Americans are having a hard time with inflation and gas prices. I am personally willing to have a greater struggle now because I view Putin as a significant threat to the world. I think the man has boundless ambition and virtually zero ethics. I would support funding to any effort to depose him, too. I don’t know, though, how much OPEC and other fossil fuel producing countries would be willing and could reduce their price per barrel and increase their production to offset removing Russian product from the world market. There’s another lesson to be learned here, I think. Politically, reducing our consumption on FOREIGN oil is often used as an argument against environmental protections and conservation. Another argument, unpopular with Manchin and his Republican friends, is that we could speed up the process of weaning people, companies, power producers, and other consumers off of fossil fuels. We’re no longer dependent, the environment benefits, climate change is at least maybe slowed - win for us, win for the world, national security is strengthened.

  • 3,405
    Adel
    03/14/2022

    I don't want anything from the Russians except new leadership and a peaceful life forward.

  • 199
    Angela
    03/13/2022

    Keep the money in our own country, so we can grow our business and keep America profitable.

  • 123
    Daniel
    03/13/2022

    Pass the Build Back Better bill

  • 590
    Alexandra
    03/13/2022

    Glad Russian oil is being banned here. China will buy it BUT I AM FURIOUS Biden wants to buy oil from our enemies in Iran, a communist dictator in Venezuela & a murdering prince in Saudi Arabia. WE were energy independent until the lead from behind demented-one took office!

  • 3,531
    Surender
    03/12/2022

    Russia slaughtering people Saudi executes 81 in one day Iran executes how many every day China prosecutes uighurs carries and shields Russia’s big lie and originated a preventable pandemic Do we really need these actors for anything? All this nonsense about cheap oil cheap chinese trash etc may have been a convenient illusion but all the trillions ‘saved’ over the last 3 decades have now come due in 3 years! Think ! Between Alaska & Terra del Fuego we have everything and then some! Why are we so beholden to Russia & China? Sure we can assist the downtrodden elsewhere but cut the dependence cord. Hear that Congress?

  • 458
    Linda
    03/12/2022

    I support any action that breaks the back of Russia. The people of that country have allowed Putin and his henchmen free rein for too long. And I also realize the same can be said for America, so I'm not excusing me and mine! One more reason to vote out every single Republican and war-mongering Democrat and elect responsible human beings to serve the country.

  • 409
    Paula
    03/12/2022

    Get rid of...Oil regulation and..Let Banks startup loans for Oil Companies...American TAXPAYERS aren't Stupid on this Subject....DRILL. BABY. DRILL

  • 90
    Justin
    03/12/2022

    Screw Biden

  • 1,017
    Harry
    03/12/2022

    The Biden Adminstration needs to do more to support Ukraine. Let Ukrainian pilots "steal" these jets the same way Isreal did to France back in the 1970's. Ukraine needs more Turkish drones which have proved helpful. Provide naval strike weapons to threatent the Russian fleet.

  • 468
    burrkitty
    03/12/2022

    Russian energy is less than 3% total of all USA energy imports. It’s a token maneuver compared to what the EU will have to do. We can afford to take the step first because it doesn’t really matter to us. It makes it easier for the EU to follow suit.

  • 741
    John
    03/11/2022

    Putin is now so desperate he’s trying to get troops to come in from Syria because of his inept military forces. Russia whose arm forces is rated second in the world attacking a nation that is absolutely tiny. What the hell what happened to Russia if they had the battle first world nation they could lose their asses that’s what would happen. Putin would be better off packing up writing it off and hoping to God that he doesn’t get charged with war crimes which he should be. He’s a loser in a country of losers. The people who run the country have a run it into the ground and raped and people of their last dime. F Putin. Send the country right into the Stone Age where it belongs.

  • 1,139
    Sandra
    03/12/2022

    We don't get much oil from Russia. the Keystone pipeline, currently in operation, gives us NOTHING, that dirty tar sands oil goes overseas. The KXL line that was cancelled was nowhere near operational and also would not give us squat for the same reason Keystone doesn't and besides, it's a CANADIAN company not an American one. Destroying every last bit of beautiful wilderness just so profiteering oil companies can make even more profit at the expense of ordinary American workers will NEVER be a good idea long term as it's the children of ordinary American workers who will have to clean up our mess and figure out how to survive the dystopian hellish climate change that is accelerating faster than predicted because those profiteering oil companies KNEW about climate change and HID their own research for DECADES so they could make as much money as possible. We have had DECADES to prepare for fossil fuel independence (no we were NEVER energy independent unless you consider the "energy independence" that comes with a pre-industrial society). We have the opportunity NOW to accelerate the transition to renewables already happening with many far sighted companies. We MUST make this transition affordable for poor and middle class people and make it EQUITABLE and not just a thing that wealthy privileged people do.

  • 21
    Jim
    03/10/2022

    We must demand that this administration turn back on our Keystone Pipeline immediately. We have the knowledge and the resources to get this done. America 1st!

  • 113
    Aaron
    03/11/2022

    The spick in oil prices was caused by Biden and Biden only his policy are killing the American people it is fact have video to prove his distain for oil.

  • 676
    Dan
    03/11/2022

    100%

  • 101
    ina
    03/11/2022

    Hit Putin where it hurts most.

  • 7,796
    PLZ
    03/11/2022

    Dear Lord! Why are we even purchasing oil from Russia? It’s unnecessary and we certainly should not be paying ‘at the pump’ because Biden insured that we would NOT be energy dependent! This is ALL on him and his REVENGE! He should be sent to Russia with that other dictator! As Americans, we should stand up to this evil CORRUPT government! It’s just another tactic for the Dems to bankrupt our nation. While I feel for the Ukrainians, charity starts at home. This administration has done everything possible to ensure we are weak in standing, in finances, and actually WORKING FOR THE PEOPLE! Their continued spending (most recently the Omnibus Bill) is a prime example that they will stoop at nothing to destroy the America we once knew. While I am all for growth, greener goals, etc. we CAN NOT afford to continue to put the cart before the horse. VOTE REPUBLICAN! SAVE AMERICA! #FJB