Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV), Chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), a senior member of the committee, welcomed an announcement from President Biden that the United States will ban Russian energy imports. This announcement follows the lead of Senators Manchin and Murkowski’s bipartisan, bicameral Ban Russian Energy Imports Act, which would prohibit the importation of Russian crude oil, petroleum, petroleum products, liquefied natural gas and coal. Introduced last week, the legislation has already received support from 36 Senate sponsors.

“I am glad the Administration has taken seriously the Congressional will – across the political spectrum and in both chambers – to further rebuke Vladimir Putin’s terror against the Ukrainian people by banning Russian energy imports. This is one of our most critical tools to hinder his ability to fund and continue his war in Ukraine. Now it is time for government and industry to come together and lead the world through this geopolitical turmoil by ramping up our domestic production to meet our energy needs at home and the needs of our allies. The United States is one of the most energy abundant countries in the world and we have the ability to produce this energy cleaner than anywhere else in the world,” said Chairman Manchin.

“I’m proud to work side-by-side with Chairman Manchin and so many of our colleagues to demonstrate strong support for restricting Russian energy imports, and believe President Biden is doing the right thing by using his own authority to put this ban in place. This sends a clear message to Putin and his cronies: we will use every tool to stop their atrocities against Ukraine, and we will not let our dollars finance their bloody, unprovoked war,” Senator Murkowski said. “Now that President Biden has taken this important step, he must recognize the need and potential to increase resource production here at home, especially in states like Alaska. If there was ever a time to change course on harmful policies that have restricted domestic production, it is right now. What the President must understand is that Russian, Iranian, and Venezuelan energy creates problems for the world – given what it is used to finance – while American energy is a solution that can help us address high prices, inflation, and the needs of our allies.”

To read more about the bipartisan Ban Russian Energy Imports Act, please click here.

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