The House moved to ban the importation of Russian gas on Wednesday night, however many Republicans voted against the bill as it would not boost American energy production to offset rising energy costs.
The House passed on H.R. 6968, the Suspending Energy Imports from Russia Act. The vote featured overwhelming support for the bill, gaining 414 votes for the measure, and 17 Republicans and Democrats against the bill.
The legislation would ban the importation of Russian oil and natural gas into the United States, revisit Russia’s role in the World Trade Organization (WTO), and reauthorize the Magnitsky Act to increase sanctions on Russia for alleged human rights violations.
Two progressive lawmakers, Reps. Cori Bush (D-MO) and Ilhan Omar (D-MN), voted against the bill. Reps. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Dan Bishop (R-NC), Lauren Boebert (R-CO), Madison Cawthorn (R-NC), Matt Gaetz (R-FL), Scott DeJarlais (R-FL), Louie Gohmert (R-TX), Paul Gosar (R-AZ), Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), Glenn Grothman (R-WI), Clay Higgins (R-LA), Thomas Massie (R-KY), Bill Posey (R-FL), Chip Roy (R-TX), and Tom Tiffany (R-WI) voted against the legislation.
Massie said in a statement on Wednesday he will oppose the bill because it would not boost American domestic energy production.
“I’m voting against the oil sanctions bill. Biden has no plan to enable development of traditional domestic energy sources. His plan is to buy oil from dictators in other countries, and to use high gas prices to bludgeon American consumers into adopting a leftist energy agenda,” he explained.
Biggs echoed Massie’s sentiment, saying that the bill would not help lower energy costs:
Boebert said on Tuesday, “Cutting off Russian oil is the right move. Doing so without increasing American energy production is insanity.”
“At least there are two of us who refuse to allow Biden to hurt Americans suffering from rapidly rising gas prices,” Greene said.
Sean Moran is a congressional reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter @SeanMoran3
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