House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced on Thursday that she would be backing proposals to ban Russian oil imports as a response to the invasion of Ukraine by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
There are currently a growing number of Democrats starting to call on President Joe Biden to take steps to block the sale of Russian oil inside the United States as a means of punishing Putin over the invasion. The U.S. currently imports close to 670,000 barrels of crude oil and other petroleum products from Russia every single day, according to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Some of these lawmakers are making the argument that cutting off these purchases would be a devastating blow to the economy of Russia, which might deter its aggression.
“I’m all for that,” Pelosi went on to tell reporters concerning proposals to ban these imports. “Ban it. Ban the oil coming from Russia.”
Sens. Joe Manchin and Lisa Murkowski are expected to introduce a bipartisan bill that would block the U.S. government and U.S. companies from importing Russian crude oil or petroleum products for the duration of the invasion.
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=354900716547014
Biden indicated he is open to such a ban, telling reporters Wednesday that “nothing is off the table,” but White House officials have argued the move would reduce energy supply and raise gas prices.
Also during her press conference, Pelosi responded to a question about outbursts from Republican Reps. Lauren Boebert and Marjorie Taylor Greene during Biden’s State of the Union address this week, telling reporters she agrees with comments from South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham.
“I agree with what Sen. Lindsey Graham said: ‘Shut up,’” Pelosi stated. “I think they should just shut up.”