Press Releases

WASHINGTON, DC— Wednesday night, Rep. Jodey C. Arrington voted in favor of legislation to suspend the importation of Russian oil to the United States in response to Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.

While he fully supports an oil import ban, Rep. Arrington condemned the White House and House Democrats for substantially altering the bipartisan legislation to weaken the ban and remove measures to revoke favorable trade relations with both Russia and Belarus, which would have targeted all the products America buys from Russia.

“This half-measured response would remove the commonsense conditions for lifting the ban like Russia’s full and immediate withdrawal from Ukraine and their ceasing to threaten other NATO countries. But, the most egregious aspect of this proposal is that the President and Democrat leadership refused to revoke Russia’s permanent normal trade relations status, which will continue to allow them low-tariff access to the U.S. market—a privilege only allies of freedom should receive.

Consistent with Biden’s timid response thus far, these hollow measures will not only fail to deter Vladimir Putin but will invite other tyrants around the world to follow suit.” - Rep. Jodey C. Arrington.

Rep. Arrington’s floor speech below:

Rep. Jodey Arrington | Trade Sanctions Against Russia Floor Speech - March 9, 2022

Rep. Arrington’s full remarks as prepared, click here.

###  

Congressman Jodey Arrington is a member of the U.S. House of Representatives serving the Nineteenth Congressional District of Texas. He serves as a member of the House Ways and Means Committee.