Top Republican on Finance Blocks Vote on Ending PNTR for Russia, Belarus
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., complained in a floor speech that Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, blocked unanimous consent to move to debate and a vote on revoking permanent normal trade relations with Russia and Belarus.
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Schumer said a ban on importing Russian oil and gas does not need to be included in the bill. The House also passed an import ban, but only sent the PNTR bill over to the Senate.
"President [Joe] Biden has already implemented a ban on Russian oil and gas, so passing something the president has already done is not even remotely as urgent as passing the PNTR, especially because the president is leaving today and meeting with our European allies," Schumer said.
And, Schumer noted, the House is not in session this week. "Any changes we would make to the PNTR legislation by amendment delays enactment by at least a week. There is no reason, absolutely no reason, to change the PNTR legislation the House has already approved and delay action," he said.
However, Schumer said he and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., would negotiate with Crapo on the oil ban issue if Crapo would let debate begin.
Crapo explained on the floor, "I am making a single technical correction made at the request of Senators [Joe] Manchin [D-W.Va.] and [Lisa] Murkowski [R-Alaska] to comport with the timeline of the president’s Executive Order regarding the oil ban. So that no delay, which was mentioned as a possible problem, will exist. This edit is necessary to avoid that delay and it solves that problem."
He said although the House didn't send over the oil ban, each measure passed by over 400 votes, and it's important for Congress to make its voice heard on the conditions for rescinding both the oil ban and PNTR.
"The energy ban and trade status revocation are complementary, and they must work together," he said. "While President Biden’s executive order to ban Russian oil was a positive step, the Senate and House need to impose tough conditions on Putin’s treatment of Ukraine to be met before any President seeks an end to the energy import ban."
At a press conference later on March 23, Crapo said, "I thought we’d have a deal by now, and I hope that we have one by tonight.”