2 years ago
The House of Representatives voted on Thursday to revoke normal trade relations with Russia and its ally Belarus until 2024, but Senate action could be delayed by a lingering issue over banning Russian oil imports.
The Suspending Normal Trade Relations with Russia and Belarus Act, approved 424-8, will give the president authority to increase tariffs on the two nations until January 1, 2024.
The legislation also directs the U.S. Trade Representative to pressure other nations to revoke trade privileges for Russia and Belarus, push to suspend Russia’s participation at the World Trade Organization and block Belarus from becoming a full member of the global trade body.
The bill would empower President Joe Biden to restore normal trade relations with Russia and Belarus if the nations cease the war in Ukraine and meet other conditions. Congress could overrule that decision, however, with a disapproval resolution.
The details of the House’s trade bill have been in flux since last week, when trade leaders in the House and Senate first announced they had a deal to move forward with revocation of Russia’s trade status.
The White House, however, expressed concern about the scope of the bill and pushed to hold off on any action until they could coordinate with U.S. allies. On Friday, Biden announced he would work with Congress and foreign leaders to revoke favorable trade treatment for Russia. But the administration and lawmakers continued to haggle over issues like how much authority to give the president to reinstate Russia’s trade privileges.
On Wednesday, the top Republican on the House Ways and Means Committee said the disagreements had largely been resolved. The bill “gives the president the ability to work with the free and independent government of Ukraine in assessing Russia's behavior,” said Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Texas), “but it also retains Congress’ ability, through a disapproval resolution, to address the issue if needed.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on Thursday morning that his chamber would move quickly to take up the trade legislation and send it to Biden's desk. But one outstanding issue could delay that process.
Last week, the House approved a bill to codify a ban on imports of Russian oil, gas and petroleum products, an action already announced by Biden. But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi still has not sent that legislation over to the Senate, saying during a press conference on Thursday that it is still a "work in progress."
If the Russia trade bill is not paired with the oil ban when it reaches the upper chamber, leading GOP senators say they will push to amend the trade bill to include the oil ban and send it back to the House for approval, causing further delay.
“What I’m understanding is they may not put their two bills together, but will instead send us one of them, which does not include the ban on Russian oil,” Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo, the lead Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, said Wednesday afternoon. “And that we will then amend it to put that ban in. And so there’s still going to need to be some action in the Senate.”
Pelosi's office did not respond to repeated requests for comment on whether it will send the oil ban over to the Senate with the Russia trade bill.
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