[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 62 (Thursday, April 7, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H4418-H4419]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1215
               SUSPENDING ENERGY IMPORTS FROM RUSSIA ACT

  Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in the 
Senate amendment to the bill (H.R. 6968) to prohibit the importation of 
energy products of the Russian Federation, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the Senate amendment is as follows:
  Senate amendment:

        Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
     following:

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be known as the ``Ending Importation of 
     Russian Oil Act''.

     SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON IMPORTATION OF ENERGY PRODUCTS OF THE 
                   RUSSIAN FEDERATION.

       All products of the Russian Federation classified under 
     chapter 27 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United 
     States shall be banned from importation into the United 
     States, in a manner consistent with any implementation 
     actions issued under Executive Order 14066 (87 Fed. Reg. 
     13625; relating to prohibiting certain imports and new 
     investments with respect to continued Russian Federation 
     efforts to undermine the sovereignty and territorial 
     integrity of Ukraine).

     SEC. 3. TERMINATION OF PROHIBITION ON IMPORTATION OF ENERGY 
                   PRODUCTS OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION.

       (a) In General.--The President is authorized to terminate 
     the prohibition on importation of energy products of the 
     Russian Federation under section 2 if the President submits 
     to Congress a certification under subsection (c). Such 
     termination shall take effect beginning on the date that is 
     90 calendar days after the date of submission of such 
     certification, unless there is enacted into law during such 
     90-day period a joint resolution of disapproval.
       (b) Consultation and Report.--The President shall, not 
     later than 45 calendar days before submitting a certification 
     under subsection (a)--
       (1) consult with--
       (A) the Committee on Ways and Means and the Committee on 
     Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives; and
       (B) the Committee on Finance and the Committee on Foreign 
     Relations of the Senate; and
       (2) submit to all such committees a report that explains 
     the basis for the determination of the President contained in 
     such certification.
       (c) Certification.--A certification under this subsection 
     is a certification in writing that--
       (1) indicates that the President proposes to terminate 
     under subsection (a) the prohibition under section 2; and
       (2) contains a determination of the President that the 
     Russian Federation--
       (A) has reached an agreement to withdraw Russian forces and 
     for the cessation of military hostilities that is accepted by 
     the free and independent government of Ukraine;
       (B) poses no immediate military threat of aggression to any 
     North Atlantic Treaty Organization member; and
       (C) recognizes the right of the people of Ukraine to 
     independently and freely choose their own government.
       (d) Joint Resolution of Disapproval.--
       (1) Definition.--For purposes of this section, the term 
     ``joint resolution of disapproval'' means only a joint 
     resolution--
       (A) that does not have a preamble;
       (B) the title of which is as follows: ``Joint resolution 
     disapproving the President's certification under section 3(c) 
     of the Ending Importation of Russian Oil Act.''; and
       (C) the matter after the resolving clause of which is as 
     follows: ``That Congress disapproves the certification of the 
     President under section 3(c) of the Ending Importation of 
     Russian Oil Act, submitted to Congress on ___'', the blank 
     space being filled in with the appropriate date.
       (2) Introduction in the house of representatives.--During a 
     period of 5 legislative days beginning on the date that a 
     certification under subsection (c) is submitted to Congress, 
     a joint resolution of disapproval may be introduced in the 
     House of Representatives by the majority leader or the 
     minority leader.
       (3) Introduction in the senate.--During a period of 5 days 
     on which the Senate is in session beginning on the date that 
     a certification under subsection (c) is submitted to 
     Congress, a joint resolution of disapproval may be introduced 
     in the Senate by the majority leader (or the majority 
     leader's designee) or the minority leader (or the minority 
     leader's designee).
       (4) Floor consideration in the house of representatives.--
       (A) Reporting and discharge.--If a committee of the House 
     to which a joint resolution of disapproval has been referred 
     has not reported such joint resolution within 10 legislative 
     days after the date of referral, that committee shall be 
     discharged from further consideration thereof.
       (B) Proceeding to consideration.--Beginning on the third 
     legislative day after each committee to which a joint 
     resolution of disapproval has been referred reports it to the 
     House or has been discharged from further consideration 
     thereof, it shall be in order to move to proceed to consider 
     the joint resolution in the House. All points of order 
     against the motion are waived. Such a motion shall not be in 
     order after the House has disposed of a motion to proceed on 
     a joint resolution with regard to the same certification. The 
     previous question shall be considered as ordered on the 
     motion to its adoption without intervening motion. The motion 
     shall not be debatable. A motion to reconsider the vote by 
     which the motion is disposed of shall not be in order.
       (C) Consideration.--The joint resolution shall be 
     considered as read. All points of order against the joint 
     resolution and against its consideration are waived. The 
     previous question shall be considered as ordered on the joint 
     resolution to final passage without intervening motion except 
     two hours of debate equally divided and controlled by the 
     sponsor of the joint resolution (or a designee) and an 
     opponent. A motion to reconsider the vote on passage of the 
     joint resolution shall not be in order.
       (5) Consideration in the senate.--
       (A) Committee referral.--A joint resolution of disapproval 
     introduced in the Senate shall be referred to the Committee 
     on Finance.
       (B) Reporting and discharge.--If the Committee on Finance 
     has not reported such joint resolution of disapproval within 
     10 days on which the Senate is in session after the date of 
     referral of such joint resolution, that committee shall be 
     discharged from further consideration of such joint 
     resolution and the joint resolution shall be placed on the 
     appropriate calendar.
       (C) Motion to proceed.--Notwithstanding Rule XXII of the 
     Standing Rules of the Senate, it is in order at any time 
     after the Committee on Finance reports the joint resolution 
     of disapproval to the Senate or has been discharged from its 
     consideration (even though a previous motion to the same 
     effect has been disagreed to) to move to proceed to the 
     consideration of the joint resolution, and all points of 
     order against the joint resolution (and against consideration 
     of the joint resolution) shall be waived. The motion to 
     proceed is not debatable. The motion is not subject to a 
     motion to postpone. A motion to reconsider the vote by which 
     the motion is agreed to or disagreed to shall not be in 
     order. If a motion to proceed to the consideration of the 
     joint resolution of disapproval is agreed to, the joint 
     resolution shall remain the unfinished business until 
     disposed of.
       (D) Debate.--Debate on the joint resolution of disapproval, 
     and on all debatable motions and appeals in connection 
     therewith, shall be limited to not more than 10 hours, which 
     shall be divided equally between the majority and minority 
     leaders or their designees. A motion to further limit debate 
     is in order and not debatable. An amendment to, or a motion 
     to postpone, or a motion to proceed to the consideration of 
     other business, or a motion to recommit the joint resolution 
     of disapproval is not in order.
       (E) Vote on passage.--The vote on passage shall occur 
     immediately following the conclusion of the debate on the 
     joint resolution of disapproval and a single quorum call at 
     the conclusion of the debate, if requested in accordance with 
     the rules of the Senate.
       (F) Rules of the chair on procedure.--Appeals from the 
     decisions of the Chair relating to the application of the 
     rules of the Senate, as the case may be, to the procedure 
     relating to the joint resolution of disapproval shall be 
     decided without debate.
       (G) Consideration of veto messages.--Debate in the Senate 
     of any veto message with respect to the joint resolution of 
     disapproval, including all debatable motions and appeals in 
     connection with such joint resolution, shall be limited to 10 
     hours, to be equally divided between, and controlled by, the 
     majority leader and the minority leader or their designees.
       (6) Procedures in the senate.--Except as otherwise provided 
     in this subsection, the following procedures shall apply in 
     the Senate to a joint resolution of disapproval:
       (A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), a joint 
     resolution of disapproval that has passed the House of 
     Representatives shall, when received in the Senate, be 
     referred to the Committee on Finance for consideration in 
     accordance with this subsection.
       (B) If a joint resolution of disapproval was introduced in 
     the Senate before receipt of a joint resolution of 
     disapproval that has passed the House of Representatives, the 
     joint resolution from the House of Representatives shall, 
     when received in the Senate, be placed on the calendar. If 
     this subparagraph applies, the procedures in the Senate with 
     respect to a joint resolution of disapproval introduced in 
     the Senate that contains the identical matter as the joint 
     resolution of disapproval that passed the House of 
     Representatives shall be the same as if no joint resolution 
     of disapproval had been received from the House of 
     Representatives, except that the vote on passage in the 
     Senate shall be on the joint resolution of disapproval that 
     passed the House of Representatives.
       (7) Rules of the house of representatives and the senate.--
     This subsection is enacted by Congress--
       (A) as an exercise of the rulemaking power of the Senate 
     and the House of Representatives, respectively, and as such 
     is deemed a part of the rules of each House, respectively, 
     but applicable only with respect to the procedure to be 
     followed in that House in the case of a joint resolution of 
     disapproval, and supersedes other rules only to the extent 
     that it is inconsistent with such rules; and
       (B) with full recognition of the constitutional right of 
     either House to change the rules (so far as relating to the 
     procedure of that House) at any time, in the same manner, and 
     to the same extent as in the case of any other rule of that 
     House.

[[Page H4419]]

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Massachusetts (Mr. Neal) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Brady) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Massachusetts.


                             General Leave

  Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Massachusetts?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I think that what we are doing here is to certainly 
reassert ourselves on what the Senate has done, which the House did 
originally. I strongly support the House taking swift action to concur 
in the Senate amendment before us so that the legislation to suspend 
energy imports from Russia that we passed a month ago now can move to 
the President's desk.
  We have no time to waste, as Mr. Brady and I have both indicated. We 
must immediately move to further punish Vladimir Putin, a ruthless 
dictator hell-bent on destroying an independent nation that he purports 
to suggest doesn't really exist. That will come as a vast surprise to 
the civilized nations of the world.
  Congress must do what we can to end this brutality and continue to 
support the Ukrainian people.
  I thank Kevin Brady for his partnership in advancing this legislation 
to ban the import of Russian energy, as well as our intent here to 
suspend normal trade relations with Russia and its enabler, Belarus.
  These actions will further isolate Putin and his regime, and inflict 
greater pressure on the Kremlin, to end this campaign of terror.
  I know this legislation will receive broad support from our 
colleagues.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BRADY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I join with Chairman Neal in urging the House to take 
the final legislative step to ending the flow of American dollars 
toward Russian oil that acts as a treasury for Russia's war machine.
  Soon, President Biden will have on his desk a bill that demonstrates 
we stand with the people of Ukraine.
  As Chairman Neal pointed out, the Ukrainian people have been waiting. 
The action we take today is long overdue but just as necessary.
  Since we first debated this bill, the horrors of Putin's war in 
Ukraine have been on display for the world to see. Today, we will make 
sure American dollars will no longer fund Russia's war machine by 
blocking all Russian energy imports.
  The bill also strengthens the sanctions by ensuring that before the 
ban can be lifted, Russia must meet three clear criteria: withdraws its 
forces from Ukraine; poses no immediate military threat of aggression 
to NATO; and recognizes the right of the people of Ukraine to 
independently and freely choose their own government.
  This is an important, bipartisan victory. There is still more we can 
do and should do.
  We should turn toward unleashing America's own ability to be energy 
independent, replace Russian oil with American sources, and use our 
energy strengths to wean the world from Russian energy.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. 
Smith), the Republican leader of the Subcommittee on Trade.
  Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate this opportunity 
that we can work together. I appreciate the comments of the chairman 
and our ranking member.
  It is only appropriate that we move to use the key trade tools at our 
disposal to hold Vladimir Putin accountable for these atrocities that 
he has committed against Ukraine because we know it is being felt 
around the world, in addition to what the people of Ukraine are 
feeling.
  I am glad that we can act in this manner. I wish we would have done 
it sooner, but I am glad we can act today.
  Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BRADY. Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this great bipartisan work 
from the House. I thank Chairman Neal and the Ways and Means Democrats 
for working together with us and the Senate Finance Committee. I urge 
strong passage in the House.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I acknowledge Mr. Brady and the Republican 
Members of the House who have stood with Democrats in an unyielding 
position of support for the Ukrainian people. On this occasion, we send 
another message that civilized people of the world are all Ukrainians 
at this moment.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Neal) that the House suspend the 
rules and concur in the Senate amendment to the bill, H.R. 6968.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. BRADY. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution 
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
  Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion 
are postponed.

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