WASHINGTON
– U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), a Senate Armed Services Committee Member,
announced today he is leading the Protecting Our Well-being by Expanding
Russian Sanctions (POWERS) Act, legislation to build on recently-passed
bipartisan sanctions against Russia and reinstate sanctions the Biden
Administration is waiving on Russian people and entities involved in the
construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. The bill follows last night’s
announcement
the State Department has reversed its previous stance and is lifting sanctions
on Nord Stream 2 AG, the entity in charge of the pipeline, and Matthias Warnig,
its CEO.
“Days
after Russian hackers successfully attacked an American pipeline, President
Biden decided to give Vladimir Putin his own pipeline and hand him a major
geopolitical win that cuts right through the NATO alliance,” said Senator
Cramer. “At the risk of weakening America’s global standing, the Biden
Administration is acquiescing to a misguided German strategy which will give
Putin a grip on our allies in Europe. The Putin Pipeline must be stopped, and I
urge my colleagues to join this effort before the Administration makes the
United States learn the hard way why energy security means national security.”
If
enacted, the POWERS Act would:
- Build on
sanctions passed in the Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization
Act (NDAA), signed in December 2019 by former President Trump, by
expanding the sanctions to subcontractors of any entity which works on the
Nord Stream 2 pipeline.
- Senator
Cramer helped include these sanctions in the NDAA as a member of
SASC. Learn
more here.
- Reinstate any
sanctions against the company managing the project as well as its
corporate officers whose sanctions were waived by President Biden’s
Administration.
Senator
Cramer has been using his seat on SASC to sound the alarm about how Nord Stream
2 would threaten America’s national security,
speaking
with generals and President Biden’s military nominees about preventing its
construction. The senator is also a member of the Senate Banking Committee,
which holds jurisdiction over sanctions.
“Strong
leadership from Senator Kevin Cramer,” said former
Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette. “If the Biden Administration won't
act, we need Congress to step up and do the job for them.”
Joining
Senator Cramer as cosponsors are Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC), Chuck Grassley
(R-IA), Steve Daines (R-MT), Mike Braun (R-IN), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Rick
Scott (R-FL), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), John Cornyn
(R-TX), Joni Ernst (R-IA), John Hoeven (R-ND), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), and Roger
Wicker (R-MS).
“The
Biden Administration’s decision to remove sanctions around the Nord Stream 2
pipeline to the benefit of Russia and Putin while at the same time canceling
pipeline projects across the United States and killing thousands of jobs is
truly astounding,” said Senator Tillis. “Over the last four
years, the United States made tremendous progress toward becoming energy
independent and reducing our reliance on other countries to provide our energy,
but the Biden Administration is doing everything they can to end this
commonsense goal and return us to the days of high gas prices and job-killing
policies. I’m proud to join my colleagues to reverse this terrible
decision and reinstate sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.”
“The
president should not take it as a good sign that he’s receiving praise from a
Kremlin spokesman and a Russian Deputy Foreign Minister for a foreign policy
decision,” said Senator Grassley. “Waiving sanctions on the Nord
Stream 2 pipeline company and the former Stasi officer that runs it is a gift
to Putin and his cronies. It’s lose-lose to shutter pipelines with our close
ally Canada and sign off on them in Russia. It harms the security of our
frontline allies and makes us less energy independent at home.”
“It
is unacceptable to see President Biden supporting a Russian pipeline after
cancelling the Keystone XL pipeline in Montana on Day One in office,” said
Senator Daines. “Biden’s actions are not only bad for our national
security and economy, he is sending a terrible message to our allies and
adversaries around the world. Instead of supporting American workers and
American jobs, Biden is helping the Kremlin and empowering Putin while harming
the security of the U.S. and our allies.”
“The
Biden Administration clearing the way for the completion of the Nord Stream 2
Pipeline is a strategic blunder that harms the United States and bolsters
Russia’s influence in the region and globally,” said Senator Marshall. “The
hypocrisy of President Biden shuttering American pipelines and killing good
paying energy jobs in my home state, while allowing Vladimir Putin to complete
his pipeline is stunning.”
“The
Biden administration’s energy agenda is killing jobs, reducing U.S.
independence and increasing reliance on our adversaries, like Russia,” said
Senator Rick Scott. “Within months of cancelling the Keystone
pipeline, and thousands of American jobs along with it, Biden is cozying up to
Putin and making it easy for him to control energy supplies in Europe. We can’t
allow President Biden to put America and our allies last. Our bill calls for
the reinstatement and expansion of these sanctions on companies involved with
the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, so the U.S. has the power needed to hold bad actors
accountable.”
“President
Biden’s cancellation of Keystone XL pipeline construction eliminated thousands
of American jobs and reduced our nation’s level of energy independence,” said
Senator Hyde-Smith. “Now the Biden administration is adding insult to
injury by paving the way for Russian energy dominance by waiving sanctions
related to the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project. Rolling back these
sanctions, which have had previous bipartisan congressional support, sends the
wrong message to many hardworking Americans, as well as our European allies and
adversaries around the globe,” Senator Hyde-Smith said. “Congress should
act as soon as possible to restore these sanctions.”
“Supporting
a Russian pipeline—especially on the heels of the Colonial Pipeline hacking—is
the exact opposite of what the administration should be doing,” said Senator
Capito. “If operational, the majority Russian state owned Nord Stream II
Pipeline would further our European allies’ dependence on Russian-produced
energy. Our legislation would ensure companies are held accountable for their
role in any construction of the Nord Stream Pipeline II and will take a stand
against Russia’s attempt to dominate the European energy markets. It’s time for
the administration to support an energy agenda that puts America first by
supporting American families, jobs, security, and energy economy.”
"The
Biden Administration's decision to waive these critical sanctions no doubt
makes Vladimir Putin and our adversaries in the Kremlin very happy," said
Senator Cornyn. "This legislation will ensure that any further
unilateral moves by the Administration to waive these important sanctions may
now only be accomplished by an act of Congress."
“President
Biden’s decision to lift sanctions and allow the Nord Stream 2 pipeline to be
completed is a gift to Vladimir Putin and a national security threat. Last year
the Senate overwhelmingly agreed that this pipeline, once completed, will
damage U.S. national and economic security. This new effort will ensure the
U.S. reinstates these sanctions and thwarts Putin’s intent to isolate and intimidate
our European allies,” said Senator Ernst.
“While
the Biden administration is blocking the Keystone XL pipeline here at home,
they’re lifting sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, a project that poses
significant harm to our national security and puts our allies at risk while
empowering our adversary Russia,” said Senator Hoeven. “Congress,
with strong bipartisan support, imposed sanctions to stop the Nord Stream 2
pipeline and this legislation will reinstitute the sanctions being waived by
the Biden administration, as well as expand sanctions to prevent completion of
the Nord Stream 2.”
“President
Biden blocks American pipelines, putting thousands of Americans out of work,
but greenlights a Russian pipeline to send their higher-emitting gas to Europe,” said
Dr. Cassidy. “This is more of the backwards energy policy we see from this
administration. Nord Stream 2 is a national security risk and strengthens the
Putin regime. The sanctions should never have been lifted.”
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