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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