Republican Leader on the House Ways and Means Committee Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX) discussed the importance of pushing for stronger sanctions on Russian energy and unleashing American-made energy independence.

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On banning imports of oil and gas from Russia and suspending normal trade relations with Russia and Belarus, Rep. Brady said:

“It achieves what President Zelensky is pleading with America and the West to do, which is a full embargo on Russian energy, and the suspension of normal trade relations. That will address the other imports from Russia into the United States and cut off more of that financing. 

 

“I think there needs to be secondary sanctions on banks and companies that are financing and buying Russian energy. There needs to be far more openness to U.S. production of oil and natural gas. 

 

“I’m frustrated, the President is begging Venezuela and Iran for energy when we have the cleanest energy right here in the U.S.”

Rep. Brady added:

 

“There’s no question, sanctions alone won’t stop the bullets or the tanks.

 

“Done right, and with our partners, they can impose a significant economic harm on Russia and undermine Russian people’s support for this war, so it could help hasten the end of it quicker.

 

“We need to do more in the sanctions area in energy that could deepen the pain and increase the consequences to Russia for their aggression.”

 

Asked about moving to clean energy on the heels of rising gas prices, Rep. Brady said:

“It will be years and years and decades before renewables is in a position to play that role. Nonetheless, the approval of the Keystone Pipeline would have moved more oil from Canada to the U.S. this year than we buy from Russia. 

“There are other actions we can take to become more domestically strong and to increase our exports around the world to help our partners. Renewables won’t do the trick. We need more American-made energy, rather than begging countries that support terrorism.”