Kansas leaders call on President to embargo Russian energy

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - Kansas leaders have come together to support the ban on Russian oil, but also call for an embargo on all Russian energy to the U.S.

Kansas’s senior U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) says on Tuesday, March 8, President Joe Biden announced a ban on the U.S. purchase of Russian oil.

Ahead of the President’s State of the Union address, Moran said he and junior U.S. Senator Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) wrote a letter to Biden to call for an embargo on Russian energy and introduced legislation to ban the import of Russia’s oil.

“My colleagues and I made clear the United States cannot continue subsidizing Russia’s aggression by purchasing Russian oil,” said Sen. Moran. “Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine must be a wake-up call to the Biden administration to maximize home-grown energy and not diminish American energy independence. We need an all-of-the-above approach to energy independence, and it can’t be accomplished without enabling our oil and gas producers to play a larger role. Banning the purchase of Russian oil is a good first step, but now President Biden must immediately reinstate the keystone pipeline, allow for new drilling leases on federal lands and waters, and retreat from proposals that would install burdensome regulations and tax increases on domestic oil and gas producers. Until we take these actions to unleash American energy, gas prices will continue to rise and we will remain reliant on our adversaries for energy production.”

Kansas’s junior U.S. Senator Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) said the move finally stops funding Putin’s war chest.

“I applaud President Biden for taking this important step, but similar to sanctions on Russia and aid delivered to Ukraine, he is once again late to act. After spending billions to finance Putin’s war on Ukraine, the President must immediately redirect efforts to restart America’s energy production. An announcement to restart the Keystone XL Pipeline would drop the price of oil tomorrow alone,” said Senator Marshall. “Under the previous Administration, our nation was energy-independent but President Biden reversed course and turned hostile nations like Russia into America’s gas station. Now he’s turning to Iran and Venezuela. Joe Biden always talks about the importance of buying American – it’s past time he actually follows through and buys into American energy.”

In a new survey, Marshall said 71% of respondents said even if it means higher gas prices, they support a ban on Russian oil.

Marshall said his plan to unleash America’s Energy Independence is as follows:

• Immediately Restart the Keystone XL Pipeline.
• Remove burdensome regulations from America’s energy producers.
• Increase natural gas exports to European allies and other global partners.
• Give certainty to oil and gas producers that credit will remain available to them by maintaining the independence of the Federal Reserve and withdrawing the nomination of Sarah Raskin.
• Encourage FERC to reverse their decision to add new barriers to natural gas pipeline approvals.
• Directly instruct the Department of the Interior to allow new oil and gas leases on public lands.

Marshall said the bill would move to stop financing the Russian invasion of Ukraine and remove Russian fuels from American supply chains. He said prohibition in the bill would start 15 days after enactment that would exclude shipments already in transit at the time.

“The United States is currently buying approximately 700,000 barrels of oil and other petroleum products per day from Russia amid its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine,” the Senators wrote. “We should be seeking to end Putin’s conflict before it deteriorates even further—it is time to institute an embargo on Russian energy exports.

“Further, in order to mitigate any price shocks caused as a result of an embargo on Russian energy exports, we encourage you to reevaluate energy policies which have curtailed domestic production of oil and natural gas,” the Senators continued. “The United States of America must utilize its abundant natural resources, and relationships with energy-producing allies, as leverage against a despotic Russian regime that is intent on disrupting peace and threatening global stability.”

Congressman Jake LaTurner (R-KS) called the move one of a two-step process.

“After days of Republicans calling for the United States to ban Russian oil, I’m glad President Biden has finally done step one in a two-step process to restore America’s energy dominance,” said Congressman LaTurner. “Now, the Biden Administration must take action to unleash energy production right here in America. I call on President Biden to immediately roll back regulations on American energy producers, re-open the Keystone Pipeline, and resume oil and gas drilling on federal lands.”

To read the full letter sent to President Biden, click HERE.

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