“We are looking at options we could take right now to cut U.S. consumption of Russian energy,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said. “But we are very focused on minimizing the impact of families. If you reduce supply in the global marketplace, you are going to rise raise gas prices.”
By leaving open a ban on Russian oil imports, the White House softened its stance from Thursday when Psaki rejected the idea for being against the “strategic interest” of the U.S.
Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.V. and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, on Thursday introduced the Ban Russian Energy Imports Act, which would prohibit the importation of Russian crude oil, petroleum, liquefied natural as and coal from Russia. The legislation has 16 additional Senate co-sponsors spanning both parties.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she also supports the bill. “I’m all for that. Ban it,” the speaker said Thursday.
In 2021, the U.S. imported an average of 209,000 barrels per day of crude oil from Russia, according to the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers, accounting for 3% of all U.S. crude oil imports and 1 percent of the total crude oil produced by American refineries.
— Joey Garrison
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