Shaheen Statement On New Bipartisan Laws Revoking Free Trade Privileges for Russia, Banning Russian Energy Imports
(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation, issued the following statement after President Joe Biden signed into law two bipartisan bills to revoke free trade privileges from Russia and other countries that invade sovereign nations, and to ban Russian energy imports. The Senate and House of Representatives cleared both pieces of legislation yesterday. While both bills originated in the House of Representatives, Shaheen was a cosponsor of comparable legislation supporting these efforts in the Senate.
“Today, Americans woke up to news that Vladimir Putin bombed a train station filled with civilians trying to flee the violence of the Russian invasion. Earlier this week, we awoke to the horrors of Bucha. Weeks ago, we turned on our televisions to see the destruction of a maternity hospital. Putin is committing war crimes in Ukraine and the global community must not look away. These two pieces of legislation are additional tools for the United States to use against Russia to not only hit back at Putin, but to inflict further financial consequences for Russia and hinder Putin’s ability to continue this unprovoked invasion of Ukraine,” said Shaheen. “The United States will not balk in our support for our democratic partners in Ukraine as they fight for their lives and freedom, nor will we shy away from imposing as much economic damage on Putin and his regime as possible. The U.S. and its allies will not let up – Putin will reap what he’s sown.”
Shaheen has led action in the U.S. Senate in support of Ukraine in response to Vladimir Putin’s belligerence, which also threatens the stability and security of Eastern Europe and NATO allies. On Wednesday night, legislation co-led by Shaheen to speed up military assistance to Ukraine and Eastern European nations cleared the Senate. Last month, Shaheen and members of the Senate Ukraine Caucus met with Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States, Oksana Markarova, and members of the Ukrainian Parliament. In February, Shaheen led a successful bipartisan effort with Portman to pass a resolution that conveys a renewed and overwhelmingly bipartisan message from the U.S. Senate in fierce support of Ukraine. Earlier this year, Shaheen and Portman led a bipartisan delegation to Ukraine, where they met with President Zelenskyy and members of his administration. As a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, she supported the inclusion of $13.6 billion in security assistance that was part of government funding legislation signed into law by President Biden.
Senator Shaheen has long led efforts in the Senate to hold Russia accountable for its malign activity against the U.S. and its allies. Because of her role as a negotiator on Russia sanctions legislation known as “CAATSA” and her successful efforts to ban Kaspersky Lab software from operating on U.S. systems, Shaheen was sanctioned by the Kremlin in 2017. Before the Shaheen-Portman congressional delegation visit to Ukraine in January, Shaheen led a bipartisan group of lawmakers to Eastern Europe, including Ukraine, last June.
