Marshall, Rubio Legislation Bans Oil and Natural Gas Imports from Iran and Venezuela

(Washington, D.C., March 11, 2022) – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. joined Senator Marco Rubio (FL) in introducing thePreempting Misguided Appeasement and Financing of Destabilizing Regimes Act. This legislation would prohibit the importation of Iranian and Venezuelan crude oil, petroleum, petroleum products, and liquefied natural gas into the United States.

“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,” said Senator Marshall. “Now that President Biden has finally come around to halting Russian oil imports, you would think his natural next step would be to unleash our domestic energy supply and follow through on his pledge to buy American. Instead, the President is now reportedly looking to do business with terrorists and dictators in Iran and Venezuela to fill the void. This is simply unacceptable and will fail to provide short-term or long-term American energy security.” 

“The United States is blessed to have a plentiful supply of oil and natural gas — we should be using it,” said Senator Rubio. “American-produced energy is cleaner and provides good jobs for American workers, yet the Biden Administration would rather appease dictatorships in Iran and Venezuela in return for bad deals and false promises. Under no circumstance should we be funneling money into the hands of dictators and narco-terrorists who are also allies of Vladimir Putin. Enough is enough — it’s time to bring energy production back home. ”

Joining Senators Marshall and Rubio in introducing this legislation were Senators Dan Sullivan (AK), Steve Daines (MT), Kevin Cramer (ND), Thom Tillis (NC), John Hoeven (ND), Rick Scott (FL), and James Lankford (OK).

Background:

Ahead of President Biden’s delayed ban on Russian oil imports, legislation introduced by Senator Marshall last week would have swiftly moved to stop financing the Russian invasion of Ukraine and remove Russian fuels from American supply chains. Energy Committee Republican Leader Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) and Senators Jerry Moran (R-KS), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Rick Scott (R-FL), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Marco Rubio (R-FL), John Hoeven (R-ND), and John Cornyn (R-TX) cosponsored Senator Marshall’s legislation. In a new survey, 71% of those polled say that even if it means higher gas prices, they support a ban on Russian oil.

Senator Marshall’s Plan to Unleash America’s Energy Independence:

• 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.

Senator Marshall was recently on FOX Business to discuss the ban of Russian oil and the lingering effects of President Biden’s anti-American energy policies, which include the issue of oil producers not being able to access financing. The Senator said in part, “I grew up in the oil patch, I live in the oil patch, the folks that have been drilling since before I was born cannot get financing right now. We have about a third of the nation’s oil rigs out there working – the folks that can do this are afraid to move forward… they are afraid they are going to be punished for it.” You may click HERE or on the image below to watch the Senator’s interview:

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