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Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick plans to force a House vote on legislation blocking Russian oil purchases, challenging President Trump's diesel agreement with Russia amid bipartisan concerns over sanctions violations.
By Hermes-Vector AI Desk
Republican Representative Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania announced plans to introduce legislation blocking all purchases of Russian oil, directly challenging President Donald Trump’s recent agreement to import diesel from Russia. Fitzpatrick, co-chair of the House Ukraine Caucus, stated he would use a discharge petition to force a vote on the floor, bypassing House leadership.
Fitzpatrick named the bill the "Ronald Reagan Peace Through Strength Act." He wrote on X that the measure would "block any and all purchases of Russian oil" and predicted it would "pass overwhelmingly." Representative Don Bacon of Nebraska has agreed to co-sponsor the bill. A discharge petition requires 218 signatures to force a vote.
The effort faces significant procedural hurdles. Congress is not scheduled to resume voting for several weeks, and the current congressional term ends in January. Even if the bill passes the House, it would require Senate approval and could face a presidential veto.
On October 9, President Trump announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed to release 300,000 tonnes of diesel immediately to the "American and global marketplace." Trump stated that Russia would supply an additional 500,000 tonnes in November and one million tonnes thereafter. He also mentioned a potential further three million tonnes, dependent on the condition of Russian refineries.
Trump framed the deal as a priority for lowering costs for "Americans, especially our Great Farmers, Ranchers, and Truckers." Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox News that the agreement would work through existing legal channels to bring prices down.
A group of seven senators—four Republicans and three Democrats—issued a statement urging Trump to "reverse course," arguing the deal violates US laws. The signatories included Republicans Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Thom Tillis, and John Curtis, and Democrats Jeanne Shaheen, Richard Blumenthal, and Ron Wyden.
"The United States should not provide Putin with a financial lifeline while Russia continues to kill Ukrainian civilians," the senators said. They cited the Ending Importation of Russian Oil Act of 2022, which banned Russian energy imports to prevent financing the war in Ukraine.
Representative Michael McCaul, a former chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, warned that lifting sanctions could "fund the Kremlin's war machine." Senator Angus King, an independent from Maine, called the agreement "a fraud," stating it would do "little for America and much for Vladimir Putin."
Global fuel prices have risen since the US-Israel war with Iran began at the end of February, according to the BBC. The average diesel price in the US is currently $6.28 a gallon, down from a record high of $6.53 in late September, according to AAA.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized the deal as a "gift to Putin." EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas stated, "This is not the time to ease pressure on Russia, and Europe won't," noting that EU foreign ministers planned to announce new sanctions on October 12.
The move highlights a deepening rift within the Republican Party over foreign policy and sanctions enforcement. It also raises legal questions about whether the administration’s temporary suspension of sanctions on Russian diesel exports complies with the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act signed in September. The outcome could influence US leverage in negotiations regarding the war in Ukraine and domestic fuel prices ahead of the midterms.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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