President Joe Biden on March 11 was set to call for an end of normal trade relations with Russia, clearing the way for increased tariffs on Russian imports, according to a report by Bloomberg. On March 8, Biden announced the imposition of a ban on U.S. imports of Russian oil, liquefied natural gas, and coal.
In the meantime, a bipartisan group of lawmakers is pushing ahead with legislation to ratchet up U.S. tariffs on Russian imports and end normal trade relations with Moscow, according to Bloomberg. Legislation passed by the House on March 9 bans importing Russian oil and gas and calls for an evaluation of the nation’s membership at the World Trade Organization (WTO).
But it pulled the provision addressing Russia’s so-called permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) with the U.S., after a request from the White House. Those supporting the bill include Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Tex.), Rep. Richard E. Neal (D-Mass.), Senator Mike Crapo (R-Ida.), and Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
“Congress should do more to stand up to Putin and protect the Ukrainian people,” Neal said. “Our response to this horrific, unprovoked war cannot end here.” The decision by the key lawmakers could mean changes to the House ban in the Senate before it is enacted.
Crapo wants to amend the House-passed energy embargo with his and Wyden’s bill, which addresses PNTR, and is pushing for a quick mark up, adding that the House bill’s language on the WTO is “meaningless” without addressing Russia’s trade status. “That’s certainly what I want to do,” he said in an interview. “I don’t know why they backed off.”
Suspending normal trade relations with the U.S., which other countries call most favored nation status, would put Russia in the company of Cuba and North Korea. It would allow the U.S. to slap Russia with significantly higher tariffs than it applies to other WTO members, which has as a core principle nondiscrimination among members and treating all its members equally. A White House official said the U.S. is working with allies on the subject of Russia’s trade status.