US Rep. Tom Suozzi said Monday that the United States should stop all imports of energy from Russia because of that country’s war against Ukraine.
“We have to stop buying oil from Russia,” the Democratic congressman said. “It doesn’t make any sense that we are supporting this madman to fund the murder of the Ukrainian people.
“We cannot support the Russian economy in any way.”
Suozzi, who is vice chairman of the Problem Solvers caucus in the House, said the Ban Russian Energy Imports Act, which he co-sponsors with Rep. Joshua S. Gottheimer, a New Jersey Democrat, would:
- Declare a national emergency specifically with respect to the threat to our national security, foreign policy, and economy that exists as a result of Russian aggression against Ukraine and directs the President to prohibit imports of crude oil, petroleum, petroleum products, LNG, and coal from Russia.
- The President has had the authority to take these actions since 1917; this legislation does not grant additional authority. This approach is modeled on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
- The ban would be in place during the national emergency, and either the President or Congress would be able to terminate the emergency and the import ban.
- The bill exempts product that is already loaded or in transit at the time of enactment.
Suozzi, who emphasized the need for bipartisan support for the ban, said the U.S. is a net exporter of petroleum and petroleum products in each of the last two years and will be a net exporter of natural gas for many years.
Medical Supplies
Local organizations continue to donate contributions to help Ukrainians in their fight against Russia.
Last week, Huntington Hospital, working with the Huntington Township Chamber of Commerce and Six Harbors Brewing Company put together 15 boxes of medical supplies to be shipped to Ukraine.
Suffolk County Donates Vests
Suffolk County photo