US House Speaker Pelosi supports US ban on Russian oil imports

US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said March 3 she supports a bipartisan push to ban US imports of Russian crude, as a growing number of countries take aim at the flows as Ukraine remains under attack.

"I'm all for that. Ban it. Ban the oil coming from Russia," Pelosi told reporters during a briefing at the US Capitol.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers will introduce a bill in both chambers of Congress later March 3 to ban Russian energy imports, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee said. It will be called the "Banning Russian Energy Imports Act."

The Senate effort is being led by Democrats Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Jon Tester of Montana, and Republican Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.

The House version is being introduced by Representatives Josh Gottheimer, Democrat-New Jersey, and Brian Fitzpatrick, Republican-Pennsylvania.

Manchin first called for a Russian oil ban Feb. 28, urging the Biden administration to also work to increase domestic oil production in the name of strengthening US energy security.

The UK and Canada have announced restrictions on Russian oil deliveries, and a number of European countries are considering similar actions.

US imports of Russian crude oil have averaged roughly 13,500 b/d since Jan. 1, down from an average of 199,000 b/d in 2021, according to the latest US Energy Information Administration and Census Bureau data. The US imported 672,000 b/d of total crude and refined products in 2021, including VGO and unfinished oils.

As Russian oil continues to arrive in US ports, White House press secretary Jen Psaki was asked Feb. 28 if the Biden administration planned to block the flows.

"The US government doesn't dictate where the US market sells our own oil and gas products nor where it acquires crude or refined products for domestic consumption," she said at a White House briefing. "This is all up to the private sector other than exceptions like countries under sanctions."