The 17 lawmakers who voted against the Russian oil ban
On Wednesday, the House passed a bill that allowed a Russian oil ban and approved additional sanctions against the Kremlin for the attack on Ukraine.
The bill received wide bipartisan support with 414 lawmakers voting in favor of the bill.
Both Democratic and Republican leaders in the House supported the ban, with President Biden announcing similar moves against Russian oil on Tuesday.
However, not everyone was on board with the latest measures to hit the Russian economy. Here are the 17 lawmakers, two Democrats and 15 Republicans, who voted against the bill.
Democrats
Cori Bush (Mo.)
Ilhan Omar (Minn.)
Omar said in an appearance on Hill.TV’s “Rising” on Tuesday that she would vote against the bill due to the impact it would have on other countries.
“That’s not only going to have a devastating impact on the people of Russia, but on Europe as well,” Omar said. “When we’re having these conversations, they can’t be about just the immediate, gratifying response that we want to come up with.”
Republicans
Andy Biggs (Ariz.)
Biggs said he supports a Russian oil ban, but not without a guarantee that the U.S. would work towards energy independence.
He also condemned reports that Biden is turning to Iran and Venezuela to make oil deals amid the ban.
Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.)
Louie Gohmert (Texas)
Gohmert said he could not vote “yes” on the bill until the U.S. became more energy independent and Biden committed to not taking oil from dictatorships.
“President Biden’s outrageously calloused original decision on his first day to make America and Europe dependent on Russia, Iran and Venezuela for oil while he chases a green new nightmare has made the world dangerous for democracy while funding those who will end our freedom,” he said.
Dan Bishop (N.C.)
Glenn Grothman (Wis.)
Lauren Boebert (Colo.)
Tom Tiffany (Wis.)
Matt Gaetz (Fla.)
Gaetz wrote in an op-ed for The National Pulse he would not vote for the bill due to the impacts he believes it would have on Americans.
“I will not join them. Biden’s plan to replace Russian oil with Venezuelan or Iranian oil is needlessly foolish. It will make Americans poorer and less safe. My compassion for Ukrainians won’t force my hand to hurt my own people,” Gaetz said.
Paul Gosar (Ariz.)
Gosar decried the bill as not putting the needs of the American people first.
“For a year we have been living with an ‘America last administration.’ This bill is a case in point on how Americans are the last priority and the Democrats will bend over to help anyone but the voters here,” he said.
Clay Higgins (La.)
Scott DesJarlais (Tenn.)
Madison Cawthorn (N.C.)
Cawthorn decried the bill as “virtue signaling” by Democrats and declared the U.S. should not depend on any country for oil.
“The House had an opportunity tonight to stand up to Putin with strong legislation blocking Russian oil AND implementing America first energy policies,” Cawthorne wrote. “Instead, the ‘Suspending Energy Imports from Russia Act’ was nothing more than virtue signaling by Nancy Pelosi and House Dems.”
Bill Posey (Fla.)
Chip Roy (Texas)
Thomas Massie (Ky.)
Massie said he would be voting against the bill on Twitter due to Biden’s lack of plans for energy production and to obtain oil from other dictatorships.
“Biden has no plan to enable development of traditional domestic energy sources,” he said. “His plan is to buy oil from dictators in other countries, and to use high gas prices to bludgeon American consumers into adopting a leftist energy agenda.”
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