Bipartisan bill barring U.S. purchase of Russian oil on the horizon: Fitzpatrick

Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) announced on Saturday he would be introducing a bipartisan bill aimed at stopping President Trump from lifting sanctions on Russian oil amid global fuel shortages.

“We will be introducing bipartisan legislation to block any and all purchases of Russian oil. It will be called the ‘Ronald Reagan Peace Through Strength Act,’” Fitzpatrick wrote on social media, although it is currently unclear who the Democratic sponsors for the legislation are.

He added that he will force a vote on the bill through a discharge petition and that he believes “it will overwhelmingly” pass.

“I’ve already agreed to be an original cosponsor,” Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) wrote on social media. “Congress must make a stand.”

Trump’s deal, which was announced Friday, permits Russia to supply 300,000 tons of diesel to the U.S. and the global marketplace. Moscow already confirmed its readiness to supply oil and petroleum to the U.S. and global markets, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a statement, according to Russian state media.

On Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned the deal signaled to Russia that “it could simply keep attacking” his country. Trump responded, telling reporters outside the White House that Zelensky “could have settled this war many times,” but “chose not to.”

“I suggest they get a new leader who can make a deal,” the president continued.

The deal drew criticism from both sides of the aisle, including Rep. Gabe Amo (D-R.I.), who sits on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

“After signing a law to ramp up sanctions on Russia, Trump is paying Putin for oil to deal with the high gas prices caused by his choice of war with Iran? That’s not punishing Putin, that’s profit,” Amo wrote on social media, adding, “Make it make sense.”

In 2022, Congress passed a bill to ban the imports of Russian oil and authorize further sanctions but it contained an exception for the president to allow energy that was already purchased before the legislation passed, or in cases where the importation would be in the national interest.