U.S. House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to suspend normal trade relations with Russia and Belarus for their unwarranted war of aggression against Ukraine. U.S. Representative Rodney Davis (R-IL) voted in support of the legislation.
“We should inflict maximum financial pain on Russia, Putin, and his oligarch cronies for their war against Ukraine and the atrocities that are a result of their war,” said Rep. Davis. “That’s why the United States should suspend normal trade relations with Russia and Belarus by raising tariffs on them. We should not allow Putin to indirectly finance his war in Ukraine by trading with our country. We should use every financial tool at our disposal to make it as costly as possible for Putin to wage war against Ukraine.”
H.R. 7108, the Suspending Normal Trade Relations with Russia and Belarus Act, would end preferential tariff treatment, sometimes referred to as Most Favored Nation (MFN) tariff rates, for products from Russia and Belarus by suspending “Permanent Normal Trade Relations” for Russia and normal trade relations for Belarus in order to cut off export revenue that can indirectly fund President Putin’s war of aggression in Ukraine.
In 2012, Congress permanently extended tariff rates that it normally applies to World Trade Organization (WTO) members to Russia as Russia was completing the process to join the WTO. This tariff action for WTO members is referred to as “Permanent Normal Trade Relations,” which is designed to encourage trade and economic growth among WTO member-nations.
The legislation would empower the President to raise tariffs on Russia and Belarus.
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