The Senate reconvened at 10:30 A.M. and resumed consideration of H.R.3076, the Postal Service Reform Act. At the same time, Senators say they are close to an agreement to provide billions in new coronavirus relief, set to be tied to a massive government funding bill. Congress is expected to include at least $15 billion in response to the Biden administration’s request for new funding for COVID-19 vaccines, treatments and testing. There also now appears to be agreement to include $12 billion in supplemental funds for military, humanitarian and economic aid to Ukraine and NATO allies as Russia continues its attacks. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) cited that figure in his Monday floor speech, which is up from $10 billion the White House initially requested. Getting a deal on the funds would remove a significant hurdle for passing a government funding bill by Friday night, when lawmakers have to pass legislation or spark a shutdown. Top appropriators and congressional leaders are aiming to wrap up omnibus negotiations in time to file the massive spending package in the House as soon as Tuesday, vote on it in that chamber Wednesday and get it through the Senate before Friday at midnight when stopgap funding expires.
As Congress continues to respond to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the bipartisan leadership of the House Ways and Means and Senate Finance committees agreed to a package of Russia trade sanctions Monday that would, among other things, ban Russian oil imports and suspend normal trade relations with Russia and Belarus, which would raise tariffs on goods from those nations. This legislation will be a stand-alone bill and not part of the omnibus.
The House convened at 10:00 A.M. and is expected to consider three bills under suspension of the Rules.
As expected, President Joe Biden just announced his administration is banning Russian oil, natural gas and coal imports to the US in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. “Today I am announcing the United States is targeting the main artery of Russia’s economy. We’re banning all imports of Russian oil and gas and energy,” Biden said in remarks from the White House. “That means Russian oil will no longer be acceptable at US ports and the American people will deal another powerful blow to Putin’s war machine.” The US will make the move unilaterally, without its European allies, due to disagreement among European nations about whether to ban Russian energy imports. EU countries have significantly more exposure to Russian energy than the US.
