U.S. Senator John Hoeven (R-ND) on Oct. 17 joined several Republicans in introducing legislation that would prohibit the importation of crude oil, petroleum, petroleum products, and liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Venezuela and Iran.
Sen. Hoeven signed on as one of seven original cosponsors of the Preempting Misguided Appeasement and Financing of Destabilizing Regimes Act of 2023, S. 3053, including U.S. Sens. Steve Daines (R-MT) and Thom Tillis (R-NC).
Their introduction of the bill, which is sponsored by U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), is in response to recent media reports indicating that the Biden administration had agreed to lift sectoral sanctions on the Maduro regime’s petroleum industry, according to information provided by Sen. Hoeven’s staff.
“Since day one, the Biden administration has closed off access to our vast domestic oil and gas reserves and undermined our nation’s energy security,” Sen. Hoeven said. “Now, instead of producing the energy we need here at home, the Biden administration is seeking to do business with our adversaries.”
If enacted, S. 3053 would “block the import of oil and gas from Iran and Venezuela and help the U.S. maintain pressure on these two nations,” said Sen. Hoeven.
“Instead of easing sanctions on Iran and Venezuela’s primary source of revenue, we can and should produce that energy here at home,” he added.
S. 3053 has been referred for consideration to the U.S. Senate Finance Committee.