Rep. Cleaver Votes to Suspend Normal Trade Relations with Russia, Belarus

March 17, 2022
Press Release

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) voted in favor of H.R. 7108, a bill to suspend normal trade relations with Russia and Belarus in response to their illegal, unprovoked, and unconscionable invasion of Ukraine. The legislation passed the House of Representatives with overwhelming bipartisan support as the U.S. Congress and Biden Administration continue unprecedented efforts to hold Vladimir Putin accountable and isolate Russia from the international community.

"Following President Zelenskyy's impassioned speech to Congress, the United States of America is once again taking strong action to demonstrate its ironclad commitment to stand with the Ukrainian people and isolate Vladimir Putin for his horrific attempt to militarily conquer a free, democratic nation," said Congressman Cleaver. "By suspending normal trade relations and strengthening the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, the United States can further squeeze the Russian economy and increase the pressure on Putin and his band of thugs for their illegal invasion and despicable attacks on innocent Ukrainian civilians. The United States, NATO, and our allies around the world will not stop working to isolate and punish Putin as long as he continues his unprovoked, bloody war of aggression."

H.R. 7108 contains three major provisions to hold Russia accountable for invading a sovereign nation, including:

  • Suspending normal trade relations with Russia and Belarus, stopping them from selling goods in the United States at the same preferential duty rates that Ukraine enjoys and allowing the President to raise tariffs on products from Russia and Belarus;
  • Extending and Strengthening the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act so that the United States can impose further sanctions on Russia for their heinous attacks on Ukrainian civilians and gross human rights abuses; and
  • Taking steps to review Russia's and Belarus's access to the World Trade Organization and exploring ways in which we can further diminish their position in the global economy.

Since Putin began his war to conquer Ukraine, President Biden and Congress have taken historically unprecedented steps to hold Russia accountable, impose crushing consequences that will weaken it economically, and strengthen Ukrainian freedom fighters' ability to fight off their invaders, including:

  • Passing $13.6 billion in emergency assistance to provide Ukraine with humanitarian, economic, and defense support;
  • Banning the import of Russian oil and energy products into the United States;
  • Cutting off Russia's largest bank and imposing full sanctions on major Russian financial institutions and state-owned enterprises critical to its economy;
  • Securing new export controls to cut off Russia's access to technologies critical to their economy and military;
  • Banning Russian banks from SWIFT and taking new measures to hamstring the Russian Central bank; and more.

Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Housing, Community Development, and Insurance; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.