Rep. Ilhan Omar votes against Russian oil ban

[dflprincess]

There is quite a bit more at the link.

https://www.startribune.com/rep-omar-votes-against-russian-oil-ban/600154740/

WASHINGTON – Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar opposed a bill banning Russian oil and energy imports to the United States amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The U.S. House passed the bill on a 414-17 bipartisan vote late Wednesday, with every other member of Minnesota's House delegation supporting the ban. The vote came after President Joe Biden took action of his own on the issue earlier in the week.

"The President clearly already has the authority to take this step — evident in that President Biden announced just such a ban yesterday," Omar said in a statement Wednesday night. "But putting the specifics into statute with no sunset and no conditions for lifting the ban creates a dangerous scenario, one in which we are taking today's policy question and making it tomorrow's political question."...

...The Russian oil vote was another instance where Omar has broken from most other House Democrats. She bucked many in her party last year on legislation focused on U.S. Capitol security, infrastructure and Israel's Iron Dome defense system.

In the statement about her decision this week, Omar said "dependence on oil means a dependence on tyrants."

"I am also gravely concerned that this ban will mean ramping up domestic production," Omar said. "We must move to a green economy for this and many reasons."

Also late Wednesday, the House passed a $1.5 trillion government funding package that includes $13.6 billion for Ukraine and allies. Lawmakers took two votes, one focused on defense and security.