Iowa Rep. Hinson Joins Call To Ban Russian Import
When the Russian invasion of Ukraine started, businesses started taking matters into their own hands by banning products that came from the country.
Major Iowa grocer Hy-Vee did so earlier this week when they took vodka from Russia off its shelves. But that’s not where this movement stops.
People have started calling for a similar thing to happen with oil.
In Congress, there has been growing bipartisan support for the United States to end all imports of Russian oil. In a report by Radio Iowa, Republican Congresswoman Ashley Hinson shared her thoughts on the idea.
"The United States, plain and simple, should not be purchasing any oil from Russia while Putin's actively -- illegally -- invading a sovereign nation and slaughtering innocent people," said Hinson.
According to the trade association for the U.S. petroleum industry, last year only 3 percent of crude oil imports to the U.S. were from Russia.
"Our current reliance on Russian oil will continue to drive up gas prices here at home," Hinson said.
She adds that it’s time for the U.S. to bump up crude oil output.
According to Reuters, during the pandemic, the price of crude oil went as low as below $0 a barrel. At the time oil companies thought it would take years for the market to bounce back. However, when Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine, crude oil prices hit $100 a barrel for the first time since 2014.
This week, top Democrats in the US House and Senate both expressed support in the idea of banning imports of Russian oil.