Golden statement in support of Russia sanctions bill

September 16, 2026 Press Release HR 5334 will ‘cut off the oil revenue that’s greasing Russia’s war machine’ WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) released the following statement regarding his vote in favor of HR 5334 , legislation to impose sanctions against Russia until it ends its war against Ukraine: “Every barrel of Russian oil sold on the global market is funding for Vladimir Putin’s war of aggression against Ukraine. Russia is successfully evading the existing sanctions imposed by the U.S. and our Western partners. This bill provides new tools to cut off the oil revenue that’s greasing Russia’s war machine, including tariffs on the top buyers of Russian energy and those countries helping the federation evade existing sanctions. “Under Putin’s rule, Russia has tested the boundaries of international order and safety at a scale not witnessed in generations. It is waging a war of territorial expansion against our democratic ally in Ukraine. It has made its hostile intent toward the United States and other western democracies clear in its words and actions, including its efforts to undermine U.S. elections. “Passing this bill will weaken Putin’s hand, and will show the Ukrainians fighting to defend their homes that the United States will not abandon them. I’m proud to vote yes.” The bill passed the House in a bipartisan vote of 262-159, having previously passed in the Senate 86-11. It now goes to the president to be signed into law. BACKGROUND: Russia has successfully evaded existing sanctions on its energy products with a “shadow fleet” of tankers conducting ship-to-ship transfers or rerouting to friendly buyers, often using false documents to hide ownership or cargo point-of-origin. According to one estimate, this shadow fleet transported roughly 3.7 billion barrels of oil in 2025 . In addition to direct sanctions on Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin, the bill targets Russian financial institutions and defense and energy actors. It also sidesteps Russia’s evasion strategies by targeting the buyers of Russian energy products, authorizing the president to impose tariffs on the top five importers of Russian oil and gas and the top five facilitators of sanctions evasion. Golden has been a consistent champion for the defense of Ukraine’s sovereignty, having voted in favor of every major military and financial aid for the besieged nation since 2022. To overcome partisan gridlock, in 2024 he co-sponsored the Defending Borders, Defending Democracies Act with Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), which paired aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with funding the restore order at America’s southern border. Elements of the bill were included in a successful bipartisan foreign aid and border security package enacted by the House that year. ### Issues : National Security and Servicemembers