S.Amdt. 6728

This amendment, submitted by Mr. Merkley, aims to change section 113 of the bill. Its purpose is to establish rules for imposing duties on goods imported from specific foreign countries based on their involvement with Russian energy.

Targeted Countries

The amendment targets countries that meet these criteria:

• They knowingly bought new crude oil or natural gas from the Russian Federation 30 days after the Act is enacted and were among the 5 largest importers of those resources in the 12 months before the Act.
• They are among the top 5 countries helping Russia evade oil sanctions, as decided by the United States Trade Representative and other government secretaries.

Key Changes and Provisions

• Exceptions: Duties won't be imposed on countries that imported less than 15 percent of Russia's total annual natural gas exports and have taken significant steps to reduce those imports.
• Ongoing Monitoring: Every 180 days, the government will update the lists of the top 5 importers of crude oil, the top 5 importers of natural gas, and the top 5 countries helping evade oil sanctions to impose duties.
• Additional Costs: These duties are added on top of any existing fees, taxes, or other charges.
• Accountability: The President or Trade Representative must give a written justification and the methodology used to determine the duties to the appropriate congressional committees 10 days before they are imposed or changed.
• Limits: Duties cannot be imposed on any country that is not specifically described in the amendment or the Russian Federation.