Wednesday, Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) released a statement condemning President Biden’s decision to hand Vladimir Putin a major global win by waiving sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which allows the Putin regime to bypass Ukraine in exporting natural gas to Western Europe—drastically increasing Russia’s power over the continent and the globe.

“President Biden is handing Vladimir Putin a direct path to power over the global energy market by loosening sanctions on Russia,” said Congressman August Pfluger. “The Nord Stream 2 Pipeline will be wielded as a tool of coercion against our allies and partners, threatening security on the continent and abroad. Waiving sanctions puts the United States and our allies at risk. I cannot fathom how it is in our national interest for President Biden to cancel the Keystone XL pipeline, which would have brought over ten thousand jobs to American citizens, and help Russia build Nord Stream 2 instead.”

Today, Congressman August Pfluger offered an amendment in the House Foreign Affairs Committee markup that would have solidified sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 Pipeline. Although the amendment was not adopted, Congressman Pfluger received the commitment of a senior Democrat member of the committee to work with Republicans to ensure the malign influence project is not completed.