Click here to watch Sen. Barrasso’s remarks.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) blasted the Biden administration for making a disastrous agreement with Germany clearing the way for the final construction of Russia’s Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.

Barrasso delivered the following remarks at today’s Senate Committee on Foreign Relations hearing with the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland.

Excerpts of Sen. Barrasso’s remarks:

“There is strong bipartisan opposition to the president’s deliberate failure to abide by U.S. law and sanction all of the entities involved in the construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

“Now, we see news reports that the United States and Germany came to a deal on the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline.

“The president appears to have made this deal with a government that will change leadership in a few months.

“Secretary Blinken has repeatedly pledged to work with Congress as he said ‘on the take-off, and not just the landing.’

“He has clearly failed to keep his word on this.

“This new deal is a grave mistake.

“The president is giving Russia a new geopolitical weapon.

“Russia uses energy as a geopolitical weapon to coerce and to manipulate.

“Paving the way for Russia and Germany to complete this pipeline puts a stranglehold on Europe.

“Protecting this Russian trap is not in our national security interest.

“It doubles Europe’s reliance on Russian energy.

“It funnels more money to Russia at a time of increased malign activities from Russia.

“It eliminates barriers for additional Russian military actions in Ukrainian territory.

“There are also reports of the administration attempting to silence the Ukrainians from even raising concerns about this new deal.

“Congress is the only one really willing to impose meaningful costs on Russian malign projects and to support our allies facing Russian aggression.

“It is clear that Congress and the American people can’t count on the administration to do the right thing.”

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