Sen. Cruz’s Russian pipeline sanctions bill fails in Senate

The Senate failed to pass a bill to reimpose sanctions on Russia’s Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline sponsored by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) in the face of new Democratic legislation.

The tally was 55 in favor and 43 against. The bill needed 60 votes to pass, to overcome a filibuster.

Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) introduced an alternative bill on Wednesday that would impose sweeping sanctions on Russian government officials and banks, but only if Moscow engaged in military aggression against neighboring Ukraine.

Many Democrats, including President Joe Biden, have fallen behind the new Democratic bill, including Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), who was once a co-sponsor of Cruz’s Nord Stream 2 sanctions bill.

Shaheen said she changed her mind on Cruz’s pipeline sanctions because it risked breaking unity between Washington and Europe over Russian aggression against Ukraine. She was especially concerned about how it would affect U.S. relations with Germany, where Nord Stream 2 would end.

Cruz said before the vote that if his bill did not pass, "Ukraine risks getting wiped off the map altogether." He had negotiated for the vote in exchange for votes on Biden administration nominees he has been blocking.

The United States, along with some European allies like Ukraine and Poland, oppose the pipeline because it would increase Moscow’s leverage over Europe and its very tight energy market. The Biden administration waived sanctions on the company building Nord Stream 2 in May, sparking criticism among American oil producers and national security experts.

The Menendez bill has not yet been scheduled for a vote.