Cruz's bill is expected to fall short of the 60-vote threshold without a surprise development.
It is important that we work closely with our allies, and Germany is one of them. The amendment is ill- timed, according to Sen. Jeanne Shaheen. The German government has supported the construction of the project because of the cheap energy it would bring into the country, despite objections from the U.S. and other European allies.
Victoria Nuland, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, testifies during a hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations to examine U.S.-Russia policy on Capitol Hill in Washington. The photo was taken by Alex Brandon.
Almost every senator from both parties supported the sanctions outlined in Cruz's legislation. Supporting Cruz would pit Democrats against Biden, because he waives those sanctions last year. The Texas Republican has taken to bashing Democrats for what he calls a "capitulation" on partisan grounds.
The Cruz vote could be a bellwether for the Senate Democrats, since they have been working on the issue for a long time. She argued in a recent op-ed that the Biden administration should reconsider the sanctions imposed on the Nord Stream 2 project.
Cruz has a bill that requires sanctions to be imposed within 15 days of being signed into law and that Congress can vote to restore the penalties if the president waives them. She is leaning against something.
Chris Murphy, a top Senate Foreign Relations Committee member, said he was working to try to defeat Cruz's bill, arguing that it would pull the U.S. away from its European allies at a time when unity is essential to counter Russia.
This is not about Russia. This is about breaking up the trans-Atlantic alliance. Murphy said in a brief interview that the administration needs to be in solidarity with them as they try to prevent an invasion. If our goal is to save Ukraine from an invasion, we shouldn't send a wedge into the trans-Atlantic relationship.
The U.S. and its European partners are using the completion of the pipeline as leverage against Russia, warning that it won't become operational if Putin moves on Ukraine.
On August 4, 2021, people on bicycles ride past sections of pipe for the Nord Stream 2 gas line stacked at Rgen Island. The main German base for supplying pipe sections to the Nord Stream 2 gas line is the port of Mukran Port. The project has drawn opposition from the United States, Poland and Ukraine and is currently under construction. Sean Gallup is a photographer.
Dick Durbin, the Democratic whip, said he has no lost love for Putin and Russia, but he doesn't want to do anything that will hurt our security.
Cruz thinks that Democrats are only interested in giving Biden political cover.
Cruz said in an interview that the only reason they might vote no is if they put partisan loyalty above national security interests. The president is a Democrat. They all voted for the president. Every single Democrat would vote for Trump if he were still in office.
Cruz secured the vote as part of a negotiation with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer last month, in which the Texas Republican lifted his holds on dozens of Biden's nominees to serve as U.S. ambassadors. Cruz has imposed blanket holds on State Department nominees in order to force the Biden administration to impose the sanctions that were approved by Congress.
The Democrats will be hard-pressed to win the vote given their previous support for similar sanctions measures. It's even more complicated now that Biden waiving those sanctions in order to repair the U.S.-Germany relationship.
Jack Reed, chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said that they would have to take the vote on Cruz's bill. It will be based on our best judgement about what is in the best interest of the United States.
Ben Cardin of Maryland, a top Foreign Relations Committee member, said Cruz's bill has some provisions that give him concern. He is not sure.
Chris Coons, a top Biden ally, said he wouldn't make a decision on the legislation until he heard from senior administration officials about the new German government.
It is an important vote for us to take. There are circumstances on the ground that are evolving. I don't know the administration's position. I think it would be opposed.
At least 10 Democrats will need to support Cruz's legislation in order for it to pass, because it requires an up-or-down vote at a 60-vote threshold.
Schumer could give senators political cover by using a side-by-side process in which they could vote for Cruz's bill or a separate measure that would be more in line with Democrats. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Bob Menendez has proposed legislation to impose sanctions only after a Russian invasion of Ukraine.
One Democrat who spoke to POLITICO on Wednesday said they would support the sanctions. Blumenthal said he would vote for the plan that was offered. He said it was not a difficult vote because there was clearly a right thing to do.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the Biden administration wanted to use the pipeline as leverage to stop Putin from invading Ukraine.
If Russia starts attacking Ukraine again, it will be hard for us to see gas flowing through that line.
This report was contributed by Quint Forgey.
