A bipartisan group of lawmakers said on Monday that they would move forward with legislation that would ban imports of Russian energy into the United States.
The legislation is intended to hurt Russia by cutting off Russia's oil exports to the United States and giving President Biden the power to increase tariffs on products from both countries.
Pressure is growing on Mr. Biden to shut the spigot after the bipartisan agreement to cut off oil imports. Although the United States imports just 7 percent of its oil from Russia, the administration has so far avoided banning imports because of the high gas prices. Some materials that are crucial for certain industries are supplied by Russia and Belarus, though they are not major trading partners of the United States.
The Secretary of State said on Sunday that the United States was considering a ban on Russian oil imports.
The legislation would require the Office of the United States Trade Representative to seek Russia's suspension from the World Trade Organization. Lawmakers said the president would have the authority to restore normal trade relations with Russia.
The legislation has the support of several powerful committee chairs, but it is not certain if it can pass Congress and make it to Mr. Biden's desk.
As Russia continues its unprovoked attack on the Ukrainian people, we have agreed on a legislative path forward to ban the import of energy products from Russia and to suspend normal trade relations with both Russia and Belarus.
The bill is supported by Representative Kevin Brady, Republican of Texas, Representative Richard E. Neal, Democrat of Massachusetts, Senator Mike Crapo, Republican of Idaho, and Senator Ron Wyden, Democrat of Oregon.
The average US tariffs on Russia goods would rise to 33 percent from 3 percent if the House Democrats' bill were to become law. Lawmakers have introduced legislation to remove trade preferences between Russia and other countries.
Russia is a limited supplier of goods to the United States, sending mostly fuels, metals and minerals. Russia was the United States' 40th largest export market that year, buying mainly machinery, aircraft, cars and medical instruments.
There is gas supplies. Europe gets nearly 40 percent of its natural gas from Russia, and it is likely to be walloped with higher heating bills. European leaders accuse Russia's president of reducing supplies to gain a political edge, as natural gas reserves are running low.
There are shortages of essential metals. Russia is the world's largest exporter of the metal and the price of it has gone up as a result. The price of nickel has gone up.
Financial turmoil. Russia's access to foreign capital and its ability to process payments in dollars, euros and other currencies will be affected by the sanctions. Russia is also on alert for cyberattacks.
Russia and Belarus were stripped of their most favored nation treatment by Canada last week, leaving them with a 35 percent tariffs to send products into Canada. The United States and the European Union are considering similar measures.
It is unclear whether the United States and Europe can force Russia out of the World Trade Organization. If the majority of its members agree to change their charter, the group can do this, according to James Bacchus, a former W.T.O. official.
Serbia and Montenegro were expelled from the global trade body in 1992 after their invasion of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Congress revoked normal trading relations with them that year. Since the W.T.O. was formed, the system has not undergone a similar test.
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