Use Reagan to counter Trump! Republican congressmen introduce "peace through strength" bill to block Russian diesel

U.S. President Trump reached a diesel supply arrangement with Russian President Vladimir Putin, claiming it would help lower fuel prices, but it triggered a backlash within the Republican Party. Pennsylvania Republican Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick said on the 10th that he would introduce a bill named after former U.S. President Ronald Reagan's "peace through strength" philosophy in an attempt to prevent the purchase of Russian oil and bypass the leadership of the House of Representatives through special congressional procedures to force the bill to be voted on.

The US political news website "Axios" reported that Fitzpatrick is the co-chairman of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus. He is preparing to propose the "Ronald Reagan Peace Through Strength Act" and use a "discharge petition" to push for a vote. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Nebraska, has said he agrees to sign the petition.

It takes 218 signatures to bypass the leadership of the House of Representatives

A discharge petition is a procedure in the U.S. House of Representatives that allows members to forcibly "release" a bill from the committee when the bill is withheld by the committee or does not receive support from the majority party leadership and committee chairs and sends it to the upper house for discussion and voting. It must be signed by 218 members.

Fitzpatrick said on the social platform However, the petition has not yet reached the signature threshold and the bill has not yet been voted on.

Trump said on the 9th that Russia will immediately supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel to the U.S. and global markets, and more shipments will follow. Trump has promoted the arrangement as a means to lower fuel prices, but energy analysts are skeptical that the new supply will actually lower prices. Ukrainian President Zelensky stressed that the deal was "unfair and dishonest" and was tantamount to a gift to Putin.

Trump also called on Ukraine to replace Zelensky on the 10th and replace him with a leader who is willing to reach an agreement with Russia. The diesel transaction therefore not only involves energy prices, but also affects U.S. policy toward Russia and Ukraine.

Fitzpatrick and Bacon pushed bills involving aid to Ukraine and sanctions against Russia to be voted on in the House of Representatives earlier this year. Although the bill passed the House of Representatives at that time, it subsequently stalled in the Senate, which shows that the vote of the House of Representatives does not mean that the bill will complete the legislation.

This time the bill is also under time pressure. The U.S. House of Representatives is scheduled to resume voting only after the November 3 election, and the current Congress will end in January next year. Even if the bill passes the House of Representatives, it still needs to be approved by the Senate and may be vetoed by Trump. The White House has not yet responded to the outlet's request for comment on the bill.