WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard Neal (D-MA) led a letter to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin that expresses concern over the Trump Administration’s extension of sanctions relief for the Russian aluminum producer United Company RUSAL PLC (RUSAL). Today’s letter follows an April 27, 2018 letter from Ways and Means Democrats that initially raised these concerns, asked for a briefing on the decision to ease RUSAL sanctions, and requested written responses to questions on the issue. The Administration’s failure to respond to that letter prompted Democrats to re-submit their requests today.
“We remain deeply concerned about this Administration’s apparent lack of commitment to holding Russia accountable for the egregious activities it carries out to undermine democracy in the United States and around the globe," wrote the members. “The Administration’s indication that it will consider lifting sanctions against RUSAL entirely if its major stakeholder, Oleg Deripaska, divests and relinquishes control of the company raises significant questions given that other sanctioned Russian individuals hold stakes in the company."
Reps. Bill Pascrell (D-NJ), Ron Kind (D-WI), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Sandy Levin (D-MI), Danny Davis (D-IL), and Brian Higgins (D-NY) from the Ways and Means Committee Subcommittee on Trade also signed the letter.
“We call on the Administration to address this oversight by scheduling a briefing with our staff immediately and by submitting written responses to our questions as soon as possible. Additionally, we ask that you inform us in writing why the Administration has failed to respond to our requests," added the members. “We and the American public deserve an explanation for why the Administration is not holding these individuals accountable for profiting from the destabilizing actions of a corrupt regime."
