House Bill Targets Russian Diesel and Satellite Gaps

A bipartisan group of House members introduced legislation on October 24 to reverse a recent Treasury Department waiver for Russian diesel imports. The bill also seeks to secure continuous satellite communications for Ukraine by requiring faster reporting from intelligence agencies.

The measure, titled the Ronald Reagan Peace Through Strength Act of 2026, was introduced by Representative Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania. It is co-sponsored by Representative Don Bacon of Nebraska and Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington. The legislation would cancel the waiver issued on October 9, which is scheduled to expire on April 7, 2027, and prohibit future waivers for Russian energy imports.

The bill mandates that intelligence agencies support Ukraine's defense capabilities. It requires agencies to notify congressional intelligence committees within 24 hours of any interruption to those services. The measure has been referred to three House committees for review.

President Donald Trump defended the diesel arrangement as a method to expand global supplies and lower prices. Following talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump stated that Russia agreed to provide more than 300,000 metric tons of diesel to US and global markets immediately. Diesel prices have risen sharply due to energy supply disruptions linked to the war in Iran.

Sponsors argue the waiver undermines a 2022 federal ban on Russian oil imports. Fitzpatrick stated, "We must not import a single drop of Russian oil." Bacon told RFE/RL that "Congress must be a check to the president's egregious appeasement to Putin." Gluesenkamp Perez said Trump should work to end the war in Iran to lower gasoline prices rather than direct American money to Russia.

Separate concerns regarding satellite access prompted eight lawmakers to urge Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to expand the Pentagon's Starshield contract. The group includes Representatives Marcy Kaptur, Fitzpatrick, and Mike Quigley, as well as Senators Mark Kelly, Thom Tillis, and Elissa Slotkin. They requested restored connection speeds and adequate coverage for military operations, including over Russian territory.

Ukrainian officials reported that restrictions introduced on October 13 disrupted communications for drones moving faster than 100 miles per hour. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the limits persisted despite Trump's claim that service had been restored after contact with Elon Musk. A Ukrainian official noted that Kyiv has been in contact with the US government but that "no one has explained what happened or what will happen next."

Several Democrats are seeking further clarity on the satellite disruptions. Senator Richard Blumenthal has demanded written answers from Musk by November 5 and a SpaceX briefing by November 12. Representatives Sam Liccardo, Ro Khanna, and Jimmy Panetta have asked White House chief of staff Susie Wiles for a government-wide investigation. Senator Tillis wrote on X that whoever is handing Putin "the gift of a more vulnerable Ukraine" should "have the guts to put their name on it."