US Senate approves ban on Russian uranium imports

The U.S. Senate on April 30 voted unanimously to approve legislation banning imports of enriched uranium from Russia.

The legislation will now advance to the White House, where U.S. President Joe Biden must sign the bill in order for it to become law. Biden has expressed support for restrictions on Russian fuel products and is expected to sign.

The Prohibiting Russian Uranium Imports Act would take effect 90 days after signing, banning Russian uranium imports from the U.S. through 2040, except in the case of temporary waivers issued by the U.S. Energy Department as part of an anti-dumping agreement in place between the U.S. and Russia.

The U.S. House of Representatives approved the measure in December 2023.

All 100 senators approved the bill during the April 30 vote.

"Our bipartisan legislation will help defund Russia's war machine, revive American uranium production, and jump-start investments in America's nuclear fuel supply chain," said Senator John Barrasso, a Republican, in comments to Bloomberg.

"This is a tremendous victory," he said.

Russia is the leading foreign supplier of enriched uranium to the U.S., according to Energy Department data. Imports provide Russia with an estimated $1 billion a year, Barrasso said in a December 2023 report.

The U.S. has introduced sweeping sanctions and restrictions on the import of Russian products after the full-scale invasion, including fossil fuels. If the uranium imports ban is signed into law, it will mark the first time the nuclear fuel has been included in the list of sanctioned products.

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