targeting russian energy exports as well as russia s trade status. but as reports the russian president isn t the only putin who s being targeted by u.s. sanctions. the white house is looking for more ways to ramp up the economic pressure on russian president vladimir putin as he continues to wage war against ukraine. president biden signed two pieces of legislation that impose new sanctions on russia, marking the first time congress passed measures that would enact success anxious against russia, one of those measures suspended normal trade relations status with russia and belarus, essentially allowing the u.s. to impose tariffs on goods from the two countries. additionally, another piece of legislation the president signed bans the import of energy products from russia. this includes oil, coal, and natural gas. now these pieces of legislation follow additional sanctions that the u.s. imposed on russia earlier in the week, directly
lee ann. reporter: the senate will vote later today, after weeks of negotiations trying to remove preferred nation trade status from russia. this is something congress has to do. so many of these actions against russia, the president has unilateral authority including sanctions, but as far as this preferred trade status, he needs congress to do something. republicans and democrats have been negotiating over several issues including human rights issues as far as this legislation is concerned and narrowing down the details of an oil ban, all things that are tan jenl and included into this bill. ultimately they reached an agreement. the vote is expected to be today. they ll have to go back to the house of representatives to vote on it before it reaches the president s desk. this is the next step in the congress trying to act very tough against russia.
russian oil where cnn s sunlen serfaty with that story. what does this really do? how significant is this? it is significant, brianna, first and foremost, a lot of pressure mounting on senators on capitol hill to get this done before they would leave for two week easter recess. the house has passed these two bills weeks ago and they had been scuffling over the details in the senate. now, very likely, we ll see things move quickly this morning as you see, there s a live picture of the senate floor where they re first voting to end normal trade relations with russia. that would revoke russia s preferential trade status with the united states. that is something that president biden called for earlier, excuse me, last month and then they will vote on a second bill. now this bill would ban importing of russia oil and essentially codify the executive action that the president moved on last month. these are expected to pass in the senate, they need to be sent
senators you can see voting on the bill, russia and belarus trade status and vote on banning russian energy imports to codify president biden s existing executive order. chief congressional correspondent manu raju is on capitol hill. where are we on this vote? it s a day of consequential votes there, really. no question about it. the senate and the house are raising a number of key issues as they head out to a two week recess beginning tomorrow and this starting right now to nix the trade status of russia and belarus. that is going to pass, sailing through right now. 51 votes in the affirmative, no votes, and then moving to ban russian energy imports. this is an issue in the senate side for weeks and now they have a deal, moving to pass it very quickly. they ll have the final approval