Decreasing Russian Oil Profits Act of 2026

Summary#

This bill directs the President to impose sanctions, beginning 90 days after enactment, on foreign persons the Secretary of the Treasury (in consultation with the Secretary of State) determines are responsible for, complicit in, or who facilitate the purchase or importation of crude oil or petroleum products of Russian Federation origin. The sanctions also cover persons who materially assist or provide support to those activities and certain corporate officers and board members. The sanctions use the powers of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to block and prohibit transactions in property and interests in property that are in the United States, come into the United States, or are in the possession or control of a United States person.

The President may apply up to two types of exceptions for certain countries or transactions. The bill describes four exception categories: (A) countries that isolate Russian funds in a local account and commit to significantly reduce purchases, with 180-day renewal requirements and penalties for misuse of the account; (B) purchases where a per-barrel payment is deposited into an account established for the benefit of Ukraine, with rules for use, disbursement at least every 90 days, and congressional notification and oversight; (C) countries that provide significant economic or military support to Ukraine, with 180-day renewal requirements; and (D) temporary port-specific exceptions for up to 270 days after enactment, limited so they do not cover ports that in 2024 accounted for more than half of Russia's oil export capacity.

The bill also says that any exception the President applies does not cover activities that facilitate maritime transport, trading, brokering, financing, shipping, insuring, flagging, or customs brokering for Russian oil purchased above a Treasury-determined price cap; that restriction applies without regard to whether the service provider is connected to Group of 7 countries. The sanctions and the section expire five years after enactment. The bill includes definitions for terms used and identifies congressional committees to receive certifications and reports.

What it means for you#

  • If you are a foreign person buying, importing, transporting, insuring, financing, or otherwise facilitating trade in Russian-origin crude oil or petroleum products, you could be designated for sanctions under the criteria in the bill.
  • If you are a U.S. person or an entity in the United States, the bill would authorize blocking and prohibiting transactions in property and interests in property of designated foreign persons and would prohibit certain dealings with them.
  • The bill creates special account and reporting rules for some allowed purchases: some countries may be allowed to route payments into local accounts that are limited to agricultural, food, medicine, or medical-device transactions with Russia, or payments may be required to go into a Ukraine benefit account with specified uses and oversight.
  • For most members of the general public not involved in these activities, the bill does not list direct individual actions or benefits.

Expenses#

No publicly available information on overall budgetary costs or economic effects is included in the bill text. The bill does require or allow: establishment of deposit accounts (including an account for the benefit of Ukraine), regular disbursement of funds from a Ukraine account at least every 90 days, certifications and reports to congressional committees, and notifications before certain transfers, but it does not provide cost estimates or appropriations language.

Proponents' View#

No publicly available information on proponents' stated arguments or findings is included in the bill text or provided metadata.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information on opponents' stated arguments or findings is included in the bill text or provided metadata.