The US House of Representatives voted Thursday to suspend normal trade relations with Russia and Belarus. The act, sponsored by Representative Richard Neal, received overwhelming bipartisan support and passed the House in a 424-8 vote.

If passed by the Senate, the bill will give the president authority to raise tariffs on products from Russia and Belarus through January 1, 2024. Usually, tariffs cannot exceed the maximums set by column 2 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule. The act would remove this barrier, further restricting the Belarusian and Russian economies beyond the normal limits.

Moreover, the act would initiate proceedings to remove Russia from the World Trade Organization (WTO). It would also prevent Belarus, who has applied but is not currently a member, from accession to the WTO.

In justification of these latest sanctions, the act stated that “Vladimir Putin, a ruthless dictator, has led the Russian Federation into a war of aggression against Ukraine, which . . . denies Ukraine and its people their collective rights to independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.” It also stated that Belarus, “also led by a ruthless dictator, Aleksander Lukashenka, is providing important material support to the Russian Federation’s aggression.”

As of now, the US only denies favored trade status to North Korea and Cuba.

The Russian invasion is now entering its fourth week. In that time, the West has responded with severe sanctions that have sharpened the focus on their dependence on Russian energy. On March 14, the EU announced a similar round of sanctions that seek to remove Russia’s favored trade statues, as well as banning future European investments in Russian energy.  On March 9, President Biden signed an executive order banning the import of Russian oil, a decision that has corresponded with increased gas prices across the U.S.

The bill now faces a vote in the Senate, although a date has not been set.