US Lawmakers Challenge Russian Diesel Waiver and Starlink Limits

The US Congress is asserting its authority over two separate executive actions that have drawn bipartisan criticism: a waiver allowing Russian diesel imports and reported restrictions on Ukrainian satellite communications. Lawmakers from both major parties are deploying bills, inquiries, and direct appeals to the administration to reverse these moves.

First, Representative Brian Fitzpatrick, a Pennsylvania Republican, introduced the Ronald Reagan Peace Through Strength Act of 2026. The bill, co-sponsored by Republican Don Bacon of Nebraska and Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington, aims to cancel a Treasury Department waiver issued on October 9. That waiver authorized transactions for Russian diesel, including US imports, and is set to expire on April 7, 2027. The new legislation would bar future waivers and require intelligence agencies to notify congressional committees within 24 hours of any interruption in support for Ukraine.

Second, eight lawmakers, including Senators Mark Kelly, Thom Tillis, and Elissa Slotkin, urged Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to expand the Pentagon's Starshield contract. They seek to guarantee uninterrupted satellite service for Ukraine, including coverage over Russian territory. The group suggested using the Defense Production Act to prevent service decisions from resting solely with a private provider. Ukrainian officials stated that restrictions implemented on October 13 disrupted communications for drones moving faster than 100 miles per hour, though connection speeds were reported as restored on October 24.

Context for the energy dispute involves President Donald Trump's announcement 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. He defended the arrangement as a method to expand global supplies and lower prices, a claim that contrasts with a 2022 federal ban on Russian oil imports. Fitzpatrick argued that the US must not import a single drop of Russian oil, while Bacon described the waiver as an egregious appeasement of Putin.

On the satellite front, a Ukrainian official told RFE/RL that SpaceX has not explained the earlier limits to Kyiv. Several Democrats are seeking clarity on who imposed the restrictions. Senator Richard Blumenthal has demanded written answers from Elon Musk by November 5 and a SpaceX briefing by November 12. Other representatives have asked White House chief of staff Susie Wiles for a government-wide investigation. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has denied that the president or other officials ordered or knew of the restrictions.

The legislative and inquiry efforts aim to reassert congressional oversight. The measure introduced by Fitzpatrick and colleagues has been sent to three House committees for review. Senators and representatives continue to press for a formal determination of whether the satellite limits were a military decision or a commercial choice, with Tillis calling for the responsible party to put their name on the decision.