Decreasing Russian Oil Profits Act of 2025

Key Points

• This bill, introduced by a bipartisan group in Congress, aims to cut off the money Russia earns from selling oil. It would punish foreign individuals or companies that buy, ship, or finance Russian crude oil by freezing their assets and blocking them from doing business in the United States.
• The policy targets the global 'middlemen' of the oil trade. If a foreign bank or shipping company helps move Russian oil, they could lose access to the U.S. financial system. This is designed to make it much harder and more expensive for Russia to find buyers for its most valuable export.
• To avoid hurting allies, the bill allows some exceptions. For example, countries can keep buying Russian oil if they pay a fee into a special account that goes directly to help Ukraine defend itself or rebuild. Other exceptions exist for countries that are already giving significant military aid to Ukraine.
• There is a humanitarian option where countries can buy Russian oil if the money is kept in a restricted account. That money can then only be used by Russia to buy food, medicine, or farming supplies. This ensures the sanctions target the Russian government's budget without causing a global food or health crisis.
• The bill strictly enforces a price limit on Russian oil. Even if a country qualifies for an exception, they can still be sanctioned if they pay more than the 'price cap' set by the Treasury Department. This rule applies to shipping and insurance companies worldwide to ensure Russia cannot sell its oil for a high profit.