Diesel Waiver and Satellite Cuts Draw Scrutiny From Lawmakers

A Treasury Department waiver issued on October 9 authorized transactions involving more than 300,000 metric tons of Russian diesel, including imports into the United States. President Donald Trump announced the figure after talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, describing it as a way to expand global supplies and lower prices. Diesel costs have climbed as supply disruptions linked to the war in Iran have hit markets.

Representative Brian Fitzpatrick, a Pennsylvania Republican who co-chairs the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, introduced the Ronald Reagan Peace Through Strength Act of 2026. Republican Don Bacon of Nebraska and Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington are co-sponsors. The bill would cancel the October 9 waiver, which expires April 7, 2027, bar future waivers for Russian energy imports, require intelligence agencies to support Ukraine's defense, and mandate that congressional intelligence committees be notified within 24 hours of any interruption. The measure has been referred to three House committees.

The sponsors tie the measure to a 2022 federal ban on Russian oil imports. "We must not import a single drop of Russian oil," Fitzpatrick said. Bacon said, "Congress must be a check to the president's egregious appeasement to Putin," and accused the president of reversing his own past criticism of European purchases of Russian energy. Gluesenkamp Perez said that if Trump wants lower gasoline prices, he should work to end the war in Iran rather than direct American money to Russia.

Separate from the energy bill, reports surfaced that Ukraine's access to SpaceX's Starlink and the military-grade Starshield satellite systems had been restricted. Ukrainian officials said the disruptions affected operations, and on October 24 they reported that connection speeds had been restored. Restrictions introduced on October 13 disrupted communications for drones and other platforms moving faster than 100 miles per hour, which Ukrainian reports said hindered guidance of defensive drones. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said limits stayed in place despite Trump's statement that service was restored following contact with Musk.

Eight lawmakers from both parties, including Representatives Marcy Kaptur, Fitzpatrick and Mike Quigley and Senators Mark Kelly, Thom Tillis and Elissa Slotkin, wrote to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth asking him to expand the Pentagon's Starshield contract and guarantee continuous service. The letter asked for restored speeds, coverage for Ukraine's lawful military operations including over Russian territory, and a transition from commercial Starlink to government-contracted Starshield. The lawmakers suggested using the Defense Production Act, writing that service decisions "should not be left solely to the discretion of a private provider."

Several Democrats have sought records on who ordered the limits. Representative Gregory Meeks and Senator Peter Welch led six lawmakers in questioning Musk's account that the military and the president decided on restrictions, citing reports that Musk himself proposed them. Senator Richard Blumenthal has requested written answers from Musk by November 5 and a SpaceX briefing by November 12. Representatives Sam Liccardo, Ro Khanna and Jimmy Panetta asked White House chief of staff Susie Wiles for a government-wide investigation. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said Trump and other officials neither ordered nor knew of the restrictions. Tillis wrote on X that whoever is handing Putin "the gift of a more vulnerable Ukraine" should "have the guts to put their name on it." A Ukrainian official familiar with the matter said SpaceX had not responded to Kyiv about the earlier limits and that no one had explained what happened or what comes next.

The bill has been sent to three House committees. Blumenthal's November 12 briefing request and the November 5 deadline for Musk's written answers fall next month.