Sen. Cruz: Nord Stream 2 Still Months Away From Activation But U.S. Running Out Of Time

HOUSTON, Texas - U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the following statement after reports that Nord Stream 2 had been physically completed:

"Nord Stream 2 should never have advanced this far. Before Joe Biden was sworn in, the United States had deployed a whole of government approach, uniting Republicans and Democrats, and the previous administration successfully stopped the pipeline for over a year. President Biden reversed that success and greenlit the pipeline, putting Vladimir Putin in a position to reap a generational geopolitical victory that will endanger the national security of the United States and our allies for generations.

"Today's announcement, however, is merely a technical step for Putin. As has been acknowledged by top Biden-Harris officials, including Secretary of State Blinken, the physical completion of the pipeline does not mean that it is ready to come online. It will take many months and significantly more work before Nord Stream 2 can become operational.

"Congress has passed multiple laws going back to 2017 that mandate the imposition of sanctions on Nord Stream 2, which if imposed today will prevent the pipeline from being activated. Those laws were passed overwhelmingly and nearly unanimously. President Biden and his administration willfully and brazenly ignore them, alternating between open defiance of Congress and straightforward lawlessness.

"The United States is running out of time to stop the Biden-Putin pipeline. President Biden should act now, implement the law, impose the mandated sanctions - and thereby avert creating yet another national security catastrophe."

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