WASHINGTON, November 14 (RIA Novosti) - The Rules Committee of the US House of Representatives recommended in a preliminary vote to cancel the Cold-War era Jackson-Vanik Amendment, which imposes trade restrictions on Russia.
The vote was a technicality, needed to formally put the issue to a vote in the full House of Representatives, expected to take place in November. A Congress source earlier told RIA Novosti the vote is expected on November 16.
The legislation will then need to be approved by the US Senate before President Barack Obama can sign it into law.
The amendment, named after Congressmen Henry M. Jackson and Charles Vanik, was introduced in 1974 to restrict trade with the Soviet Union and other non-market economies until they allowed free emigration.
The restrictions imposed by Jackson-Vanik have been waived every year since 1989, but the amendment itself remains in place and is a thorn in the side of Russia-US relations.
In July, the United States Senate Finance Committee approved a bill linking the abolishment of the Jackson-Vanik Amendment and a measure aiming to punish Russian officials involved in the death of Russian lawyer Sergei Magnitsky.
Russia insists that the two issues must not be tied together.
