It calls for the president to impose tariffs of up to 100 percent on the top five buyers of Russian energy, including countries that are helping Russia evade sanctions.
The bill is headed to Trump’s desk for his signature after more than a year and a half of negotiating. The bill was championed by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who had worked across the aisle to get this passed.
House Democratic leadership is vocally opposing a Russia sanctions bill set to come to a vote this week, but not all of their members are comfortable taking that stance just yet. Why it matters: Republicans will reportedly need some Democratic votes to make up for defections from their isolationist wing and pass the measure. - At issue for many Democrats is that the bill, named in honor of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), would allow the Trump administration to impose up to 100% tariffs on the five top importers of Russian oil. - That has forced Democrats to choose between two issues that have become shibboleths for their party: support for Ukraine and opposition to giving President Trump more power to set trade policy. State of…
If passed and signed by Trump, the bill, which was championed by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, would impose harsher sanctions on Russia and buyers of Russian oil and gas than those the U.S. previously imposed.
The Senate on Friday passed a long-sought bipartisan bill that would impose harsher sanctions on Russia and the top five buyers of Russian oil, along with extending existing sanctions on Iran. That measure was a major legislative goal of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who died suddenly earlier this month. The vote was 86-11. [...]
A bipartisan bill in the Senate would allow President Trump to impose tariffs on the biggest importers of Russian energy.
Senators announced a breakthrough on the long-stalled measure as Senator Lindsey Graham, its main champion, was memorialized.
Graham had worked to carefully negotiate the package with the White House.
Senators from both parties are rallying around a revised Russia sanctions package to honor the legacy of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). Why it matters: Bipartisanship is in short supply in the Senate. Graham's sudden death may briefly revive it. - Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said passing the updated sanctions bill — which has 85 cosponsors — "would be a great tribute to the legacy of Lindsey." - "I urge Senator Thune, in honor of Lindsey, to put the Russia sanctions bill on the floor immediately," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said. "It will pass overwhelmingly and help our allies in Ukraine." - "This would be a good way to show us in a bipartisan way coming together on something that he was…