The U.S. House of Representatives voted Wednesday to send a major Russia sanctions bill to President Trump's desk, capping months of negotiation over how far Congress should go in pressuring Moscow over its war in Ukraine.
The bill passed 262 to 159, with most Republicans and 58 House Democrats voting in favor. The Senate had already approved it in August by a wide 86 to 11 margin. The legislation is named in memory of the late Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who helped negotiate the deal with the White House before his death in July. It targets Russian officials, companies and financial institutions connected to the war, and it also includes a provision extending sanctions related to Iran.
The most closely watched part of the bill gives the president new authority to impose tariffs of up to 100 percent on countries that continue buying Russian oil and natural gas, a group that includes China and India among the largest purchasers. Supporters describe the tool as a way to squeeze the revenue that helps fund Russia's war effort in Ukraine, where thousands of civilians have been killed since the invasion began in 2022. Republican Congressman Michael McCaul of Texas said the measure would show that lawmakers did everything possible to help end the war.
Not everyone was fully comfortable with how the bill is written. Some Democrats, including Congressman Don Beyer of Virginia, argued that the tariff language is broad enough that a president could label almost any country a sanctions evader and impose steep tariffs with little oversight. Privately, a number of Republicans reportedly raised similar concerns about how new tariffs could raise consumer prices ahead of the midterm elections, though House leadership declined to change the bill before the final vote.
The bill now awaits the president's signature. Once signed, attention will turn to how and whether the new tariff authority is actually used against major buyers of Russian energy.
What does the bill actually do to Russia?
It tightens sanctions on Russian officials, companies and financial institutions tied to the war in Ukraine, and separately gives the president authority to tariff countries that keep buying Russian oil and gas.
Why are some lawmakers uneasy about it?
Critics say the tariff provision is written broadly enough that a president could apply steep tariffs to many countries with little congressional oversight, which could raise prices for American consumers.