Senate Advances Lindsey Graham-Named Russia Sanctions Bill with Bipartisan Support
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The U.S. Senate voted 86-12 to move forward a sanctions package honoring the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, giving the president new authority over Russian officials and imports, while the measure still faces further Senate votes and House approval.
The Senate cleared a procedural vote on a Russia sanctions package named after the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, passing it 86-12 with bipartisan backing. Eleven Democrats and Republican Sen. Rand Paul opposed the measure. Graham’s sister, Darline Graham, who was appointed to his seat, is a lead sponsor and said the vote honors her brother’s legacy.
The bill would expand presidential authority to sanction Russian officials, foreign nationals and financial institutions linked to the war effort, and would allow tariffs of up to 500% on Russian imports and up to 100% on major buyers of Russian oil, petroleum and natural gas. It also seeks to strengthen enforcement against vessels that evade sanctions on Russian energy.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-New Hampshire, a co-sponsor, said the legislation is intended to cut off “Vladimir Putin’s most important resource in his war against Ukraine: his money.”
Democratic opponents expressed concern that the tariff provisions would delegate excessive authority to the president, with Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vermont, describing it as a “blanket delegation of congressional tariff authority to the executive.”
The vote occurred while the Senate is set to recess for a month, and the bill must undergo additional Senate votes, House consideration, and presidential approval before becoming law. The White House confirmed President Trump supports the bill, which also extends sanctions to Iran.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attended a bipartisan meeting on Capitol Hill after a closed-door discussion with Trump and observed the vote, having also traveled to Washington for Graham’s funeral.