Congress is sending a Russia sanctions bill to President Trump's desk after the package cleared the House on Wednesday. The legislation, which passed 262 to 159, split lawmakers in both parties. The package is intended to put pressure on the Russian economy with the aim of forcing President Vladimir Putin to end his war in Ukraine.
Thousands of civilians have been killed since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. The sanctions target Russian officials, companies and financial institutions helping fuel the war. "This is a moral issue that requires moral courage," said Rep.
"I want us to be able to say that we did everything possible to end this war. That we understood the threat. That we had the courage to do what was right — to cripple the Russian war machine and turn the tide toward peace." The legislation also gives the president authority to impose tariffs on top countries importing oil and natural gas from Russia, such as China and India.
The tariff authority was a sticking point for many Democrats who opposed the measure, citing fears that Trump could gain a new avenue to levy tariffs on nations of his choosing. "This bill has a loophole that would allow him to define basically any country as a facilitator of evading Russian sanctions," said Rep. "He could then hit them with tariffs of up to 100%, with no guardrails or oversight, and no expiration." Fifty-eight House Democrats joined with most Republicans to advance the legislation, which passed the Senate in a more bipartisan 86-11 vote in August.
Seven Republicans joined most Democrats voting to block the measure in the House, with U.S. support for Ukraine having emerged in recent years as a fracture in the GOP caucus. The legislation is named in memory of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, the South Carolina Republican who helped negotiate Trump's support for the package.
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