Graham’s ‘Sanctions Bill From Hell’ Against Russia Hits House Roadblock

A Russia sanctions bill that passed the US Senate by an overwhelming 86-11 vote is now in trouble in the House, where it faces opposition from Democrats and a lack of enthusiasm among Republicans. The bill, championed by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, was supposed to give President Donald Trump more leverage to pressure Moscow to end Russia’s war against Ukraine.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. What Graham’s bill would do? At its core, the legislation would allow the US president to impose tariffs of up to 500% on goods imported from countries that buy Russian oil, gas, uranium and other key commodities. That is the bill’s biggest weapon: rather than only punishing Russia directly, it threatens countries that keep trading with Moscow. The measure would also expand the US sanctions regime against Russian entities and people supporting the war and give the president broader tools to target Russia’s economic partners. Supporters say the threat of massive tariffs could force countries such as China and India to reduce their purchases of Russian energy – cutting one of Moscow’s most important sources of revenue. The bill is named after Graham, who spent years pushing for tougher sanctions on Russia. He called the legislation a way to give the US president a powerful economic weapon against Moscow and its supporters. The Senate said yes. The House isn’t rushing The bill passed the Senate on Aug. 7 with a rare bipartisan majority of 86-11. But the momentum has largely disappeared in the House. House Republican leaders did not even put it on this week’s voting schedule. Other Topics of Interest Ukraine’s War Chest Shrinks as Europe Mulls Gamble with Russia Billions Europe may have €210 billion in frozen Russian assets, but Belgium’s legal concerns could determine whether Ukraine gets the money it needs now. Lawmakers returned to Capitol Hill on Monday after a five-week summer break, but the Russia sanctions bill was barely mentioned. “We just came from a chairmen’s meeting, and nobody brought it up,” House Rules Chair Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., told Politico. Asked whether the bill could move through her committee, Foxx said: “I have no idea. Nobody’s talking about it.” Speaker Mike Johnson was no more committed. “We’ll see,” he said when asked whether the House would vote on the bill. That leaves Graham’s signature Russia sanctions push hanging in the balance just weeks after it won broad bipartisan support in the Senate. Democrats fear giving Trump more power The bill would give Trump new tools to punish Russia and countries that continue doing major business with Moscow, including new tariff powers. Its supporters say those powers could help Trump put pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin and force Moscow toward an end to the war. But Democrats say Trump already has enough authority to sanction Russia and its economic partners. House Foreign Affairs Committee ranking member Greg Meeks and Ways and Means Committee ranking member Richard Neal were among senior Democrats opposing the bill. They warned that the legislation would give Trump additional tariff powers they believe his administration could abuse. “Congress does not need to greenlight new tariff authority for the President,” they said. Republicans are split The bill also faces resistance from Republicans. Some conservative lawmakers who have opposed US support for Ukraine said they have not even looked at the legislation. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., said he had not seen or heard about it. “All I can say is in 14 years I’ve never voted to sanction a sovereign country,” Massie said. Other Republicans are pushing House leaders to act. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., a defense hawk who is retiring from Congress, said passing the bill is important. “I think it’s very important to pass the sanctions bill,” Bacon said. “It’s a failure to not do so.” The bill could also face procedural hurdles. House leaders could try to fast-track it, but that would require a two-thirds majority – meaning Democrats would need to provide significant support. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Monday that Democrats have “serious concerns” about the legislation. Time is running out The fight comes as House Republicans have little time left before the election and are already struggling with divisions over government funding and other issues. If hard-right Republicans block a key procedural vote this week, lawmakers could even leave Washington earlier than planned. That would make it even harder for Graham’s Russia sanctions bill to reach the House floor. For now, the bill that sailed through the Senate is facing a much tougher battle in the chamber that must pass it next. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.