The Senate voted 86-11 on Friday to approve a Russia sanctions bill named for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. The measure would impose tariffs of up to 100% on top buyers of Russian oil, add sanctions on Russian leaders, and extend sanctions on Iran's weapons and energy sectors. It now heads to the House, which is on recess until September.
Bill named for Graham clears the Senate
The Senate voted 86-11 on Friday to approve a Russia sanctions bill named for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. The measure, called the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, now heads to the House, which is on recess until September.
Graham had championed the legislation before his death last month, shortly after he returned from a visit to Ukraine. The bill aims to hurt Russia's war effort in Ukraine by penalizing purchasers of Russian oil and Russian leaders.
Tariffs target top buyers of Russian oil
The bill would impose tariffs of up to 100% on countries among the top five purchasers of Russian crude oil or gas, a group that includes China and India. Oil revenue is key to funding Russia's military action.
The legislation also adds sanctions on Russian leaders and officials, including President Vladimir Putin, oligarchs and financial institutions. At Trump's request, the bill extends sanctions on Iran's weapons and energy sectors.
Democrats split over tariff authority
After the vote, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., who worked on the bill with Graham, told reporters on Capitol Hill that Graham would be "proud of what we've done."
Not every Democrat agreed. Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, was among the 11 senators who voted no; she supports sanctions on Russia but said the tariff authority gives Trump too much room to act unpredictably in ways that could harm the situation.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., may face similar opposition in the closely divided House. Reps. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., and Don Beyer, D-Va., said in a statement they share concerns about the tariff authority, and noted that Trump already has the legal ability to sanction Russian leaders without this bill.
Source: US Top News and Analysis
Trading involves risk.
Risk Disclaimer
