Senate to vote on Russia-Iran sanctions package
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- The Senate agreed late Tuesday to begin voting on a long-awaited sanctions bill aimed at hobbling Russia's war effort in Ukraine, named for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina.
- Sens. Blumenthal, Graham, Britt, Shaheen, Wicker, and Risch announced a bipartisan deal merging the Russia sanctions package with Iran sanctions, with a first vote expected Tuesday night.
- The legislation targets Russian officials, oligarchs, their family members, foreign persons, Russian banks and financial institutions, and the Russian shadow fleet.
- The bill grants new presidential tariff authority on goods from the top five importers of Russian oil or gas and the top five enablers of energy sanctions evasion — a mechanism aimed at pressuring Moscow's buyer pool.
- The package also extends sanctions authority restricting funding for Iran's energy and weapons sectors, tied to ongoing U.S. tensions with Tehran.
- The vote is timed to coincide with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy's visit to Washington for Graham's funeral services; Graham had just returned from Ukraine before his death and was key in keeping President Trump supportive of Kyiv.
Why it matters: Proponents argue Russian oil is Moscow's top war-funding commodity, so giving the president new tariff authority against the top five importers and top five sanctions enablers creates a direct economic lever to choke Kremlin revenue. Combining the Russia bill with Iran sanctions lets senators package a Ukraine-helping measure alongside Trump-administration priorities, raising the odds it advances — the first vote is expected the same evening Zelenskyy is in Washington for Graham's funeral.
