Krishnamoorthi Only Indian-American to Back Russia Bill — SkimNews
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- Raja Krishnamoorthi voted for the Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning of Russia and Iran Act, the sole Indian-American among six House Democrats to back the measure while the other five voted along party lines.
- The House passed the bill 262-159, with 58 Democrats voting in favor; it also targets the top five buyers of Russian oil and gas with 100% tariffs — a provision that could directly affect India and China.
- The legislation exempts US purchases of uranium from Russia from the scope of sanctions, a carve-out not extended to other countries' energy imports from Moscow.
- Ro Khanna, Pramila Jayapal, Ami Bera, Shri Thanedar, and Suhas Subramanyam — the other five Indian-American House members — all voted against the bill alongside the Democratic caucus.
- Krishnamoorthi lost the March US Senate primary in Illinois and is set to retire from the House in January 2026.
- Before Wednesday's vote, Krishnamoorthi met Illinois Ukraine Action members and posted on X that the people of Ukraine "continue to fight courageously for their freedom and sovereignty" and that the United States "must stand with them."
Why it matters: India ranks among the top buyers of Russian energy, so the bill's 100% tariff on the top five Russian oil and gas importers puts New Delhi in the crosshairs of US secondary sanctions. Krishnamoorthi's solo break from party discipline shows that at least one Indian-American lawmaker is willing to penalize Russia even at the cost of India's energy trade — a position none of his five Indian-origin colleagues would join.
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