Russia sanctions championed by late Senator Lindsey Graham clear first Senate hurdle
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- The U.S. Senate voted 75-11 on a procedural motion to advance the sanctions bill, with the vote seen as a tribute to Graham on the day of his funeral and Ukrainian President Zelensky's Capitol visit
- The legislation, now titled the "Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026," would allow tariffs up to 100% on major consumers of Russian energy — including India, Japan, and some EU countries — and add Iran sanctions Trump requested as the U.S. war against Iran enters its sixth month
- Republican President Trump said he would support the measure, after asking that Iran sanctions be added; Graham and Trump agreed to move the bill forward shortly before Graham's death on July 11, more than a year after its introduction
- Rep. Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, called the bill "a massive backdoor authority for President Trump to impose more tariffs, including on our European allies, that hurt American families," signaling House resistance even as it cleared its first Senate hurdle
- Senator Jeanne Shaheen, top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, framed the vote as "our best opportunity to support Ukraine," while a Senate Democratic aide said senators from both parties had problems with the tariffs but wanted to honour Graham on the day
- The bill limits its tariffs to the five largest importers of Russian crude oil or gas and the top five countries aiding Russia's sanctions evasion, and includes a provision preventing a lapse in Iran sanctions authority — it still needs additional Senate procedural votes before the House considers it when it reconvenes in September
Why it matters: The bill gives Trump tariff authority up to 100% on countries buying Russian energy — a power Democrats like Meeks call a "backdoor" for trade wars with allies like the EU, Japan, and India. If it survives remaining Senate procedural votes, the bill faces its real test in the House in September, where Meeks's opposition signals the tariff provisions could sink a measure that already commands a 75-11 Senate majority on its core sanctions.
