US Senate to set up key vote on Russia sanctions bill named for late Sen. Lindsey Graham

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy meets with U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine August 12, 2024. Ukrainian Presidential Press Service | Via Reuters

The Senate on Tuesday is expected to begin setting up votes on a long-awaited sanctions bill aimed at hobbling Russia's war effort in Ukraine.

Key Details

• The bill, named for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, is a package of sanctions and tariff authority targeting Russian oil sales.
• Proponents say oil is the top commodity Moscow uses to fund its war machine, and targeting it now will help Kyiv turn the tide on the battlefield.
• Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), along with Sens. Darline Graham (R-S.C.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), and Jim Risch (R-Idaho), announced on Tuesday they had reached a deal to combine the Russia sanctions package with sanctions on Iran.
• That move allows a first vote to be expected on Tuesday night, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is in Washington for Graham's funeral services.

Bipartisan Agreement

"We are proud to announce an agreement on legislation to stop purchasers of Russian oil and gas from fueling Putin's war machine and to continue restricting the Iranian regime's ability to support terrorism and build its nuclear program," the lawmakers said in a joint statement, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin. "There is no greater way to honor Senator Graham's legacy than to move forward with this bipartisan agreement, and we look forward to today's vote."

Graham had just returned to Washington from Ukraine when he died.

Scope of Sanctions

The bill includes sweeping sets of sanctions aimed at Russia and the enablers of its war effort. The sanctions target:

• Russian officials, oligarchs, and their family members
• Foreign persons
• Russian banks and financial institutions
• The Russian shadow fleet

Tariff Authority

The legislation also aims to use one of President Donald Trump's favorite tools by including a new authority for the president to impose tariffs on imported goods from countries that buy Russian oil or enable Russian sanctions evasion. The tariffs would be limited to:

• The top five importers of Russian oil or gas
• The top five enablers of energy sanctions evasion

Iran Sanctions Component

The bill would also extend sanctions authority that restricts funding for Iran's energy and weapons sectors — a crucial component of reaching an agreement while the U.S. continues to wage a war with Iran.

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