House Passes Russia Sanctions, Sending Bill to Trump
House Passes Russia Sanctions, Sending Bill to Trump
The News
The House passed a sweeping Russia and Iran sanctions bill 262-159 on Wednesday night, sending it to President Trump for his signature.
The package targets Russia's energy and defense industries, its financial institutions, senior officials, and tankers that had evaded existing restrictions on Russian oil.
It also hands Trump authority to impose tariffs of up to 100% on the top five buyers of Russian oil or gas — a group that includes China and India.
Most House Democrats opposed it, arguing the new tariff power comes without guardrails.
The Vote
262-159 in the House. 58 Democrats joined most Republicans in favor; 7 Republicans voted with most Democrats against.
The Senate approved the measure 86-11 in August.
Timeline
The Senate passes the sanctions package 86-11, an overwhelming bipartisan vote that sends it to the House.
Critics warn the bill "isn't what it seems," arguing its real effect is to hand the president sweeping tariff powers, The Atlantic reported.
The House takes up the package alongside a bill on AI data center costs. CNN reports Congress is on track to deliver Trump a final pre-midterms win that critics say could reverberate across the economy.
The House passes the bill 262-159, ending a journey of more than a year and a half for the legislation, according to The Hill. It goes to Trump's desk.
Reactions
Supporters say the tariff authority is the point: squeezing China and India, the biggest buyers of Russian energy, is the fastest way to cut off the revenue funding Putin's war in Ukraine. The bill is the most ambitious congressional effort to back Ukraine since Trump returned to the White House.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and other critics say the tariff authority lacks guardrails and could be turned on American allies.
Reps. Gregory Meeks, Richard Neal, and Don Beyer said the bill would "raise Americans' prices while undermining support for Ukraine in the long term."
The legislation is named for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, the South Carolina Republican who championed it.
What's Next
Trump signaled support after the bill was expanded to include Iran sanctions he wanted. His signature would make it law.
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer would set the final tariff levels under the statute.
The open question is who gets hit: China and India, European allies, or nobody at all. Republicans who privately opposed the tariff powers face the risk that prices rise before the midterms.
More
The core dispute is not about punishing Russia — both parties want that. It is about whether the tariff authority is a targeted economic weapon aimed at Moscow's customers or an open-ended expansion of presidential trade power that could hit allies and U.S. consumers.
Poll
Should Trump use the new tariff power on buyers of Russian energy?
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