US Senate passes Russia sanctions championed by late senator Lindsey Graham

The US Senate passed sweeping Russia sanctions legislation on Friday, advancing a measure backed by the late Senator Lindsey Graham. The bill, which passed 86-11, aims to increase economic pressure on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine and includes expanded sanctions on Iran. It authorizes tariffs on countries that buy Russian energy. The House will consider the bill after its summer recess, with some lawmakers expressing concerns about the tariff powers.

The US Senate passed sweeping Russia sanctions legislation on Friday, advancing a long-delayed measure backed by the late Senator Lindsey Graham. The bill, named the "Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026," passed 86-11 and aims to increase economic pressure on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine. It also includes expanded sanctions on Iran sought by President Donald Trump. The legislation authorizes stiff tariffs on China, India, and other countries to reduce their dependence on Russian oil and gas. The Senate's Republican leaders had not brought the bill up because of resistance from Trump, who had kept sanctions decisions at the White House. The Ukrainian embassy in Washington welcomed the passage, calling it "a timely and significant step." However, broad support may not be enough to secure House passage, with some lawmakers and industries wary that new tariff powers for Trump could raise costs for US importers and consumers. Representatives Gregory Meeks and Don Beyer expressed "fundamental concerns" about the tariff powers. Only one Senate Republican, Rand Paul, voted against the bill, likening tariffs to taxes on American consumers. The chamber erupted into applause after Graham's sister, Darline Graham, read out the final tally. The Senate rejected an amendment to remove the tariff powers. If approved by the House and signed into law, the measure would allow the president to impose tariffs of up to 100% on countries that are major consumers of Russian energy, including India, Japan, and some EU countries. The bill limits these tariffs to the five largest importers of Russian crude oil or gas and the top five countries that aid Russia's energy sanctions evasion. Graham had announced shortly before his death on July 11 that he and Trump agreed to move forward with the legislation.