Graham's Russia sanctions bill may not pass until US midterm elections, says Bloomberg

A Russia sanctions bill, which passed the Senate by an overwhelming majority just last month, is facing growing resistance in the US House of Representatives and is likely to be blocked at least until the November elections.

Source: Bloomberg, as cited by European Pravda

Details: The bill, authored by the late Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a staunch supporter of Ukraine, would grant Trump authority to impose 100% tariffs on the five largest importers of Russian oil and natural gas, as well as on five countries that help Russia circumvent energy sanctions. China, India and Türkiye are the largest buyers of Russian petroleum products.

Some supporters of Ukraine in Washington have been pressing for the bill to pass as a way to demonstrate US support for Kyiv. However, it is unclear whether Trump would actually use the powers the bill would grant him, particularly with regard to China.

The overwhelming Senate vote in favour of the sanctions bill, 86 to 11, reflected the senators' desire to honour Graham's memory following his sudden death in July. The House of Representatives has taken a more cautious approach to the proposal.

On Thursday 3 September, House Speaker Mike Johnson said he doubts that the sanctions bill could be put to a vote before the 3 November congressional midterm elections. He said this was partly because lawmakers are scheduled to spend only a handful of working days in Washington over the next two months.

Johnson said senior Democrats on the Foreign Affairs and Ways and Means committees oppose the measure, pointing to broader difficulties in securing Democratic support. He added that there are also isolated "pockets" of concern among House Republicans.

"We all believe in sanctioning Russia, but you have to have the right formula if you are passing a bill. We're trying to work through that and make sure we can get a product that can get across the line," he told reporters on Thursday.

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Brian Mast said the bill is being evaluated, among other things, for its potential impact on petrol prices. Mast, a Republican from Florida, said that if the bill forces India and other buyers of Russian oil to turn to oil markets in other countries, it could drive prices higher.

"That is part of what's being evaluated right now," he said.

Petrol prices have spiked amid the war with Iran and are widely seen as a threat to the Republican majority in Congress ahead of the November midterm elections. The bill would also extend long-standing sanctions on Iran.

Meanwhile, Democrats are concerned that Trump could use the bill as a new legal basis to impose sweeping tariffs, as his existing tariffs are currently being challenged in court.

Johnson would need broad Democratic support if he were to try to pass the bill under the House's expedited procedure, which requires a two-thirds majority.

Growing concern among both Democratic and Republican lawmakers represents a victory for retailers and the influential business alliance US Chamber of Commerce, which have fuelled fears that the measure would provide the Trump administration with a new legal basis for imposing sweeping tariffs.

Background:

• Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, a co-author of the Russia sanctions bill, had previously expressed hope that it would receive final approval in September 2026.
• On 7 August, the US Senate voted 86 in favour of the Russia sanctions bill, co-authored by Graham and Blumenthal. The legislation provides for "punitive" tariffs on countries importing Russian energy resources.
• Earlier, the Senate disclosed details of the updated version of the bill.

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