Overview
- The Senate passed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act by an 86–11 vote, approving mandatory sanctions on Russia’s leadership, its energy sector, defense enablers and the so-called shadow fleet.
- The bill creates a new presidential tariff authority aimed at the five largest buyers of Russian oil and gas and allows the administration to set and review tariff rates, a change that critics say shifts Congress’s trade power to the executive.
- Senator Rand Paul’s amendment to strip the tariff language failed and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer reportedly pledged to senators that the administration would follow guardrails on how the tariff tool is used.
- President Trump has signaled he would sign the measure if it reaches his desk, but major energy buyers like China and India have warned they are watching closely and analysts warn the tool could prompt diplomatic strain or market disruption.
- With the Senate action taken on Friday, the bill now moves to the House for consideration when members return in September and could face changes that will shape enforcement, waiver rules and the scope of tariffs.