Overview
- The Senate approved the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act by a wide bipartisan margin on August 7, sending the measure to the House with expanded sanctions and a new tariff tool.
- The bill would let the president impose punitive tariffs of up to 100% on the five largest buyers of Russian oil and gas and on five countries that help Russia evade sanctions, with the U.S. Trade Representative to review the lists every 180 days and exemptions for sizable import cuts.
- House Democrats including Rep. Gregory Meeks and major trade groups have warned that the tariff authority is too broad and could trigger legal challenges over Congress’s delegation of trade power.
- Ukraine’s sanctions commissioner Vladyslav Vlasiuk has been lobbying Congress and says Kyiv is optimistic the House could fast-track a vote under suspension of the rules, but the window for action has narrowed because the House compressed its pre-election schedule.
- If passed, supporters say the tariffs could make sanctions harder to evade; opponents warn of higher costs for U.S. consumers, strained relations with big energy buyers such as China and India, and possible court fights that could delay enforcement.