Senate advances Russia, Iran sanctions in honor of Graham
The U.S. Senate voted 86-12 to advance a bipartisan sanctions bill honoring the late Senator Lindsey graham. The bill aims to impose sanctions on Russia and extend restrictions on Iran’s energy and weapons sectors, which are set to expire this year. The legislation targets Russian oil and gas imports, allowing president Trump to impose tariffs up to 100% on the top five buyers, mainly China and India, to hinder Russia’s war efforts. The bill received broad support despite earlier skepticism from democrats, and includes provisions for Iran sanctions, which were initially part of the bill. Senator Zelensky attended Graham’s funeral and emphasized the importance of sanctions in pressuring russia, highlighting their significance not only financially but also politically to Europe and Ukraine. The legislation follows Graham’s unexpectedly sudden death from a torn aorta and aligns with his strong foreign policy stance, especially regarding Ukraine. Senate leadership hopes to pass the bill before the August recess, with the House expected to act swiftly afterward, reaffirming U.S. support for Ukraine and international sanctions efforts.
The Senate on Tuesday voted to advance a dual Russia and Iran sanctions bill honoring the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, hours after the South Carolina senator’s funeral in Washington, D.C.
The upper chamber voted 86-12 to advance the sanctions bill, which is meant to cripple Russia amid its war against Ukraine. The legislation also extends sanctions against Iran’s energy and weapons industries that were set to expire this year after a bipartisan deal was struck with Senate Democrats to pair the two economic penalties.
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“It’s been a roller coaster of a day emotionally,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) told reporters. “The sadness of saying farewell to our great friend has been so instrumental in his life. The exhilaration now of a really solid step forward, partly in tribute to him, and the visit by President Zelensky, showing us that Ukraine is turning the tide. Ukraine’s fight is our fight. Nobody believed that more deeply and passionately than Lindsey Graham. He lived it, and this vote is a step forward.”
The procedural vote comes just weeks after Graham, 71, died unexpectedly due to a torn aorta. Graham was a vocal foreign policy hawk and was a close ally of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Zelensky attended the funeral services of Graham in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday. Before the Senate vote, Zelensky met with a group of senators on Capitol Hill alongside Finnish President Alexander Stubb.
“This bill is very important,” Zelensky told reporters following the closed-door meeting. “Sanctions pressure on Russia is very important, and really gives — it’s not only about money, how Russia — how to stop finance this war, but it’s also a big signal to Europe, big signal to Ukraine.”
The sanctions bill allows President Donald Trump to impose tariffs against the five largest importers of Russian oil and gas as well as the top five countries that help Russia avoid sanctions.
“It authorizes tariffs up to 100%, the five largest purchasers of Russian oil and gas,” Blumenthal explained. “It’s carefully crafted to make sure we are not hitting our allies, and that we are hitting China and India. Let’s be really blunt: China and India are the main culprits here. They purchase the vast majority of oil and gas. They are fueling Russia’s war machine.”
The broad bipartisan support for the legislation comes after skepticism from Democrats over Trump’s request to consolidate sanctions against Russia and sanctions against Iran in one bill. Trump first made the request following new U.S. troop casualties in the Iran war, which appeared to complicate the negotiations.
Blumenthal said Sen. Darline Graham (R-SC), who has filled her brother’s Senate seat after his death, asked him and Democrats to include the Iran sanctions in the bill.
“That Iran provision was in the bill as originally written, and so restoring it was a pretty simple yes,” Blumenthal said.
It’s unclear when the Senate will vote on final passage for the sanctions package, but Senate GOP leadership hopes to pass the legislation before the upper chamber leaves for its August recess next week.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) told reporters that now the package has passed the procedural vote, “I think we can start to win over this town of things that we have to do on that.”
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Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL) told reporters she hopes that once the Senate passes the legislation, the House, which left for its August recess last week, will “come back immediately and pass this legislation.”
“We heard from President Zelensky in this room as U.S. Senate and some members of Congress, and then we walked out there and did something,” Britt said. “We showed the world that we stand for strength, we stand for peace, and we stand with Ukraine.”
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