- Bill extends Iran sanctions, raises presidential power concerns.
The US Senate has overwhelmingly approved legislation targeting Russia and countries that buy its oil and gas, giving President Donald Trump the power to impose tariffs of up to 100% on goods from major importers of Russian energy, including India and China.
The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 was passed by an 86-11 vote. The legislation will now go to the House of Representatives when it reconvenes on August 31.
Under the bill, Trump could impose 100% tariffs on goods from countries that rank among the five largest importers of Russian oil and gas. China, India, Azerbaijan, Hungary and Slovakia are currently listed among those buyers.
Bill Targets Russia’s Energy Trade
The legislation seeks to penalise countries whose purchases of Russian energy help sustain Moscow’s economy during its war in Ukraine.
It also includes sanctions targeting Russian leaders and officials, including President Vladimir Putin, as well as oligarchs and financial institutions.
The bill would additionally extend until 2031 the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996, which penalises companies investing in Iran’s energy sector.
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The bipartisan legislation was championed by Republican Senator Lindsey O. Graham and Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal. Graham died on July 11 following a trip to Kyiv.
Darline Graham, Graham’s sister who was appointed to his Senate seat after his death, defended the legislation following the vote.
“This bill forces those primary countries keeping Russia’s economy afloat to make a simple yet critical choice – a choice between doing business with America or buying cheap Russian energy,” she said.
Blumenthal said Graham would have welcomed the Senate’s action.
“These sledgehammer sanctions and tariffs will stop all who are complicit in this murderous, criminal war of aggression against brave free people,” Blumenthal said.
He later told reporters that Graham would be “proud of what we’ve done”.
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Democrats Raise Tariff Concerns
Some Democrats have raised concerns over the bill’s expansion of presidential tariff powers, particularly as Trump has made tariffs a central part of his trade policy.
Democratic Congressmen Gregory Meeks and Don Beyer said the legislation could give the president broad new authority to impose tariffs.
“We welcome our Senate colleagues’ urgent effort to support Ukraine and punish Russia for its continued illegal war, but this bill would not achieve those goals. Instead, it would allow President Trump to dodge holding Russia accountable and impose yet more tariffs in his destructive trade wars, leaving Americans to foot the bill,” the two lawmakers said.
The legislation now faces consideration in the House, where lawmakers are scheduled to return on August 31.
