Key facts
- President Donald Trump signed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 into law.
- The law expands sanctions against Russia and extends the Iran Sanctions Act for five years.
- The legislation grants the president authority to impose tariffs of up to 100% on goods from countries that are major buyers of Russian oil and gas or facilitate sanctions evasion.
- Democrats expressed concerns that the tariff authority is too broad and could raise prices for American consumers.
- Representative Michael McCaul argued the bill would provide leverage over Russian President Vladimir Putin to encourage negotiations.
President Donald Trump signed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 into law on September 18, expanding sanctions on Russia and extending those on Iran. The legislation, which passed the Senate with broad bipartisan support in August, grants the president significant new authority to impose tariffs of up to 100% on countries purchasing Russian energy or assisting Moscow in evading sanctions.
The bill faced a more contentious path in the House, where Democrats raised concerns about the scope of the presidential tariff powers. The House Rules Committee advanced the legislation on a 7-3 vote on September 14, setting the stage for a potential House vote later in the week. Debate on the rule was expected to begin around noon local time on September 15, with final passage anticipated on September 16.
Representative Michael McCaul, a senior Republican voice on foreign policy, urged swift action, emphasizing that "Putin is watching" and that the bill would target financial networks supporting Russia's war effort. He argued that the legislation was necessary to provide leverage over Russian President Vladimir Putin and encourage negotiations for a peaceful settlement. McCaul also dismissed concerns that the bill could be used against European allies, stating that the tariffs are narrowly defined and cannot be easily expanded.
However, Democrats, including Representative Gregory Meeks, expressed strong support for pressuring Russia but opposed the bill in its current form, arguing that the president already possesses extensive sanctioning authority and that the legislation would primarily expand presidential control over tariffs. Meeks contended that "American families will pay the cost of this bill. Vladimir Putin will not." Democrats proposed amendments to remove secondary tariff provisions, tighten waiver authority, and clarify tariff application to the European Union, but these were rejected by the committee. Representative Steny Hoyer, a cosponsor, sought changes to identify specific countries eligible for tariffs but maintained his support for the tariff mechanism itself, warning that failure to pass the bill would bring "great joy in the Kremlin and great devastation in Kyiv."
The White House supports the legislation, and Trump has signaled a desire for enhanced tools to pressure Russia and its energy partners. The timing of the vote is significant, as the House is scheduled to depart for an extended recess ahead of the midterm elections, making this a potentially final opportunity to act on the bill this year.