US House advances Russia sanctions bill honoring late senator

Key facts

• The U.S. House approved legislation to impose tariffs of up to 100% on countries buying Russian oil and gas.
• The bill, named the "Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026," passed the House on Sept. 16 with 262 votes in favor.
• The legislation grants President Trump authority to impose tariffs on major buyers of Russian energy and countries aiding sanctions evasion.
• Some Democrats opposed the bill, citing concerns about broad tariff authority and potential impact on American consumers.
• The bill also extends sanctions on Iran's energy and weapons sectors.
• The legislation passed the Senate with broad bipartisan support in early August.

The U.S. House of Representatives approved sweeping legislation on September 16 that would impose tariffs of up to 100% on countries that buy Russian oil and gas, aiming to increase economic pressure on Russia. The bipartisan bill, named the "Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026" in honor of the late Republican Senator, passed the Senate with broad bipartisan support in early August.

The legislation grants U.S. President Donald Trump authority to impose tariffs on the largest buyers of Russian oil and natural gas, as well as countries assisting Moscow in evading energy sanctions. It also extends existing sanctions on Iran's energy and weapons sectors.

However, the bill faced stronger opposition in the House, with some Democrats fearing it grants Trump too much authority over tariffs and could harm American consumers. Amendments to limit these secondary tariff provisions were rejected. The House advanced the bill in a procedural vote on September 15 by a narrow 214-211 margin, with two Democrats crossing the aisle.

Proponents, including Republican Representative Michael McCaul, argued the bill is necessary to "bleed the (Russian) regime" and encourage negotiations, while Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal stated it shows resolve against Russian President Vladimir Putin. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had urged lawmakers to pass the bill.