On 10 August, the US House of Representatives took a step towards advancing Lindsey Graham’s bill on sanctions against Russia and Iran, which aims to increase economic pressure on these countries, according to a Radio Free Europe correspondent.
This came a few days after the Senate approved the bill by an overwhelming majority (86 to 11).
This move was made very quickly – despite the fact that the House of Representatives is on its August recess – by Republican Congressmen Michael McCaul of Texas, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Democratic Congressman Steny Hoyer of Maryland and a broad bipartisan group introduced a bill in the House similar to Graham’s.
The House bill is identical to the one passed by the Senate last week.
The bill, named after the late Senator Lindsey Graham, will target Russian banks, energy revenues, oligarchs, the Kremlin-linked ‘shadow fleet’, sanctions evasion networks, as well as foreign governments and companies that help sustain Moscow’s war against Ukraine. It will also extend long-standing sanctions against Iran until 2031.
The House of Representatives’ swift action gives the bill’s supporters the opportunity to capitalise on the strong bipartisan support it received during the Senate vote, but at the same time sets the stage for potentially complex debates regarding the bill’s tariff provisions and the extent of the president’s powers in relation to countries that continue to purchase Russian energy resources.
The most powerful – and potentially most controversial – provision of the bill would grant President Trump significant new powers to impose tariffs on countries that continue to purchase Russian oil and gas or assist Moscow in circumventing sanctions.
The bill authorises duties of up to 500 per cent on goods imported from Russia, and targeted tariffs of up to 100 per cent on goods from countries that are among the largest buyers of Russian crude oil or natural gas, or are leading facilitators of Russia’s circumvention of oil sanctions.
Supporters argue that it is precisely the threat of imposing tariffs that makes this bill potentially effective. Countries that continue to purchase Russian energy resources will be forced to weigh up access to the US market against their trade relations with Moscow. However, critics may argue that broad tariff powers risk creating economic repercussions beyond Russia’s borders and grant the White House considerable leeway in trade policy.
The bill was originally championed by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham. Following his death in July this year, the bill was named after him. At the end of July, the Senate voted 86 to 12 in favour of a procedural motion to proceed with consideration of the bill.
For the bill to come into force, it must be approved by the House of Representatives, after which it will be sent to US President Donald Trump for his signature.
Since the Trump administration came to power, the United States has avoided imposing large-scale sanctions against Russia, seeking instead to act as a mediator to bring the war to an end. The sanctions bill had been stalled in Congress for a long time. Trump later indicated that he was prepared to approve it, subject to amendments.