A new legislative proposal in the U.S. Congress aimed at imposing severe sanctions on Russia is facing resistance from some Democratic lawmakers. Reports indicate that the bill, which would grant the U.S. president authority to impose tariffs as high as 100% on countries importing substantial amounts of Russian oil, is unlikely to be enacted until at least September.
Despite the internal party divisions, the bill is gaining traction in the Senate. Republican Majority Leader John Thune is eager to bring the legislation to a final vote this week. The proposed measures are designed to give the U.S. president significant leeway in applying economic sanctions, with supporters arguing that such actions could increase pressure on Russia to engage in negotiations.
Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen, who leads her party on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, described the bill as the only realistic sanctions package with a chance of becoming law. She emphasized that lawmakers need to address concerns raised by House colleagues before the bill can advance.
Context
- On July 28, the U.S. Senate supported a procedural step for the Graham bill on “hellish” sanctions against Russia and Iran, with 86 senators voting in favor and 12 against. The legislation proposes sanctions against Russian officials and empowers the president to impose secondary tariffs of up to 100% on countries purchasing Russian oil and gas or aiding Moscow in evading sanctions.
- The earlier version of the bill had proposed an astonishing 500% tariff on buyers of Russian energy supplies, but this has been revised down to 100%, with exceptions for countries reducing their imports of Russian gas.
