Senator Blumenthal urges House to pass Russia sanctions bill

Senator Richard Blumenthal is urging the U.S. House of Representatives to pass the 'Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026' following its bipartisan passage in the Senate. Blumenthal described the situation as a 'moment of extreme urgency,' noting that the sanctions could undermine Russia's ability to fund its war in Ukraine by throttling revenue to its military machine.

The bill, which was championed by the late Senator Lindsey Graham, would grant the president authority to impose tariffs of up to 100% on the five largest purchasers of Russian oil and natural gas. Exceptions are provided for countries that import less than 15% of their natural gas from Russia and are actively working to reduce those imports. While the Senate passed the measure with an 86-11 vote, its progress in the House remains uncertain due to concerns from some Democrats regarding the expansion of presidential authority.