House passes Russia and Iran sanctions bill championed by Sen. Lindsey Graham
The House passed a Russia and Iran sanctions bill championed by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham Wednesday night -- sending the measure to President Donald Trump's desk for his signature.
The final tally was 262-159.
Seven Republicans -- Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Andy Harris of Maryland, Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Keith Self of Texas, Tom McClintock of California, Chip Roy of Texas and Warren Davidson of Ohio -- voted against the measure.
The bill's passage comes about two months after Graham's sudden death.
The package would impose primary and secondary sanctions on Russia and other countries that support Russia in its invasion of Ukraine. The sanctions target Russian political officials and oligarchs, banks and financial institutions, and the Russian shadow fleet, according to the bill.
The legislation also allows for the president to impose tariffs but limits the scope of those tariffs to the five largest importers of Russian crude oil or gas and the top five countries that aid Russia's energy sanctions evasion.
It also includes a provision to prevent a lapse in sanction authority that restricts funding for Iran's energy and weapons sectors.
In a statement on social media, Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., who was appointed to fill her late brother's Senate seat and is now running for a full term, celebrate the measure's passage.
"Today is a monumental day for peace," she wrote in the post on X. "This legislation was deeply important to my brother, Lindsey, and I'm grateful that it achieved such a wide coalition of support on the House floor. I am committed to achieving a peaceful resolution to the war in Ukraine, and I'm confident that this legislation will pave the way."
The vote split Democrats -- 58 voted in favor while 152 voted against.
Top House Democratic leaders including Leader Hakeem Jeffries explained why they voted against the sanctions bill, saying it “gives extraordinary power to Donald Trump.”
“It allows him to waive the sanctions contained in the bill, while giving him new, expansive tariff authority to continue his failed global trade war that is causing costs to skyrocket for working families across America," they said. "Sadly, the White House is willing to risk Ukrainian lives and American livelihoods instead of working to actually hold this rogue Russian regime accountable for its illegal war."
Earlier this week, several Democrats, including Reps. Gregory Meeks, Richard Neal and Don Beyer, voiced concerns with the bill but expressed their staunch support for Ukraine.
The Senate approved the measure last month with overwhelming bipartisan support by a vote of 86-11.
