Senate approves Russia sanctions bill named after Sen. Lindsey Graham
The Senate on Friday approved a long-awaited Russia and Iran sanctions bill named after the late Sen. Lindsey Graham.
The bill was approved with overwhelming bipartisan support by a vote of 86-11.
Sen. Darline Graham, Lindsey Graham's sister who is currently filling his seat in the chamber and running for a full six-year term this November, gaveled down the vote.
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 a release from a bipartisan group of senators who unveiled the legislation.
This bill still needs to head to the House of Representatives, which is currently on recess until the end of the month.
House Speaker Mike Johnson previously stated he supports sanctioning Russia, but it's unclear whether the bill will have the support it needs in the lower chamber.
Graham, who died suddenly last month at the age of 71, was a champion of the bill.
A foreign policy hawk, Graham was one of the Republican conference's most outspoken Ukraine allies and had a strong relationship with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Graham had made his 10th visit to Ukraine shortly before his death.
Zelenskyy attended Graham's funeral services in Washington, D.C., and was on Capitol Hill last week when the Senate first advanced the Russia sanctions bill, celebrating it as important pressure on Russia.
"It's not only about money, how to stop how to finance this war, but it's also a big signal to Europe, big signal to Ukraine, big support of our people," Zelenskyy said at the time.
