US House passes Graham-backed sanctions bill against Russia

The US House of Representatives has approved a sanctions bill targeting Russia, a measure long associated with the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham. The bill passed with 262 lawmakers voting in favor and 159 against. It now heads to President Donald Trump, who must sign it into law.

What the bill includes

Under the legislation, Trump would be granted authority to impose tariffs of up to 100% on countries that purchase Russian energy resources or assist Russia in evading existing sanctions. The bill also introduces sanctions against Russian officials, banks, and the so-called shadow fleet used to transport Russian oil. Additionally, it extends current sanctions already in place against Iran.

Background

The US Senate had already approved the bill on August 7, with 86 senators voting in favor. The legislation was co-authored by the late Senator Lindsey Graham together with Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal. Reports later suggested the bill faced growing resistance in the House of Representatives and could potentially be stalled at least until the November congressional elections. Despite that resistance, the bill has now cleared both chambers of Congress and awaits only the president's signature to take effect.