Congress on track to approve major Russia sanctions bill that could hand new tariff powers to Trump

House Vote Could Send Russia Sanctions Package to Trump, Along With New Tariff Authority

Earthguardiansonline.com – The House is expected to take the final step Wednesday on a major Russia sanctions measure that would reach President Donald Trump’s desk just weeks before the midterm elections. The legislation, named for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, combines mandatory sanctions targeting Russia with a disputed provision that could allow the administration to levy tariffs as high as 100% on countries purchasing Russian oil and gas.

Support for the package spans much of the Republican conference and includes bipartisan backing in Congress. Yet the tariff section has become the central point of friction, raising questions about consumer prices, trade policy and how much discretion Congress is prepared to give the White House.

Tariffs Could Target Buyers of Russian Energy

Under the bill, countries that continue buying Russian oil and natural gas could face substantial US tariffs. China and India are among the countries that could be affected by the authority, which permits levies of up to 100%.

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer would set the final tariff rate. Supporters view that role as an important limitation, arguing the authority is narrowly written to pressure governments that help sustain Russia’s energy revenues. Critics remain unconvinced that the provision offers a sufficient check on presidential trade power.

Nearly a dozen Republican lawmakers privately pressed party leaders in recent days to remove the new tariff authority from the legislation. Their concern was that sharp tariffs could contribute to higher costs at a politically sensitive moment before the midterms. Speaker Mike Johnson and his leadership team declined to make that change.

The practical stakes extend beyond the immediate Russia policy debate. Tariffs can alter the cost of imported goods and affect companies that rely on international supply chains. Opponents fear that using sanctions legislation to create broader tariff tools could produce economic effects that reach well beyond the countries directly targeted.

Democrats Split Over a Bill Intended to Pressure Moscow

The bill would require sanctions against leading figures in the Russian government, including President Vladimir Putin. It would also cover Russian oligarchs, state-owned enterprises and foreign companies that support Russia’s defense industrial base.

That sanctions framework has drawn support from many Democrats who want Congress to maintain pressure on Moscow and reinforce US backing for Ukraine. But the tariff provision has divided the party, including lawmakers who have strongly supported Ukraine.

Senior Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland, a prominent Ukraine supporter, made an impassioned case for the measure even as Democratic leaders raised objections. The procedural path to the House floor also exposed the divide: when Republicans did not initially have enough votes, two centrist Democrats broke with their leadership to help advance the bill.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said during debate that he would vote against the measure because of the additional tariff authority.

“Why in the world would this Congress give this president additional authority to visit that kind of economic harm on the American people?”

Three senior Democrats with responsibilities connected to foreign policy and trade also urged opposition. Reps. Gregory Meeks of New York, Richard Neal of Massachusetts and Don Beyer of Virginia said the proposal would expand presidential tariff powers while not requiring sanctions on Russia in the way they believe is necessary.

“This bill would dramatically expand presidential tariff authorities while failing to mandate sanctions on Russia, both of which are unacceptable.”

Meeks is the leading Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Neal is the ranking Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee, while Beyer is the senior House Democrat on the Joint Economic Committee.

“These flaws would raise Americans’ prices while undermining support for Ukraine in the long term.”

A Long Legislative Push Linked to Lindsey Graham’s Final Visit

The proposal was first introduced in April 2025. Over more than a year of negotiations, Graham worked to secure White House support for the legislation. His final public appearance came one day before his death, during a visit to Ukraine.

Standing near tanks on the streets of Kyiv, Graham announced that Trump would support the bill. The measure later cleared the Senate in August with broad bipartisan support, placing the House vote as the final major congressional hurdle.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, the Senate’s lead Democratic cosponsor, has emphasized that lawmakers face an urgent decision.

“There’s an urgency here. In my last meeting with President Zelensky, he was insistent that we should pass the Russia sanctions bill.”

Blumenthal said he was “very hopeful that the House will recognize that we have a profound responsibility.”

What Happens Next

If the House approves the bill, it will move to Trump for his signature. The outcome would give the administration a new tool aimed at discouraging purchases of Russian energy, while opening a wider argument over tariff policy and Congress’s role in defining its limits.

For backers, the legislation represents a forceful attempt to isolate Russia economically and disrupt support for its military-industrial network. For opponents, its potential consequences for trade and household costs outweigh the benefits of its tariff provision. The final House vote will determine whether those competing views become the next major test of Trump’s economic authority.