The US House of Representatives passed a broad package of sanctions targeting Russian officials and key economic sectors on Wednesday following a 262-159 vote. Named the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, the legislation honors the late senator who helped negotiate the measure before his death earlier in the year. The vote sends the measure directly to President Donald Trump’s desk for his signature, marking the most ambitious legislative effort to support Ukraine since Trump returned to the White House and breaking nearly two years of relative gridlock that followed a 2024 emergency aid package.
House Passes Sweeping Russia Sanctions Bill as Leadership Flags Concerns
The Senate previously approved the measure last month in an 86-11 vote. The House vote occurred on the final day that the chamber is expected to be in session for votes ahead of the Nov. 3 elections.
Democratic Leadership and House Opposition
Despite the eventual passage, the legislation exposed deep divisions among House Democrats, with 58 voting in favor and 152 voting against. Top House Democratic leaders, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, voiced strong opposition to the bill during a heated floor debate, arguing that it hands excessive and unpredictable power to the executive branch without requiring mandatory enforcement against Moscow.
Why in the world would this Congress give this president additional authority to visit that kind of economic harm on the American people?
asked Hakeem Jeffries during a speech on Wednesday, confirming he would vote against the bill. In a joint statement, top Democratic leaders elaborated that the legislation gives extraordinary power to Donald Trump
and 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
according to uk.news.yahoo.com.
Other lawmakers echoed these concerns. Rep. Richard Neal criticized the lack of guarantees on how the executive branch would apply the measures, stating, There is no guarantee in this legislation that the president could not use these tariffs against Ukraine if he decided to do so
reported by europesays.com. Rep. Don Beyer predicted that supporters of Ukraine would ultimately regret their votes, warning that when Donald Trump hits our allies with new tariffs and waives sanctions on Russia, the propaganda victory for Putin will be lasting, and the damage will be embedded in U.S. law
noted by inquirer.com.
Core Sanctions and Tariff Provisions
The legislation is designed to deprive President Vladimir Putin of the financial resources required to wage war against Ukraine by implementing primary and secondary sanctions. The package targets Russian political officials, oligarchs, banks, financial institutions, and a “shadow fleet” of tankers utilized to keep Russian energy exports moving globally despite international restrictions.
Additionally, the measure directs the president to impose up to 100% tariffs on the top five importers of Russian oil or natural gas—provisions aimed at deterring countries such as China and India from purchasing Russian energy—with a specific exception for nations importing less than 15% of Russia’s natural gas exports that have taken significant steps to reduce those shipments according to inquirer.com. To secure support and final sign-off from the White House, the legislation also reinserted sanctions targeting Iran’s weapons and energy sectors.
