The Senate voted 86–11 to pass the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026, advancing new financial penalties, visa restrictions and tariff authorities targeting Russia, Iran and countries that continue buying Russian energy.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
WASHINGTON — The Senate overwhelmingly approved legislation Friday that would impose a new round of sanctions on Russia and Iran, including asset freezes, visa restrictions and tariffs that could reach 500% on Russian imports, while also targeting countries that remain major buyers of Russian oil and natural gas.
Senators passed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026 in an 86–11 vote on Aug. 7. The measure now heads to the House of Representatives, where it must win approval before it can be sent to President Donald Trump for his signature. The legislation grew out of a sanctions proposal championed for more than a year by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who died July 11, and was revised and renamed in his honor after his death.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., a sponsor of the measure, said before the vote that the legislation would continue Graham’s effort to increase economic pressure on Moscow over the war in Ukraine. “This bill, named in [Graham’s] honor, carries on the work that he believed was so important,” Blumenthal said on the Senate floor. “It will impose scorching sanctions on the Russian war machine and the shadow fleet that sustains it. … It is a powerful deterrent against complicity in [Russian President Vladimir Putin’s] illegal war.”
If enacted, the bill would freeze financial assets and impose new visa restrictions on Russian government and military officials, banks and individuals connected to the country’s weapons and energy sectors. It would also broaden sanctions against people and entities accused of helping Russia evade existing restrictions, including operators of the so-called “shadow fleet” used to move Russian products. Under the legislation, the president would be able to designate vessel operators for additional financial sanctions.
The measure also gives the administration authority to impose tariffs of up to 500% on all Russian goods entering the United States and tariffs of up to 100% on goods imported from the five countries purchasing the largest quantities of Russian oil and natural gas products. Those provisions became one of the most contentious elements of the bill, drawing criticism from senators who warned that penalties directed at third countries could ultimately raise costs for Americans and strain relations with U.S. allies.
The legislation initially focused exclusively on Russia, but senators later added provisions aimed at Iran at Trump’s request as the armed confrontation between the United States and Iran continued. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said the Iran provisions were added late in negotiations but encountered little resistance among lawmakers. “It was a late add,” Thune said July 23. “I think everybody’s fine with it because we would do it anyway.”
The sanctions package had undergone extended negotiations between Graham and the White House before his death, particularly over how much flexibility the president should have in applying the proposed tariffs. The White House sought broader discretion and supported revisions expanding presidential authority to grant waivers rather than making every sanction automatic.
Sens. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Ron Wyden, D-Ore., unsuccessfully tried to strip the third-country tariff provisions from the legislation. Paul argued that the tariffs could function as a massive tax on U.S. consumers and estimated the potential cost at as much as $500 billion. “I hope I am not the only Republican left in Congress who is horrified by a bill that proposes to raise taxes a half a trillion dollars,” Paul said.
Wyden also objected to the tariff language, warning that it could affect U.S. trading relationships with countries including Hungary, Slovakia, France, Belgium and Japan. He additionally argued that the bill gives Trump excessive discretion to modify the tariffs without meaningful congressional constraints. “Trump can increase or decrease tariffs just by notifying the Congress of his decision. He’s not going to be constrained by any kind of paperwork or rules,” Wyden said.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., opposed removing the provisions, arguing that the legislation already places meaningful limits on the tariff authority. “I also oppose any abuse of the tariff authorities that are currently on the books, but the authority in this bill to impose tariffs is very narrowly scoped, and it contains clear guardrails,” she said.
The Senate rejected Paul’s amendment 32–64 before proceeding to final passage of the broader sanctions measure. With the Senate vote complete, the legislation now moves to the House, where lawmakers will decide whether to send the Russia-Iran sanctions package to Trump for final approval.
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