A bill proposing draconian sanctions against Russia risks failing in the U.S. House of Representatives – Politico
The U.S. House of Representatives did not include on its agenda a bill by the late Senator Lindsey Graham to increase sanctions pressure on Russia.
Due to disagreements between Democrats and Republicans, the bill—which had previously been approved by the Senate—is now at risk of failure and has been put on hold indefinitely following Congress’s return from a five-week summer recess.
House Speaker Mike Johnson acknowledged that the initiative faces a difficult path ahead, while Rules Committee Chair Virginia Fox noted that the issue was not even discussed during leadership meetings. There is no unity within the Republican Party: some members of Congress oppose new interventions and restrictions in the context of Russia’s war against Ukraine, while others are calling for the vote not to be delayed.
Democrats, led by Hakeem Jeffries, are also voicing concerns about the bill. They fear granting Donald Trump additional powers to impose tariffs under the pretext of forcing Moscow to make peace. According to Democratic Party representatives, the U.S. administration already has all the necessary tools to punish companies that support the Russian war machine, so consideration of the bill has stalled, despite the hopes of its co-author, Richard Blumenthal, to pass the law in September 2026.
This was reported by Politico.
The U.S. Senate approved, by an overwhelming majority, a bipartisan bill imposing sweeping sanctions against the Russian Federation—the aggressor state. The package is aimed, in particular, at limiting Moscow’s revenues from the energy sector.
On Friday, August 7, the European Union approved new sanctions lists targeting Russia in response to the Russian Federation’s recent massive strikes on Ukraine.
