Congress Moves Forward With Comprehensive Sanctions Against Russia

WHO:

CNN - President Donald Trump is involved in the sanctions bill.

CNN - The bill is named for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham.

CNN - Speaker Mike Johnson is part of the leadership team supporting the bill.

CNN - US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer will determine the final tariff level.

CNN - House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries announced his opposition to the bill.

CNN - Reps. Gregory Meeks, Richard Neal, and Don Beyer expressed concerns about the bill.

WHAT:

CNN - Congress is expected to approve a major Russia sanctions bill.

CNN - The bill would allow Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100% on countries buying Russian oil and gas.

CNBC - The bill is titled the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026.

CNBC - The Senate passed the bill by a vote of 86-11.

CNN - The bill includes mandatory sanctions on top figures in the Russian government, including President Vladimir Putin.

WHERE:

CNN - The bill is being discussed in the U.S. House of Representatives.

CNBC - The press conference regarding the bill took place at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC.

WHEN:

CNN - The bill was first introduced in April 2025.

CNBC - The House is expected to pass the bill on a Wednesday afternoon.

WHY:

CNN - The bill aims to penalize Russia for its continued full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

CNN - Critics warn that the new tariff powers could hike prices ahead of the midterms.

HOW:

CNN - The bill allows for the imposition of tariffs on countries that are among the top five purchasers of Russian crude oil or gas.

(UPDATED September 16, 2026 22:03 UTC)

President Trump is currently involved in a significant sanctions bill aimed at penalizing Russia for its ongoing invasion of Ukraine, which is officially titled the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026. The bill, which has already passed the Senate with a vote of eighty-six to eleven, would grant Trump the authority to impose tariffs of up to one hundred percent on countries purchasing Russian oil and gas, and it is being discussed in the U.S. House of Representatives, where Speaker Mike Johnson and other leaders are supporting it despite opposition from House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and several other representatives. The U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer will ultimately determine the final tariff levels, and the House is expected to vote on the bill on a Wednesday afternoon.