US House to take up Russia sanctions bill week of September 14

September 12, 2026 at 01:26 AM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

The US House of Representatives is scheduled to take up the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act during the week of September 14. The House Rules Committee will meet on September 14 to consider the legislation, which the Senate passed 86-11 on August 7. The bill would authorize tariffs up to 100 percent on buyers of Russian oil and gas, even as House Democrats oppose the measure's expansion of presidential tariff powers.

Key Facts

The Senate passed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act on August 7 by an 86-11 vote.
The House Rules Committee is scheduled to meet on September 14 to consider the legislation.
The bill would authorize the president to impose tariffs of up to 100 percent on goods from major purchasers of Russian oil and gas and countries involved in sanctions evasion.
House Democrats Gregory Meeks, Don Beyer, and Richard Neal said the bill would 'dramatically expand presidential tariff authorities while failing to mandate sanctions on Russia.'
A senior Republican congressional aide said Republicans believe they have the votes to advance the bill if it passes the Rules Committee on Monday.

Legislative Timeline

The House Rules Committee is scheduled to meet on September 14 to consider the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act. The Senate passed the bill on August 7 by an 86-11 vote. House Speaker Mike Johnson has called for bipartisan support for the legislation. A senior Republican congressional aide told RFE/RL that Republicans believe they have the votes to advance the bill if it gets through the Rules Committee on Monday.

Tariff and Sanctions Provisions

The bill targets Russian officials, institutions, and the 'shadow fleet' of vessels that enable Moscow to evade sanctions on oil deliveries. It gives the US president authority to impose tariffs of up to 100 percent on goods from major purchasers of Russian oil and gas and countries deemed involved in sanctions evasion. The bill would also extend the existing Iran Sanctions Act for five years. The legislation enables the president to impose the sanctions involved but does not force him to do so.

Democratic Opposition

Representatives Gregory Meeks of New York, Don Beyer of Virginia, and Richard Neal of Massachusetts said in a joint statement that the bill would 'dramatically expand presidential tariff authorities while failing to mandate sanctions on Russia.' They warned that the provisions could raise prices for Americans and undermine support for Ukraine. Democrats say they want a bipartisan, bicameral negotiation over the legislation, which was negotiated and overwhelmingly approved in the Senate. They also argue that Trump already has broad authority to sanction Russian companies, individuals, and vessels financing the war.