Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) called on the House of Representatives on Sunday to approve a Senate-passed bill that would expand sanctions against Russia. The senator described the legislative effort as a measure to reduce the revenue available for the Russian military during the war in Ukraine.
The push for the legislation follows the recent death of Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who had been a primary co-sponsor of the effort alongside Blumenthal. The Senate passed the measure with an 86-11 vote earlier this month before beginning its August recess. The House is scheduled to return from its five-week recess this week.
The legislation, named The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, would allow the president to impose tariffs of up to 100% on the five largest purchasers of Russian oil or natural gas. Exceptions would be available for countries that import less than 15% of their natural gas from Russia and are taking steps to reduce those imports. The bill also includes measures to target financial institutions, oligarchs, and the "shadow fleet" of tankers used to transport Russian energy.
Blumenthal noted that Russia faces a looming $125 billion deficit, representing 5% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and pays 14% interest on its national debt.
Blumenthal defended the bill against concerns from some House Democrats regarding the scale of executive authority, stating the measure was the result of "painstaking" negotiations between the White House, the U.S. Trade Representative, and bipartisan lawmakers.
The timing of a House vote remains uncertain. Blumenthal stated that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy identified the passage of this bill as his top priority during the senator's recent trip to Ukraine. The senator said he urged Zelenskyy to meet with House members to advocate for the bill, similar to meetings held with the Senate.