The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 in a 262-159 vote, sending the sweeping package to President Donald Trump's desk. While 58 Democrats joined the Republican majority to pass the bill, Democratic leaders strongly opposed it, warning that granting Trump expanded authority to levy up to 100% tariffs on top buyers of Russian energy could raise costs for American families and penalize key U.S. allies.
House passage of sanctions bill
- ▪The House vote on the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 included 58 Democrats voting in favor and seven Republicans voting in opposition
- ▪Democratic Representatives Jared Golden and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez voted with Republicans on September 15, 2026, to advance the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 past a procedural rule vote
- ▪The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 on September 16, 2026, in a 262 to 159 vote
Expanded Trump tariff authority
- ▪The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 grants President Donald Trump authority to impose tariffs of up to 500% on Russian imports
- ▪The legislation allows President Donald Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100% on the top five countries purchasing Russian oil or natural gas
- ▪The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 provides President Donald Trump with the authority to waive the sanctions imposed under the Act if he certifies to Congress that doing so is in the national interest of the United States
Russian energy sector targets
- ▪The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 targets Russia's shadow fleet of aging oil tankers, which have been utilized to evade existing energy export restrictions
- ▪The Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air reports that China and India are currently the largest buyers of Russian crude oil
- ▪The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 exempts countries from energy tariffs if they import less than 15% of their natural gas from Russia and are taking significant steps to reduce those imports
Lindsey Graham memorial legislation
- ▪The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 is named in honor of the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who died in July 2026 shortly after returning from a trip to Kyiv, Ukraine
- ▪At the request of President Donald Trump, the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 also extends expiring U.S. sanctions on Iran's energy and weapons sectors
Democratic opposition to tariffs
- ▪Democratic Representatives Gregory Meeks, Don Beyer, and Richard Neal argued that the expanded tariff authorities in the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 would raise prices for Americans and undermine long-term support for Ukraine
- ▪House Democratic leaders Hakeem Jeffries, Katherine Clark, and Pete Aguilar opposed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, stating that President Donald Trump cannot be entrusted with new tariff powers that could raise costs for American families
- ▪House Democrats failed on September 14, 2026, to pass an amendment clarifying that the European Union would not be classified as a country subject to secondary tariffs under the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026
Debatable claims
- ▪The Russia sanctions bill grants the president excessive tariff authority
- ▪The U.S. should impose tariffs on countries purchasing Russian energy
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