House Democrats Oppose Russia Sanctions Bill Over Concerns of Expanded Presidential Tariff Powers
House Democrats, including Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, are opposing the 'Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia And Iran Act of 2026,' which is slated for a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill, which passed the Senate with an overwhelming majority, aims to impose harsher sanctions on Russia and buyers of Russian oil and gas, and extend existing sanctions on Iran. However, Democratic Congressmen Gregory Meeks, Don Beyer, and Richard Neal, in a joint statement, argue that while they support Ukraine, the bill would grant President Trump broad and potentially risky new tariff authorities. They contend that the bill fails to mandate sanctions on Russia effectively and that its flaws could lead to increased prices for Americans while undermining long-term support for Ukraine. The Republican House leadership had previously removed the bill from the agenda but has now brought it back for consideration as an emergency measure.