The United States House of Representatives has moved forward with a bill that would grant President Donald Trump extensive authority to impose tariffs as high as 100 percent on nations, including India, that engage in the purchase of Russian oil and gas. China is also mentioned among the targeted countries, according to reports from the news agency PTI.
This legislative action takes place as the House approaches an early recess set for Thursday, with plans to reconvene on November 9 following the midterm elections. The bill’s passage through the House this week would represent the final legislative obstacle before it is presented to the President for approval.
The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 successfully navigated a significant procedural step in the House on Tuesday evening, with two Democratic representatives joining their Republican counterparts to support the measure, resulting in a narrow vote of 214 in favor to 211 against. This vote occurred despite opposition from several senior Democrats who expressed concerns regarding the extensive powers being granted to the President over tariff implementations.
A final vote in the House is anticipated on Wednesday. Should the bill receive approval, it would then be forwarded to President Trump for his endorsement.
The Senate had already passed the legislation on August 7 with a substantial majority, voting 86-11. This bill aims to impose sanctions on key figures in Russia’s leadership, as well as targeting the nation’s energy and defense sectors, and addressing the “shadow fleet” of vessels alleged to assist Russia in evading existing oil shipment sanctions.
In addition, the bill would empower Trump to impose 100 percent tariffs on significant buyers of Russian oil. Although the Senate version does not specifically identify trading partners, it does reference the five largest importers of Russian oil and gas by volume.
Among the countries highlighted as potential targets for these secondary tariff provisions are India and China.
This legislation has sparked rifts within the Democratic Party, with some members supporting Ukraine while opposing an expansion of Trump’s tariff authority. Gregory Meeks, the leading Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, voiced his opposition to the bill, arguing that it would grant Trump unchecked authority over tariffs without adequate safeguards, as reported by The Guardian. Meeks, together with Don Beyer, the leading Democrat on Congress’s Joint Economic Committee, and Richard Neal, the ranking Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee, contended that the legislation could ultimately have detrimental effects.
They expressed that while the bill significantly broadens presidential tariff powers, it does not make sanctions on Russia obligatory. According to these lawmakers, such provisions could lead to increased prices for American consumers and undermine long-term support for Ukraine.
Neal articulated his concerns regarding Trump’s previous use of tariffs against U.S. allies, including Canada and Mexico. “I worry about the abusive nature of these tariffs and how they have alienated our friends globally. What protections do we have afterward?” Neal stated in an interview on Monday.
He further noted that the expanded authority could result in Trump adopting a more aggressive stance toward Ukraine.
Discussions among Democrats are ongoing to refine the list of countries that could potentially face secondary sanctions. Representative Steny Hoyer, a co-sponsor of the bill, proposed an amendment that would outline ten specific countries at risk of sanctions: China, India, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Singapore, Slovakia, and the United Arab Emirates.
The proposed legislation has also encountered resistance from Republicans who question the ongoing U.S. involvement in Ukraine, making Democratic support crucial for the bill’s advancement in the House.
Disagreements have surfaced among House Democrats regarding the bill. During a recent meeting, California Democrat Linda Sánchez criticized party members who backed amendments to change the bill, emphasizing the importance of supporting Ukraine while also questioning the appropriateness of granting Trump increased tariff powers.
This legislation is being closely monitored by Ukrainian officials and advocacy groups supporting Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for heightened economic pressure on Russia and urged U.S. lawmakers to pass the sanctions bill. “Lindsey Graham’s sanctions bill is still just a bill, unfortunately, and not yet law,” Zelenskyy remarked in a recent address. He stressed the urgency for the legislation to be enacted, as reported by The Guardian.
Vitaly Kim, a member of Zelenskyy’s cabinet and Ukraine’s minister of veterans affairs, also advocated for intensified economic pressure on Russia. Speaking at the Ukraine Action Summit in Washington, D.C., Kim stated that sanctions aimed at constraining Russia’s economy could contribute to an end to the conflict.
The Ukraine Action Summit, organized by the American Coalition for Ukraine, is currently taking place in Washington, with pro-Ukraine groups lobbying U.S. lawmakers for ongoing support for Kyiv.
Proponents of the legislation argue that limiting Russia’s oil revenue would diminish the resources available to Moscow for its military operations in Ukraine.
