Sweeping Russia-Iran Sanctions Bill Advances Toward House Vote

The US House Rules Committee has advanced a bill imposing stricter sanctions on Russia and Iran, paving the way for a possible vote in the House. However, Democratic lawmakers have expressed concerns over the expansion of presidential tariff authority included in the legislation. The bill, known as the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, was approved by a 7-3 vote in the committee on September 14.

If approved, the House is expected to debate and vote on the measure on September 16. The legislation, which received strong bipartisan support in the Senate, faced a more challenging path in the House due to Democratic objections to provisions granting President Trump broad new authority to impose tariffs on countries buying Russian energy or aiding Russia's evasion of sanctions.

Republicans, including Republican Representative Michael McCaul, emphasized the need for the legislation to apply pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin and encourage negotiations. McCaul argued that the bill would target financial networks supporting Russia's war effort and extend sanctions on Iran. Democrats, however, argued that the bill's tariff provisions are too broad and could negatively impact American consumers.

They proposed amendments to remove secondary tariff measures and clarify the president's authority to waive sanctions. The committee ultimately rejected these Democratic amendments. McCaul claimed the legislation would provide the United States with leverage over Putin and push him towards negotiations, while also offering military and economic support to Ukraine.