US House advances Russia sanctions bill, paving way for final vote

The US House of Representatives has advanced a bill that could impose 100% tariffs on goods from certain countries, including India, China, Azerbaijan, Hungary, and Slovakia. According to Live Mint, these countries are major buyers of Russian oil and gas, and the bill aims to punish Russia for its war on Ukraine. The bill, renamed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, cleared a procedural hurdle in the House after two Democrats voted in favour with Republicans, as reported by Business Standard.

The bill, championed by Republican Lindsey Graham and Democrat Richard Blumenthal, allows the President to impose tariffs on countries importing Russian energy. It also extends the expiration date of the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 till 2031 and penalizes companies investing in the Iranian energy sector. The bill is expected to pass a final vote in the House, with Hindustan Times reporting that it may pass on Thursday.

The bill's purpose is to pressure Russia into ending its war with Ukraine by targeting countries that help keep its economy afloat. As quoted by Live Mint, Darline Graham, the late Senator Lindsey Graham's sister, said the bill forces countries to choose between doing business with America or buying cheap Russian energy. The bill was previously passed by the US Senate with an overwhelming majority in August.

Brief written by urgent.news from Business Standard IN, Live Mint, Hindustan Times, CBS News, The Hill — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.