By Patricia Zengerle
WASHINGTON, Sept 11 (Reuters) – The U.S. House of Representatives will begin consideration next week of a sweeping Russia sanctions bill championed by the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, which has passed the Senate but faces stiff opposition from House Democrats.
The House Rules Committee said it scheduled a meeting to consider the measure for Monday afternoon. Approval by the Republican-majority Rules Committee would pave the way for a vote in the full chamber later in the week.
Graham, a South Carolina Republican who died in July, was among Ukraine’s most outspoken allies in Congress. His bill aims to increase economic pressure on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine by sanctioning Russian officials and authorizing stiff tariffs on China, India and other countries to reduce their dependence on Russian oil and gas.The Senate voted 86-11 last month to pass the “Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026.”
However, the support from both Republicans and Democrats that propelled the bill through the Senate might not be enough to secure House passage.
Some lawmakers and industries worry that new tariff powers for Republican President Donald Trump could raise costs for U.S. importers and consumers. Some Republican lawmakers are also concerned about political blowback ahead of November’s mid-term elections.
(Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
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