The bipartisan measure, which passed 86-11, aims to penalize nations that keep purchasing Russian oil, gas, and other exports, intending to cut off Putin’s revenue streams that fuel the war. This vote followed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s recent visit to the Capitol after Graham’s funeral, where he engaged with senators from both parties and observed the Senate’s initial procedural votes from the gallery.
“Today, President Zelenskyy is watching from Ukraine — and Putin is watching from Moscow,” remarked Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., who collaborated with the late South Carolina senator on the legislation.
“I like to believe Lindsey Graham is watching as well,” he added. “Today, we tell the people of Ukraine: You are not alone. And today, we declare to Vladimir Putin: You will not conquer Ukraine.”
This decisive action from the Senate represents the most significant move to shift the course of the four-year conflict during President Donald Trump’s second term, which has now persisted longer than World War I. Congress is working to maintain the flow of US funding and weapons to Ukraine, and Trump has indicated support for the package, which also includes his push for sanctions on Iran, urging the House to pass it for his signature.
Graham and Blumenthal had reached an agreement with the White House regarding the sanctions legislation on July 10, after more than a year of discussions. Graham, who had just returned from Ukraine, passed away unexpectedly the following day, likely due to an aortic tear.
The bipartisan package permits the president to levy tariffs on the world’s top five purchasers of Russian oil or natural gas, including China and India. Exceptions are provided for nations importing less than 15% of their natural gas from Russia and actively working to reduce those imports.
The legislation also encompasses sanctions against Putin, high-ranking Russian political and military officials, Russian financial institutions, and Russian energy initiatives. It would broaden US sanctions to include older, reflagged oil tankers that Russia uses to evade existing US sanctions on Russian oil and energy revenues. The bill allows the White House to waive sanctions or restrictions if the president certifies to Congress that doing so serves the national interest.
Some Democrats and Republicans have expressed concerns about granting Trump extensive power to impose tariffs on imports that could elevate prices for consumers, fearing inflationary impacts on Americans. Most dissenting votes came from progressive Democrats.
Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., appointed by the state’s governor to succeed her brother, expressed her pride in continuing his legacy. “This legislation strikes at Putin where it matters,” she stated.
Bill sends ‘a moral signal’ to Ukraine and its allies
Republican Sen. Todd Young of Indiana, who was present at the meeting, emphasized that the sanctions legislation “is vital as a moral signal to a nation that is weary yet persevering.”
New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, the leading Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, asserted that advancing the legislation now, ahead of Russia’s elections, will pressure Putin to seriously reconsider the possibility of a peace agreement. She cautioned that any retreat from imposing strict measures allows Russia to escalate its aggressions.
“If we can’t cut off the funding for Russia’s war machine against Ukraine, they’ll continue,” she warned.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha expressed gratitude to the Senate in a statement, noting that with U.S. support, “Together, we are moving closer to lasting peace.”
Some say the bill would give Trump too much tariff power
The Senate rejected an amendment from Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon that would have eliminated Trump’s new tariff authority. Paul argues it would impose excessive costs on taxpayers, while Wyden and other Democrats are concerned about granting Trump additional power to impose tariffs.
“We’ve got people walking an economic tightrope here in America,” Wyden commented.
Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., who had held up the legislation due to tariff authority concerns, stated that he received written assurance from the Trump administration, through U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, outlining safeguards. The tariffs would cease once countries are removed from the lists of those purchasing Russian oil and gas, or aiding in sanctions evasion.
“We shouldn’t have to choose between reining in Putin’s aggression and curbing this president’s tariffs,” Warnock said. If Trump “oversteps his bounds, we’ll see him in court.”
Package next goes to the House
While the momentum in the Senate pressures the House to act swiftly when lawmakers return at the end of August, leading Democrats caution against giving Trump excessive power in the Russia sanctions package.
Rep. Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, conveyed that the bill as it stands grants Trump too much authority to “weaponize” tariffs in ways that won’t effectively deter Russia, but will harm Americans at home.
“This would enable President Trump to avoid holding Russia accountable while imposing even more tariffs in his destructive trade wars, leaving the American public to bear the consequences,” Meeks said.
He indicated that the vote on the Paul-Wyden amendment, 32-64, reflects the desire among lawmakers for adjustments to the package.
The House had already passed a separate bill in June to provide aid to Ukraine and impose sanctions on key segments of the Russian economy. That package, led by Meeks and supported by bipartisan members, overcame objections from GOP leadership.
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