House tees up vote on Russia sanctions bill, but prospects for passage are uncertain

The House is expected to take up a punishing Russian sanctions package next week, though prospects of passage are uncertain despite the overwhelming support the bill received in the Senate WASHINGTON (AP) — The House is expected to take up a punishing Russian sanctions package next week, though prospects of passage are uncertain despite the overwhelming support the bill received in the Senate. The House Rules Committee has scheduled a meeting on the bill Monday, with a procedural vote likely later in the week that could determine the bill’s fate.

Several top Democratic lawmakers have voiced concerns that the measure dramatically expands President Donald Trump’s tariff authority, and he would use that new power to go after U.S. The bill is named after the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who had worked with colleagues for more than a year to get it enacted.

The Senate passed the bill by a vote of 86-11 about a month after his death. The bill is designed to add pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to negotiate an end to Russia’s war with Ukraine. Zelenskyy weighs in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged the House to pass the bill in a social media post on X.

He said sanctions need to be imposed now and must be strong. “And this is a very important historical moment for the United States. The bill must be passed, voted on, and supported,” Zelenskyy said.

“Beyond that, strong decisions from the U.S. Personal decisions by President Trump. I very much hope we will see that.” Three lawmakers who serve as the ranking Democrats on key congressional committees issued a joint statement that said House Democrats are rock solid in their support of Ukraine, but the bill would do more harm than good.

They called for negotiations to craft a bill that can win strong support in both chambers. “In the meantime, the President has ample authority to expand sanctions on those fueling Russia’s war machine, including those targeted by this bill, and we renew our call on him to do so without further delay,” read the statement from Reps. Gregory Meeks, the ranking member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Richard Neal, the ranking member of the House Ways and Means Committee, and Don Beyer, the senior House Democrat on the Joint Economic Committee.