The U.S. Senate approved the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 by an 86‑11 vote, authorizing 100% tariffs on goods from the five largest importers of Russian oil and gas, including India, China, Azerbaijan, Hungary and Slovakia, and sending the measure to the House.
The bipartisan bill, championed by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham and Dem. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, also extends the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 to 2031 and targets Russian officials, oligarchs, financial institutions and the shadow fleet that moves oil covertly. It attaches to an early‑childhood education measure and grants the president authority to levy the tariffs.
The tariffs and sanctions are intended to choke revenue streams that fund Moscow’s war effort and compel the listed importers to choose U.S. trade over Russian energy. If enacted, they could disrupt supply chains, raise import costs for the affected nations and expand President Trump’s tariff toolkit, shifting trade dynamics.
Democrats warned that the expanded tariff authority could be weaponized by President Trump, a concern that led to a failed amendment to strip the provisions. Sen. Raphael Warnock voiced the same unease, noting a written commitment from the U.S. Trade Representative to enforce the law as written.