House Democrats find themselves caught between two choices: backing a bill that punishes Russia or turning it down because it grants President Donald Trump more tariff authority that they have long condemned. The Senate measure, bearing the name of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., is designed to sanction both Russia and Iran. Yet its wording also gives Trump new power to hit Russia and its allies with substantial tariffs.
A number of bills are set for votes this week through the House Rules Committee, with the Graham sanctions package among them. That measure moved forward through the panel on Monday evening, which places the full House before a “rule vote” on Tuesday afternoon. Should that hurdle be cleared, the chamber is then expected to take up the sanctions bill itself on Wednesday afternoon, per a preliminary legislative timetable secured by Fox News Digital.
Tariffs vs. Sanctions
The measure instructs the commander in chief to increase duties on Russia by as much as 500% and by as much as 100% on nations purchasing Russian energy. The president would also be told to apply major sanctions against Russian officials and other parties bearing responsibility for the ongoing conflict with Ukraine.
For years, members of the Democratic Party have criticized President Trump for imposing tariffs on U.S. allies such as Canada and Mexico without restraint. Those two countries have faced a wave of legal challenges as a result. This record helps explain why senior House Democrats came out against the bill earlier this year.
The three lawmakers who serve as ranking members of key House committees released a joint statement against the measure. Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., Ranking Member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass., Ranking Member of the House Committee on Ways and Means, and Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va., all signed off on the opposition. “House Democrats are rock solid in our support for Ukraine, but the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia And Iran Act would do more harm than good. This bill would dramatically expand presidential tariff authorities while failing to mandate sanctions on Russia, both of which are unacceptable,” was their stated position.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., told reporters at a Monday press conference that Democrats would keep pushing for a sanctions bill while addressing concerns about Trump’s tariff authority. “We’re going to continue to stand by the Ukrainian people and find a path forward to get a sanctions bill done while addressing the very real concerns that [Democrats] have raised about giving Donald Trump authority that the Supreme Court recently made clear he does not currently have, and should not have, because it belongs to the Congress pursuant to the Constitution.”
What the Package Covers
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Graham were behind the package’s push, which sat in limbo for nearly two years while lawmakers and the administration moved back and forth trying to reach a compromise both Trump and Congress could accept.
Blumenthal defended the tariff language in the bill to Fox News Digital. “If Donald Trump wants to break this law, he will be restrained by the courts, just as when he broke the law on tariffs previously,” he said.
Senate Democrats mostly backed giving Trump limited tariff power in exchange for the sanctions against Russia, even though they had railed against duties for years. A few expressed worries, among them Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.
The sanctions package includes tariffs, and Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., got assurances from U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer that those tariffs would target only the top five energy trading partners with the Kremlin.
- The bill directs up to 500% tariffs on Russia
- The bill directs up to 100% tariffs on countries buying Russian energy
- The bill directs sanctions on Russian officials and others responsible for the war on Ukraine
- The bill expands presidential tariff authorities
| Measure | Tariff Authority | Sanctions on Russia |
|---|---|---|
| Current bill | Expanded presidential powers | Directed to punish Russian officials |
The Political Math
Given the growing presence of isolationists within the House GOP Conference, a number of Democrats will likely be required to secure passage of the bill. Wednesday’s vote will reveal whether lawmakers prioritize punishing Putin over their apprehensions regarding Trump’s tariff authorities.
The vote is set for Wednesday.
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