The US House of Representatives has approved a sweeping sanctions bill targeting Russia, sending the legislation to President Donald Trump for his signature.
The House voted 262 to 159 on Wednesday to approve the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, a measure designed to increase economic pressure on Moscow over its war in Ukraine. The Senate had already approved the legislation in August by an 86-11 vote.
The legislation would impose additional sanctions on Russian officials, oligarchs, financial institutions and vessels in the country’s so-called shadow fleet, which Washington says has been used to circumvent existing restrictions.
One of the bill’s most significant provisions would give the US president the authority to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on goods from countries that continue to purchase significant quantities of Russian crude oil or natural gas.
The measure could therefore affect major buyers of Russian energy, including China and India, although the passage of the bill does not itself mean that such tariffs will immediately be imposed.
The bill also contains provisions targeting countries that facilitate Russian sanctions evasion and would extend US sanctions authorities concerning Iran.
The legislation was championed by the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and had faced delays and opposition before gaining sufficient support to move through Congress. The House vote included support from members of both major parties.
House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith said the legislation would strengthen US efforts to restrict Russia’s access to revenue from its energy exports and close what he described as loopholes in the existing sanctions regime.
With both chambers of Congress having approved the legislation, the bill now awaits Trump’s signature. A White House official has indicated that the president plans to sign it.
The legislation comes as Washington continues to use economic measures to pressure Moscow over the war in Ukraine, while its potential secondary tariffs could have wider implications for global energy trade and US relations with countries that continue buying Russian oil.
