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Senators push swift passage of Graham-Blumenthal sanctions bill aimed at crippling Russia’s oil revenue
Summary
Senators urged rapid Senate action on a bipartisan sanctions package that would impose blocking sanctions and targeted tariffs on major purchasers of Russian oil and gas, and would punish evasion including via a ‘shadow fleet.’ Speakers framed passage as honoring the late Sen. Lindsey Graham.
A lawmaker opening the event urged the Senate to move quickly on a sweeping sanctions bill aimed at cutting off revenue Moscow uses to finance its war in Ukraine, framing the measure as the product of “painstaking” negotiations and a timely step to help Ukraine and honor the late Sen. Lindsey Graham.
The bill, described repeatedly at the event, combines blocking sanctions on wide swaths of the Russian economy — energy, finance, the defense industrial base, oligarchs and President Vladimir Putin — with tariff authority that could reach up to 100% against a small set of major purchasers of Russian oil. The speaker said the measure narrows tariff exposure to five principal oil purchasers named in remarks as China, India, Slovakia, Hungary and Azerbaijan, and includes a separate carve-out for gas purchasers that buy under 15% of their Russian imports and are actively reducing those purchases.
Supporters said the bill is narrowly tailored to avoid penalizing European allies. “So our European allies are not targeted here,” a lawmaker said, adding the legislation contains “narrowly crafted and tailored” waiver authority and reporting requirements to Congress if the United States Trade Representative lowers a tariff rate. Several speakers also emphasized a new effort to stop evasion: provisions to crack down on Russia’s illicit “shadow fleet” of ships used to move energy and skirt sanctions.
Sen. Katie Britt, introduced during the event, thanked bipartisan leaders and urged colleagues to honor Graham’s work by passing the measure. “Let’s hold Putin accountable, and let’s honor Lindsey Graham as we move this forward,” she said.
Speakers repeatedly framed the bill as complementary to other Ukraine assistance—saying Ukraine also needs air defenses and other military aid—but characterized this package as a decisive economic lever. One speaker said the bill “gives the United States leverage,” and that it could give Ukraine leverage at peace talks.
Organizers said the White House has provided written support for the bill and that champions have spoken with House members they believe will advance it if the Senate acts quickly. On technical points, a speaker said the USTR will determine exact tariff rates consistent with the bill’s intent and that the statute requires congressional reporting if the rate is lowered under the bill’s waiver mechanism.
Lawmakers concluded by urging a time agreement to bring the measure to the Senate floor; none reported a formal vote during the event. Supporters said they expect the bill could reach the House and be sent to the president if the Senate moves quickly.
The event closed with senators asking colleagues to keep pushing for floor time and expressing confidence the measure can be scheduled when the votes are secured.
