Sanctions bill splits committee: sanctions welcomed, tariff authorities draw concern

Representative McCall, appearing for the Foreign Affairs Committee, urged committee members to support the Lindsey Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, arguing it would "target the money that fuels Russia's war machine" and use tariffs as an enforcement 'tooth.' The sponsor noted the Senate passed the measure 86–11 and urged House action.

Opponents including Representatives Meeks and Scanlon expressed concern that the bill's broad tariff authorities could be abused, raise prices for American consumers and allies, and contain minimal guardrails on presidential waiver authority. Meeks and others proposed amendments to remove or narrow secondary tariffs and to strengthen waiver constraints; those amendments were debated and ultimately not adopted in committee. Representative McCall and supporters argued tariffs against the 'top five importers of Russian energy' are narrowly targeted and necessary to close sanction evasion routes.