The U.S. Senate voted 86-12 on Tuesday to advance a bipartisan sanctions package targeting Russia, marking one of the first significant congressional actions following the death of longtime Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina.
The legislation, now formally known as the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026, would significantly expand the president’s authority to impose sanctions on Russian government officials, foreign nationals and financial institutions linked to Moscow’s war effort in Ukraine. It also authorizes a 500 percent tariff on Russian imports and permits tariffs of up to 100 percent on countries that continue purchasing large volumes of Russian oil, petroleum products and natural gas. The measure further strengthens tools to target ships in Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” used to evade energy sanctions.
Sen. Darline Graham, appointed to fill her brother’s seat, is serving as a lead sponsor. “There is no greater way to honor Senator Graham’s legacy than to move forward with this bipartisan agreement,” she said in a joint statement with a bipartisan group of senators ahead of the vote.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., a key cosponsor, told colleagues the bill aims to strike at the financial resources fueling Russia’s military campaign. “This legislation is designed to cut off Vladimir Putin’s most important resource in his war against Ukraine: his money,” she said on the Senate floor.
The procedural vote is the first of several required before final Senate passage. Lawmakers must still approve the measure after returning from their August recess. The House would also need to pass the legislation before it could reach President Donald Trump’s desk. The White House has indicated Trump supports the package, which also extends certain Iran-related sanctions.
Twelve senators opposed advancing the bill. Kentucky Republican Rand Paul joined 11 Democrats in voting no. Some Democrats argued the measure would give excessive tariff authority to the executive branch. “In effect, this would be a blanket delegation of congressional tariff authority to the executive,” Sen. Peter Welch of Vermont said during debate.
The vote occurred hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attended Graham’s funeral at Washington National Cathedral. After meeting Trump at the White House, Zelenskyy visited Capitol Hill, conferred with senators from both parties and watched the vote from the Senate gallery. He later described Graham as a “true friend” of Ukraine and thanked the United States for its continued support.
Supporters say the expanded economic pressure could strengthen U.S. leverage in ongoing negotiations with Moscow. The legislation remains one of the most significant Russia sanctions packages considered since the full-scale invasion began in 2022.
