House approves sweeping Russia sanctions bill, sending it to Trump
[September 17, 2026]
By KEVIN FREKING
WASHINGTON (AP) — The House on Wednesday passed a broad package of
sanctions targeting Russian officials and key pillars of its economy as
lawmakers look to deprive President Vladimir Putin of the financial
resources needed to wage the war against Ukraine.
The bill is named after the late Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina,
who spent more than a year negotiating it. The measure was approved in a
262-159 vote and now heads to President Donald Trump to be signed into
law.
The legislation represents the most ambitious effort to support Ukraine
since Trump's return to the White House and would break nearly two years
of relative gridlock on the issue following a 2024 emergency aid
package. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been pushing for
the bill's passage and made a direct appeal to senators shortly before
they passed it last month.
The measure sanctions Russian officials, banks and a shadow fleet of
tankers that keeps Russian energy moving. It also directs Trump to
impose up to 100% tariffs on the top five importers of Russian oil or
natural gas, with an exception for countries that import less than 15%
of Russia’s natural gas exports and have taken significant steps to
reduce those imports.
“These countries have a choice to make about whether they will continue
to sustain Putin's aggression,” said Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas.
Democrats are divided on the legislation
Supporters said the tariff provisions are aimed at deterring China and
India from purchasing Russian energy, but critics of the bill said they
fear Trump will use the legislation to target allies in the European
Union and elsewhere. Americans, they warned, would pay the price for
such tariffs through higher prices at the cash register.
“This president has always said he loves tariffs,” said Rep. Gregory
Meeks, D-N.Y. “And we know the history of what he's done with reference
to tariffs to our European allies, and our allies everywhere.”
Democrats were divided on the bill, despite overwhelming support in the
caucus for aiding Ukraine. Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., told colleagues they
can't control what the president does, but they can stand up and declare
where they are on the war.
“If we fail to pass this bill, there will be cheers in the Kremlin and
tears in Kyiv,” Hoyer said.
But Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va., predicted Ukraine supporters would come to
regret voting for the bill.
“Yes they will be able to say ‘we stood with Ukraine’ in the immediate
aftermath,” Beyer said. “But when Donald Trump hits our allies with new
tariffs and waives sanctions on Russia, the propaganda victory for Putin
will be lasting, and the damage will be embedded in U.S. law.”
Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York, speaking in opposition to
the bill, said Democrats would continue to support the Ukrainian people
until victory is won, “but this bill does not provide a path to secure
that.”
In all, 58 Democrats broke with Jeffries and voted for the bill, while
152 voted against it. Among Republicans, 203 voted yes while seven voted
against it.
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., celebrated the vote and highlighted the
additional tariff power it provides the president.
“For too long, Putin has bankrolled this devastating war with money and
resources from countries willing to look the other way, and today, that
ends," Johnson said.
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The U.S Capitol is photographed Monday, Sept. 14, 2026, in
Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)
Getting Trump onboard has been a long process
Congress has struggled to ensure the flow of U.S. funding and
munitions to Ukraine as Republican support for spending billions of
dollars more on the effort has waned. Trump routinely derided the
Ukraine aid while campaigning for the White House and insisted that,
if elected, he would quickly end the war launched by Moscow’s
February 2022 invasion.
It took Graham essentially a full year to bring Trump on board with
the Russia sanctions package. Eventually, Trump gave a nod to the
bill after it included his push for a five-year extension of
existing sanctions on Iran. Republicans speaking on the House floor
in advance of Wednesday's vote were overwhelmingly supportive of the
package.
Rep. French Hill, R-Ark., acknowledged Democratic criticism that
tariffs could be used aggressively on smaller U.S. allies, but said
it was time to deliver a resounding message to the Kremlin: “End
this war, get out of Ukraine, focus on rebuilding your shattered
international reputation and your destroyed economy."
The Senate overwhelmingly passed the bill by a vote of 86-11 last
month, but momentum slowed in the House. Republican leadership
focused on other priorities, namely bills designed to put Democrats
on defense going into the midterms. Meanwhile, a chorus of key
Democratic lawmakers voiced alarm about the bill's tariff
provisions.
Passage of the bill in the House came on the final day that the
chamber is expected to be in session for votes before the Nov. 3
elections.
After the vote, a group of Republicans and Democrats from the House
and Senate celebrated the vote at a rare bipartisan press
conference.
Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, who wrote the
bill with Graham, said he hopes the sanctions will help force Putin
to the negotiating table and end the war.
“To Vladimir Putin — we have your number,” Blumenthal said. “And to
Ukraine — you are not alone.”
Leading up to the vote, Zelenskyy took to social media urging the
House to pass the bill. He said during war it is sometimes better to
“make a not-so-perfect decision than to do nothing.”
“And this is a very important historical moment for the United
States. The bill must be passed, voted on, and supported,” Zelenskyy
said on X. “Beyond that, strong decisions from the U.S.
Administration are important. Personal decisions by President Trump.
I very much hope we will see that.”
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Associated Press writer Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this
report.
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