Russia sanctions bill has enough Senate support, but faces one key hurdle
Lindsey Graham (photo: Getty Images)
A bipartisan Russia sanctions bill introduced by the late Senator Lindsey Graham has secured the support of more than 60 co-sponsors, enough to pass the Senate. But the biggest question now is when it will be brought to a vote, Axios reports.
According to the media outlet, the bill on "bone-crushing sanctions" against Russia already has enough votes to pass the Senate.
According to the source, the bill currently has at least 61 co-sponsors, including 39 Republicans and 22 Democrats.
However, the biggest obstacle now is securing time for the bill to be debated in the Senate. In other words, there is still no timetable for its consideration.
In addition, the bill being advanced in the US Senate will also need to be approved by the House of Representatives.
What is known
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham spent more than a year actively pushing the "bone-crushing sanctions" bill against Russia. It proposed imposing 500% tariffs on countries that purchase Russian energy resources.
However, in July 2026, Graham died suddenly after visiting Kyiv and returning to the United States, raising questions about whether his sanctions bill would move forward.
US President Donald Trump stopped short of fully endorsing the bill but indicated that he would be willing to sign it as a tribute to Graham.
Senators, including Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, who is a co-sponsor, continue to push the bill, although it is already known that it has been revised.
If passed, it would continue to increase pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin over Russia's war against Ukraine. However, the proposal now calls for 100% tariffs, rather than 500%, on buyers of Russian oil and gas.
In particular, the sanctions would target countries such as China and India in an effort to cut off revenues that help finance Russia's war against Ukraine.
The bill is also aimed at Russia's shadow fleet, which is used to circumvent Western sanctions on Russian oil exports.
