US sanctions against Russia bill moves to Congress: Next steps
Photo: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the senators for passing the bill (Getty Images)
A bipartisan bill imposing sanctions on Russia and Iran, which was previously approved nearly unanimously by the US Senate, has been introduced in the House of Representatives. The bill calls for tariffs of up to 500% on goods from Russia and targets the Kremlin's banks and shadow fleet, according to Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick.
Why it matters that bill reached House of Representatives, and what happens next
The US Congress consists of two chambers, the Senate and the House of Representatives, and for a bill to become law, it must be passed in identical form by both chambers. The Senate already voted on the bill in early August—86 votes in favor and 11 against, which amounts to virtually unanimous bipartisan support. But this is only half the battle: without a vote in the House of Representatives, the bill will not become law, and that is precisely where it has just been introduced.
The text introduced in the lower chamber is identical to the one that has already passed the Senate—this is important because if the chambers pass different versions of the bill, they must be reconciled, which delays the process. An identical text means that as soon as the House of Representatives votes in favor of the bill, it can immediately go to President Donald Trump for his signature, without any further reconciliation.
No official date has been set for the vote yet, but given the broad bipartisan support, with more than 15 members of Congress from both parties among the co-sponsors, the chances of passage are considered high.
Once signed by the President, the sanctions will take effect, and they can only be lifted if Russia signs a peace agreement acceptable to the Ukrainian government and completely ceases hostilities and attempts to overthrow or undermine the Ukrainian government, a condition explicitly stipulated in the bill itself.
Who introduced bill
The bill, titled the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, was introduced in the House of Representatives by Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, co-chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus. Among the co-sponsors are influential Republicans and Democrats, including Michael McCaul, chairman emeritus of the Foreign Affairs Committee; Steny Hoyer, Democratic minority leader; and Mike Rogers, chairman of the Armed Services Committee.
What bill specifically provides for
The bill imposes sanctions on Russia’s largest banks, bans new US investments in Russia and the purchase of Russian government debt, and targets the shadow fleet that transports oil in circumvention of sanctions. Separately, the bill allows for the imposition of tariffs of up to 500% on goods from Russia and up to 100% on goods from countries that are the largest buyers of Russian oil or gas or that help circumvent sanctions. It also extends the Iran Sanctions Act through 2031.
RBC-Ukraine previously reported on the bill itself on August 7, when the Senate approved severe sanctions against Russia and Iran—it was then that the bill was sent to the House of Representatives. According to sources, the US is also preparing another package of tough sanctions, which could be imposed as early as September 2026—Ukrainian authorities believe these restrictions could prove to be stricter than the European Union's current sanctions.
Meanwhile, Europe is also stepping up pressure on Russia. Following the intensification of Russian attacks against Ukraine, the European Union expanded its sanctions list, adding five more individuals to it.
