Bipartisan Blitz Targets Putin’s War Machine

The Senate voted 86-12 to advance a sweeping Russia sanctions bill just hours after lawmakers laid Senator Lindsey Graham to rest, turning his final legislative fight into a bipartisan tribute.

Story Snapshot

Senate advanced the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026 in an 86-12 vote.
The bill imposes mandatory sanctions on Russian leaders, banks, energy firms, and the shadow fleet evading oil price caps.
Countries trading with Russia could face tariffs, but allies helping Ukraine get a 270-day exception.
President Trump’s team agreed to advance the bill after Graham met with him directly.
A dozen senators voted no, with at least one citing worries about handing Trump broad tariff power.

Senate Honors Graham With Overwhelming Vote

Senator Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., died suddenly late on a Saturday night, just after announcing a breakthrough deal with the White House on his long-stalled Russia sanctions package. Days later, colleagues introduced a revised version of the bill and pushed the Senate to pass it quickly in his memory, turning years of gridlock into fast bipartisan action.

The vote came the same week Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Washington, adding urgency to the push. Senators from both parties, including Democrats Richard Blumenthal and Sheldon Whitehouse alongside Republicans like Ted Budd, framed the bill as a way to keep pressure on Moscow after nearly three years of war in Ukraine.

What the Bill Would Actually Do

The measure, officially titled the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026 and numbered S.5025, spans more than 60 pages of penalties. It hits Russian political and military leaders, including President Vladimir Putin himself, along with oligarchs, state-owned companies, and firms that supply Russia’s defense industry. It also targets Russian energy exports and the shadow fleet of tankers used to dodge Western oil price caps.

Countries that keep buying Russian energy or trading with Moscow could face steep tariffs under the bill. But Graham built in an escape hatch: nations that avoid doing business with Russia face no penalties at all, and countries that trade with Russia while also helping Ukraine militarily and economically get a 270-day grace period before sanctions kick in. The revised text also gives the president broad waiver authority, letting the administration ease off sanctions if diplomacy makes progress.

Trump’s Green Light Set the Stage

The push to finally move this bill did not happen in a vacuum. Graham said the Senate could vote as soon as the following week after a productive meeting with President Trump, telling reporters the president had “greenlit” the sanctions effort. That endorsement mattered, since Senate Majority Leader John Thune had held the bill back for months waiting for enough votes and White House buy-in.

A bipartisan group of senators later confirmed they had reached agreement with the Trump administration to advance the long-delayed legislation, targeting not just Russia but countries still propping up its war economy. For a conservative base that has watched years of half-measures against Putin, a president willing to back real teeth in sanctions law marks a notable shift from the drift of prior years.

Not Everyone Was On Board

Despite the lopsided 86-12 tally, the bill did not sail through without pushback. Some lawmakers raised concerns about handing the executive branch sweeping tariff authority tucked inside legislation framed as an emotional tribute to a fallen colleague. Critics of that approach argued Congress should scrutinize new presidential powers on their own merits, not wave them through under the banner of honoring Graham.

In a bipartisan vote, 86 senators voted to move forward with the Russia and Iran sanctions bill, championed by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham.https://t.co/Hjlexk1zte

— KATU News (@KATUNews) July 29, 2026

Sanctions bills carry a mixed track record historically, since adversaries can often find new trade partners or route exports through middlemen to blunt the impact. Still, this bill’s blend of mandatory penalties, tariff threats, and negotiated waivers gives Washington real leverage over Moscow’s remaining trade relationships, particularly with nations still buying discounted Russian oil.

What Comes Next

With cloture cleared by such a wide margin, the bill now heads toward a final Senate vote before it can reach President Trump’s desk. Supporters, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, have pressed colleagues to move fast and send a clear signal to the Kremlin that America’s patience with stalling on Ukraine peace talks has run out.