Senate passes sanctions bill on Russia and Iran named for late Sen. Lindsey Graham

WASHINGTON — The Senate voted overwhelmingly to pass legislation to impose sanctions against Russia and Iran after months of fits and starts, with the death of Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham providing the final push.

The 61-page legislation, re-named the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, in honor of the bill’s biggest proponent, is designed to punish major buyers of Russian oil and gas. It also features additional sanctions on Russian leaders, family members and oligarchs.

And it allows for targeted tariffs on products from countries that buy most Russian oil and gas, limiting them to the five biggest importers.

The vote was 86-11.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said the bill would help protect Ukraine against Russian aggression.

“Ukraine is now the largest conflict, literally, since World War II in Europe,” Thune said in a recent floor speech. “And the Ukrainian people have been resilient, worked really, really hard to try and bring this war to an end. But as long as Putin has Russian oil and gas money, he’s able to continue this war. And what this sanctions bill would do would basically cut that off.”

After a last-minute demand from President Donald Trump, it also extends sanction authority designed to limit funding toward Iran’s weapons and energy sectors.

The bill has been criticized by a group of Democrats and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., with the Democrats arguing it gives Trump too much tariff authority.

It now goes to the Republican-controlled House, where it faces an uncertain future.

The Senate deal was announced Tuesday morning by Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., the late senator’s sister and appointed successor, as well as Sens. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.; Katie Britt, R-Ala.; Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H.; Roger Wicker, R-Miss.; and Jim Risch, R-Idaho.

The senators struck the deal on July 28, less than two weeks after Graham’s unexpected death, saying there was “no greater way to honor” the South Carolinian’s legacy.

“We are proud to announce an agreement on legislation to stop purchasers of Russian oil and gas from fueling Putin’s war machine and to continue restricting the Iranian regime’s ability to support terrorism and build its nuclear program,” the senators said in a joint statement.

Senate passage was all but guaranteed after the chamber voted 86-12 to advance the bill procedurally last month, shortly after reaching the deal.