House Lawmakers Unveil Compromise Russia Sanctions Bill
A bipartisan group of House members led by Foreign Affairs Committee ranking member Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., co-chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, introduced a compromise Russia sanctions bill Dec. 18 that they hammered out through a flurry of year-end negotiations.
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The Peace Through Strength Against Russia Act would use "strong economic pressure" to spur Russia to end its invasion of Ukraine, a joint press release says. "Russia won't negotiate an end to its war unless real pressure is applied on the Kremlin to stop its brutality," Meeks said.
The legislation aims to address Meeks' concerns about Fitzpatrick’s original Russia bill, the Sanctioning Russia Act, which was introduced in April (see 2512040024). For example, the new bill removes the original measure's new tariffs on countries that buy Russian oil and gas, which Meeks feared would be a “tax on the American people.”
The compromise bill would mandate sanctions on senior Russian officials, oligarchs, state-owned enterprises and entities supporting Russia’s defense, energy and transportation sectors. Foreign actors that enable Russian oil, gas, liquefied natural gas and uranium production would also be sanctioned. Other provisions would impose sanctions for the kidnapping and deportation of Ukrainian children and for Russia-North Korea cooperation that supports Russia’s war against Ukraine.
In addition, the bill would sever Russia’s access to the global financial system, including by blocking transactions with Russian financial institutions, barring U.S. investment in Russia, banning trading of Russian entities on U.S. securities exchanges, and targeting financial messaging systems used to evade sanctions. It would increase duties on goods imported from Russia to up to 500%.
The sanctions could be terminated only if Russia signed a peace deal with Ukraine and ended “all military hostilities” against the country. A sanctions rollback would be subject to congressional review.
The bill's co-sponsors include Reps. Don Bacon, R-Neb.; Mike Turner, R-Ohio; Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y.; Mike Lawler, R-N.Y.; Steny Hoyer, D-Md.; Bill Keating, D-Mass.; and Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio. "With this new bipartisan bill, we are putting forward the most significant legislation introduced this Congress to place economic sanctions on Russia for its war crimes against Ukraine," Kaptur said.
With Congress having left town for the year, Meeks and Fitzpatrick said they hope to bring their new bill to the House floor in January. Fitzpatrick also has agreed to sign a discharge petition to force floor consideration of Meeks’ Ukraine Support Act, which would provide military and other assistance to Ukraine in addition to increasing sanctions and export controls on Russia (see 2507180003 and 2504150026).
It remains to be seen how the new bill will be received in the Senate. The original legislation, introduced in the upper chamber by Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., has enjoyed broad bipartisan support.