A bipartisan bill with overwhelming Senate support would hand President Trump the power to slap tariffs as high as 500% on countries that continue buying Russian energy.
The Sanctioning Russia Act, introduced by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), targets nations purchasing Russian oil, gas, and uranium, or those helping Moscow dodge existing sanctions. The bill has gathered 84 to 85 Senate co-sponsors, a bipartisan supermajority.
What the bill actually does
The legislation would authorize, not mandate, Trump to impose massive tariffs on major Russian energy importers. The primary targets here are China and India, which together purchase approximately 70% of Russian oil and gas exports.
The bill was first introduced on April 1, 2025. The Trump administration indicated its willingness to back a revised version of the legislation around July 2026, with Graham announcing the agreement shortly before his death. The timing has given the bill additional momentum, with lawmakers positioning a potential vote as a tribute to Graham’s final legislative push.
