The Senate approved a long-stalled Russia and Iran sanctions bill Friday in a final tribute to the late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who championed the legislation before his sudden death last month.
The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 was passed in a 86-11 vote.
The legislation targets Russian oil and gas exports that have been fueling Vladimir Putin’s long and bloody war against Ukraine and extends existing sanctions against Iran’s energy and weapons sectors.
The bill cleared a major procedural hurdle last week with overwhelming support from both parties hours after Graham’s funeral at Washington National Cathedral.
The legislation allows the Trump administration to impose targeted tariffs of up to 100% on the five largest importers of Russian crude oil or natural gas by volume. It also renews sanctions on Iran set to expire after the end of this year.
“This bill says to Vladimir Putin, ‘Your days of war are numbered,’” bill co-sponsor Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) said last week. “’You are on the losing side. Better to come to the table now than sacrifice more lives, waste more money, crater your economy, destroy your standing in the world.’
“America stands with Ukraine.”
Ahead of Friday’s vote, Graham’s sister, Sen. Darline Graham Nordone (R-SC), called for “a show of strength” to continue the tradition of America “as a beacon of hope to the free world.”
“Each member of this body must also make a choice,” she added, “whether we have the courage to stand up to evil, or continue on with the status quo.”
At the conclusion of the vote, Darline Graham was given the honor of announcing the final tally.
The legislation, introduced last year, had already garnered the support of most senators but languished on Capitol Hill as Trump repeatedly sought to negotiate an end to Russia’s four-year-long war against its western neighbor.
A day before his July 11 death, Graham announced that he had reached an agreement with the White House to move forward with the bill.
At the time, Graham vowed that the legislation would “become law” and said he’s “never been more optimistic” about the Ukraine war drawing to an end.
“Ukraine’s battlefield successes have injected new urgency into Congress, while Putin’s relentless attacks on civilians have hardened its resolve. The House must now meet the moment by passing this bill and sending it to President Trump’s desk for signature,” said Daniel Balson of New York-based pro-Ukraine group Razom.
The House is expected to take up the legislation when it returns from its summer break Aug. 31.
“The strong bipartisan support for this bill is a fitting tribute to Senator Lindsey Graham, who devoted years to supporting Ukraine as it bravely resisted Putin’s war machine. We are glad to see senators from both parties ready to take up the torch in the fight for freedom and democracy,” added Balson.
“Putin should be under no illusion: the longer he continues his illegal war, the higher the cost he will face. We thank President Trump for publicly backing this legislation. Ukraine’s many supporters across the country now expect Congress to finish the job and make this bill law.”
