Senator Backs Action on Russia Sanctions Bill
When the Senate returns from its August recess, Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., said, he wants the chamber to take up a major Russia sanctions bill to spur Moscow to end its war with Ukraine.
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
Export Compliance Daily combines U.S. export control news, foreign border import regulation and policy developments into a single daily information service that reliably informs its trade professional readers about important current issues affecting their operations.
“We'd like to be able to put tools in the hands of the president" that he could wield if Russia doesn't work toward peace, Lankford told reporters Aug. 22 at the Capitol in response to a question from Export Compliance Daily. “We absolutely want to put more pressure on [the Kremlin] to be able to bring peace in the region.”
Lankford made his comments three days after a Republican colleague, Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, said he worries such legislation might constrain President Donald Trump from using his existing tools to pressure Russia (see 2508190010). "I don't see a problem," Lankford said, "with having additional tools in the hands of the president to be able to make decisions that need to be done."
The Sanctioning Russia Act, introduced by Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., in April, could lead to a wide range of sanctions on Russia and its supporters if Moscow refuses to reach a peace deal with Ukraine (see 2504020003). Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has endorsed the legislation, which enjoys bipartisan support, but has held off on scheduling a Senate floor vote amid Trump's attempts to achieve a diplomatic breakthrough (see 2507090023).