The House passed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 on Sept. 16, sending to President Trump's desk a sanctions bill Congress ultimately named for the South Carolina senator who died suddenly in July — before he could see his signature legislation through to the end.
Why it matters: The bill aims to choke off the oil and gas revenue funding Russia's war in Ukraine while extending existing sanctions on Iran, handing the White House its broadest new economic-pressure tool on Moscow since ceasefire talks stalled.
Driving the news:
The House passed the bill 262-159 on Sept. 16, a day after clearing a closer 214-211 procedural vote to adopt the Senate's amendments — a required step before the final vote could happen, per the Daily Caller.
It authorizes tariffs of up to 100% on the top five buyers of Russian oil and natural gas and up to 500% on Russian-origin imports directly, while extending existing Iran sanctions Trump asked to have folded into the same bill, per the Epoch Times.
The Senate had already passed its version 86-11 on Aug. 7. Graham introduced the original bill in April 2025, where it stalled for more than a year before his death revived momentum for it — his sister, Sen. Darline Graham, was appointed to fill his seat that same month.
By the numbers:
262-159 — the House's final vote Sept. 16 sending the bill to Trump's desk.
214-211 — the closer procedural vote a day earlier adopting the Senate's amendments.
86-11 — how lopsided the Senate's own passage was back on Aug. 7.
Up to 100% — the tariff rate authorized on the top five buyers of Russian oil and gas.
Up to 500% — the tariff rate authorized on Russian-origin imports directly.
What they're saying: Speaker Mike Johnson said he wanted the chamber to reach broad consensus before scheduling the vote: “It should be a suspension-level vote where we could put it on the floor and have more than two-thirds support it. But I need to make sure the Democrats will be with us on that, and we got to build consensus around it,” he said, per the Daily Caller. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, one of the bill's lead sponsors, framed the timing as urgent: “It is a moment of extreme urgency, for the reason that Putin may try to escalate, but also because Putin is on his heels economically.”
The other side: Not everyone signed on. Republican Rep. Thomas Massie broke with his party on principle, telling reporters: “Haven't seen it. Haven't heard about it. All I can say is in 14 years I've never voted to sanction a sovereign country,” per the Daily Caller. Democratic leaders including Reps. Gregory Meeks, Don Beyer and Richard Neal objected from the opposite direction, saying in a joint statement that the bill “would dramatically expand presidential tariff authorities while failing to mandate sanctions on Russia, both of which are unacceptable.”
What's next:
The bill now awaits Trump's signature. He's expected to sign it after specifically requesting Iran sanctions be folded into the same measure, per the Epoch Times.
Once signed, the tariff authority on Russian oil and gas buyers takes effect immediately — adding fresh economic pressure on Moscow whenever ceasefire talks next resume.
The bottom line: A sanctions bill that spent over a year stuck in committee got a lopsided, bipartisan send-off within months of Lindsey Graham's death — proof his hawkish Russia agenda still commands the votes, even if it took his passing to clear the last holdouts.
Go deeper: