Sen. Blumenthal urges House to pass Russia sanctions bill amid a "moment of extreme urgency" in Ukraine

TL;DR

Sen. Richard Blumenthal urges the House to pass the Senate-approved Russia sanctions bill.
He described the current situation in Ukraine as a "moment of extreme urgency."
The bill, The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, aims to throttle revenue to Russia's war machine.
It would allow the president to impose tariffs of up to 100% on top purchasers of Russian oil or natural gas.
The bill passed the Senate with wide bipartisan margins (86-11).
Blumenthal mentioned concerns from some House Democrats about granting the president more authority.
He highlighted measures to sanction oligarchs, financial institutions, and crack down on the "shadow fleet."
Blumenthal stated Russia's economy is on the verge of major crisis, with a looming deficit and high interest rates.
He expressed hope for the bill's passage in the House, noting Ukraine's progress despite the war's toll.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy's top priority, as outlined to Blumenthal, was the Russian sanctions bill.

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