The outcry of sorrow from officialdom in Washington following the death of Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) is a little embarrassing, with Senate Majority Leader John Thune even fighting tears during an address in the Senate on July 13. Many other such comments have been made, though they do not need to be mentioned here.
Instead of breathing a great sigh of relief at the passing of such a horrific war criminal, the Congress seems intent on memorializing Graham by pursuing one of his most cherished pastimes: sanctioning Russia. Passing the updated Russia sanctions bill introduced by Graham and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) “would be a great tribute to the legacy of Lindsey,” Thune said, reported Axios. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) added his support, saying: “I urge Senator Thune, in honor of Lindsey, to put the Russia sanctions bill on the floor immediately. It will pass overwhelmingly and help our allies in Ukraine.” Many other officials have echoed the same sentiment, including Sen. Cory Booker, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, Rep. Joe Wilson, and others.
Indeed, the bill may pick up enough momentum to move ahead. The Hill reported that a White House official claimed President Trump now supports the bill, despite the fact that he initially wanted to give more time for diplomacy with Russia when Graham and Blumenthal introduced it last year.
Graham himself reportedly spoke to President Trump about the resolution, among other things, on Saturday July 11, before he passed away. Graham, Blumenthal, Shaheen, and Roger Wicker released a joint statement on July 10 which proclaimed that an agreement was close at hand: “We are proud to announce that we have reached an agreement with the Trump Administration to move our updated Russia sanctions legislation forward. We are very pleased with this significant progress and expect to roll out the legislation very soon.”
According to Maria Snegovaya, a senior fellow for Russia and Eurasia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies who was interviewed by The Hill, the new bill is substantially expanded. This includes increased restrictions on approving sanction waivers, codifying previous sanctions into law that had been imposed through executive orders, new sanctions on Russian LNG and “shadow fleet” vessels, and a reduction in the maximum level of secondary sanctions on countries that purchase Russian oil, from 500% to 100%.
“The statements from the White House and lawmakers in both parties suggest the sanctions bill has a much better chance of becoming law after Graham’s death,” The Hill writes.
