US House debates Russia sanctions bill targeting India and China oil trade

The US House has completed debate on a bill that would let President Donald Trump sanction Russia and tariff major buyers of its oil and gas, including India and China. The measure could sharpen pressure on Moscow over Ukraine while widening trade tensions with key partners.

In Short

• The House wrapped up debate before a vote expected later Wednesday
• The Senate had approved the measure last month by 86-11
• Backers say shadow fleet sanctions would curb Moscow's sanctions evasion

The US House of Representatives on Wednesday concluded discussion on a bill that would authorise President Donald Trump to impose sanctions on Russia and steep tariffs on countries trading with Moscow in oil and gas, including India and China. The bill is expected to be put to a vote later in the day.

The Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, which was passed by the US Senate last month by an 86-11 vote, has faced considerable opposition on Capitol Hill since it was introduced in April 2025. It cleared a procedural hurdle in the House on Tuesday by 214-211, with two Democrats backing the Republicans, after getting Trump’s approval to move ahead in July, days before the sudden death of Senator Lindsey Graham on July 11.

Piloting the bill, Republican Congressman Michael McCaul of Texas said passing it would put maximum pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to bring him to the negotiating table to end the war in Ukraine. He said the measure would impose sanctions not only on Russia’s leadership and energy sector, but also on the “shadow fleet” of vessels that enable Moscow to evade sanctions on oil deliveries. It also seeks to authorise Trump to impose stiff tariffs on China, India and other countries to reduce their dependence on Russian oil and gas, along with additional sanctions on Iran.

McCaul said the tariff provision would give Russia’s trading partners a choice to stop supporting Putin’s aggression. “Pursuant to the bill’s rule, only the top five importers of Russian oil will be tariffed. If a country falls off the top five list, the tariffs are removed. It incentivises the race to the bottom,” he said. He added, “Putin believes he can keep financing this war indefinitely. We need to change that calculation and bleed his regime economically dry... If Putin is rewarded for invading a sovereign nation... his Army will move into Moldova, Georgia and to the Baltic states.”

Opposing the bill, Democratic Congressman Gregory Meeks of New York questioned the case for giving the President more authority to impose sweeping tariffs. “The President calls himself the ‘Tariff Man’... why should we hand over this tariff man more authority,” Meeks said. He also said, “It does not give what Ukraine needs at this moment. They need to have the munitions to protect themselves and continue to do what they are doing to preserve their country and democracy.”

Meeks had moved amendments seeking to remove the entire section authorising the president to impose secondary sanctions on Russia’s trading partners, but the House Rules Committee defeated the proposal. Amendments to limit the sanctions to 11 countries, including China, India and Turkiye, and to extend USD 15 billion to Ukraine to purchase munitions were also defeated. The House has now completed debate on the bill, which combines sanctions on Russia and Iran with tariff powers aimed at countries buying Russian oil and gas.

With PTI Inputs

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