Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) urged Congress to pass a Russia sanctions bill to honor the legacy of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.).
The push for the legislation seeks to strengthen the U.S. position on Ukraine aid and isolate Russia further through aggressive economic penalties.
Shaheen made the appeal on the floor of the U.S. Senate in Washington, D.C., on Sunday, July 7, 2024 [1, 3]. The call came one day after Graham died on Saturday evening, July 6, 2024, following a brief and sudden illness [1, 4].
The proposed legislation, known as the Sanctioning Russia Act, aims to impose steep tariffs on countries that continue to purchase Russian petroleum [2]. According to some reports, the act would impose a 500% tariff on those nations [5]. While one source indicates the bill was first introduced in 2025 [5], other reports place the legislative push in 2024 following Graham's death [1].
Shaheen said that the legislation is necessary to stand with Ukraine and respect the work of her late colleague. "We must pass this legislation to honor Senator Graham’s legacy and to stand with Ukraine," Shaheen said [1].
Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) also spoke on the impact of the late senator's work. Rounds said Graham was very proud of the work he was doing with regard to the Russian sanctions bill [6].
The move to pass the bill as a tribute reflects Graham's long-standing advocacy for Ukraine and his role in shaping U.S. sanctions policy [1, 6].
“"We must pass this legislation to honor Senator Graham’s legacy and to stand with Ukraine."”
The effort to tie the Sanctioning Russia Act to the legacy of Sen. Lindsey Graham represents a strategic attempt to secure bipartisan support for a high-tariff policy. By framing the bill as a tribute to a respected Republican leader, proponents hope to overcome legislative inertia and implement more aggressive economic pressure on nations that sustain Russia's energy exports.
