Senate Honors Lindsey Graham, Passes New Russia Sanctions

The Senate overwhelmingly approved a bipartisan sanctions package targeting Russia and Iran on Tuesday, passing the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 by an 86-12 vote just hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with lawmakers on Capitol Hill and attended the funeral of the bill’s namesake.

The legislation, named in honor of the late South Carolina GOP senator, represents one of the final initiatives Graham worked to secure before his unexpected death earlier this month. Graham had spent the days leading up to his passing negotiating the measure with the White House after returning from a trip to Ukraine.

The vote came after Zelensky personally lobbied senators during a closed-door meeting on Capitol Hill before final passage. Zelensky traveled to Washington both to attend Graham’s funeral and to press lawmakers to approve the sanctions package aimed at increasing pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Following the meeting, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), one of the bill’s lead sponsors, said to reporters, “This bill is the one that will pass. This bill is the one that the President will sign. We want a law, not just a bill.” Blumenthal added that “it sends a message to Putin: your days of war are numbered. You are on the losing side.”

The legislation would impose sweeping new sanctions on Russian political officials, oligarchs, financial institutions and the so-called Russian “shadow fleet” used to evade existing sanctions. It also authorizes secondary sanctions and tariff authority targeting countries that continue purchasing large quantities of Russian oil and gas, one of the Kremlin’s primary sources of wartime revenue.

In addition to Russia, the bill extends sanctions targeting Iran’s energy and weapons sectors through 2031, preserving restrictions that were otherwise set to expire this year. Senators agreed to combine the Russia and Iran sanctions into a single package after weeks of negotiations. 

Supporters described the measure as a fitting tribute to Graham, who was among the Senate’s most outspoken advocates for Ukraine throughout Russia’s invasion. “There is no greater way to honor Senator Graham’s legacy than to move forward with this bipartisan agreement,” the bill’s bipartisan sponsors said in a joint statement before Tuesday’s vote.

The measure drew opposition from a much smaller group of bipartisan senators.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), who frequently opposes sanctions legislation on libertarian grounds, joined 11 Democrats voting against the bill. Democratic opponents cited concerns over the legislation’s tariff provisions rather than the sanctions themselves. “I support Zelensky,” Sen. Andy Kim (D-NJ) said after voting no. “We’re all on board on the sanctions … But why do we need the tariff power in there right now?” 

Despite those objections, the legislation secured well above the 60 votes needed to pass, underscoring broad bipartisan support for increasing economic pressure on Russia as the war in Ukraine continues.

The House is not expected to consider the legislation until lawmakers return from the August recess. If approved there, the bill will head to President Donald Trump’s desk for his signature.