ICYMI: McCaul Pens Op-Ed Honoring Senator Graham's Legacy, Calling on Congress to Pass Russia Sanctions Bill

WASHINGTON - U.S. Congressman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) - chairman emeritus of the House Foreign Affairs Committee - penned an op-ed in The Washington Examiner honoring Senator Lindsey Graham's legacy and calling on Congress to pass his sanctions bill.

Congress must honor Lindsey Graham's legacy by passing this bill

Chairman Emeritus Michael McCaul

July 16, 2026

Rarely in life do you meet someone who genuinely embodies the weight and responsibility of the word "leader." Sen. Lindsey Graham was one of those men. ... We shared the same worldview: America is strongest at home when we project strength abroad.

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Graham and I were both in Ukraine near the end of his life. While we were not traveling together, we shared the same mission.

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Graham knew this war would only end when maximum pressure is placed on Putin and he is forced to seek a negotiated agreement - one that gives the Ukrainian people true security guarantees, unlike the failed Budapest Memorandum. That is why he spent the last year working on a strong Russia sanctions bill, which I promised to introduce in the House.

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America has lost a giant, and the Senate has lost a statesman of unmatched conviction. His legacy will endure not just in the policies he championed but in the steadfast example of leadership he set for us all. There could be no greater tribute to his life and legacy than for Congress to pass his sanctions bill.

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Let us move forward to realize Graham's vision and achieve this noble pursuit of peace.

Click here to read the full op-ed in The Washington Examiner