Blumenthal Applauds Overwhelming Bipartisan Senate Vote to Move Forward on Legislation Holding Purchasers of Russian Oil Accountable

[WASHINGTON, DC] - Today, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) applauded the Senate moving forward with the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 in an overwhelming bipartisan vote. The legislation, led by Blumenthal and U.S. Senator Darline Graham (R-SC), would hold major purchasers of Russian oil and gas accountable for supporting Russia's war in Ukraine.

"We honored Senator Graham earlier today here in the Rotunda, but our real tribute was moving ahead with legislation he championed to impose scorching tariffs and sanctions on purchasers of Russian oil to stop them from fueling Putin's war machine," Blumenthal said. "I know he would be jubilant over this vote. And I also know that he wouldn't rest until the bill is truly over the finish line and signed into law - so neither will we."

Prior to the vote, Blumenthal, Katie Britt (R-AL), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Jim Risch (R-ID) hosted a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and supporters of the legislation at the U.S. Capitol. Photos of the meeting are available here.

Today's vote followed a funeral service at the Washington National Cathedral for U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who championed the bill and secured an agreement with the White House just before his death. Blumenthal and Lindsey Graham first introduced legislation to bring primary and secondary sanctions against Russia and actors supporting Russia's aggression in Ukraine in April 2025, and spent the last year building support for the effort in Congress and the Administration.

The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 would impose primary and secondary sanctions against Russia and actors supporting Russia's war in Ukraine. The sanctions target Russian officials, oligarchs, their family members, foreign persons, and Russian banks and financial institutions, as well as the Russian Shadow Fleet.

The legislation allows the President to impose targeted tariffs on imported goods from countries that buy the vast majority of Russian oil or gas, and enable Russian sanctions evasion. The bill limits these tariffs to the five largest importers of Russian crude oil or gas, and top five countries that aid Russia's energy sanctions evasion.

The bill also includes a provision to prevent a lapse in sanction authority that restricts funding for Iran's energy and weapons sectors.

The text of the bill is available here.

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