The US Senate took a significant step towards imposing sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iran, passing a bipartisan bill with a massive vote.
Although not the final vote to pass the sanctions package, this latest successful bid to move the legislation is crucial in its own right.
The upper chamber hopes to finalize the package, renamed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, by next week.
If successful, the legislation will be temporarily put on hold until the House returns from its August recess, but lawmakers are confident they can clear the next hurdles.
Lawmakers believe that completing the bill is the best way to honor the legacy of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, who made his final trip home to South Carolina for his funeral earlier this week.
Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., described the bill as "Lindsey Graham's greatest legislative achievement in a stellar 32-year career."
The bill remains focused on crippling Putin's war machine in Ukraine, but reinserts sanctions targeting Iran's weapons and energy sectors in the hopes of facilitating a lasting peace deal.
The legislation allows for up to 500% tariffs on Russian imports, tariffs of up to 100% on countries buying Russian energy, and provides President Donald Trump flexibility for when to turn off some aspects of the sanctions.
Some Democrats have expressed concerns about giving Trump tariff authority, but proponents of the bill have brought in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to help win over key votes.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., acknowledged concerns about Trump's use of tariffs in the past but emphasized that the bill is narrowly targeted at Russia's worst supporters.
At its core, the legislation sends a strong message to Putin and the Kremlin that their days of war are numbered and it's time to come to the table.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., stated that the bill says to Putin, "Your days of war are numbered. You are on the losing side. Better to come to the table now than sacrifice more lives, waste more money, crater your economy, destroy your standing in the world."
