The House lawmakers on Wednesday passed legislation paving the way for tough new sanctions on Russia that will target financial institutions and the energy industry, which has largely financed the assault on Ukraine.
asserted
which → pass → Ukraine
The legislation, which now sits with President Donald Trump for signing, has been hailed for its harsher measures on Russia, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky calling it “an extremely powerful tool.”
asserted
Zelensky → sit → it
However, Democratic leaders have expressed grave concern over the broader tariff authority it affords to Trump.
asserted
it → express → Trump
The legislation allows Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100% on countries that make “new purchases of crude oil or natural gas” originating from Russia, or any country among the top five importers of Russian oil or gas over the last 12 months.
asserted
that → allow → months
According to the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), the top three purchasers of Russian oil and gas in August were China, India, and Turkey.
uncertain
purchasers → accord → August
Deborah Elms, head of trade policy at the Hinrich Foundation, says Trump’s previous ambition to introduce tariffs using any available avenue has ignited the concern among Democrats.
asserted
ambition → say → Democrats
“The reason why people are so nervous about this is that the authority is extremely wide, and has been handed to an Administration that has already shown great latitude to follow the spirit of the law,” Elms tells TIME.
asserted
Elms → hand → TIME
“Tariffs could be set at 100%.
uncertain
Tariffs → set → %
Democratic leaders sound the alarm on “terribly flawed” bill
The bipartisan effort, named in honor of the late Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who spent the final year of his life building support for the measure, passed with 262 votes to 159.
asserted
who → sound → 159
Some 58 Democrats voted with the majority of Republicans in favor of the bill, despite objections from party leadership.
asserted
Democrats → vote → leadership
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries led the Democratic opposition to the bill, raising concerns over giving Trump new tariff powers.
asserted
Jeffries → lead → powers
“Why in the world would this Congress or the People's House give this President unfettered authority to visit more tariffs on the world that will have an adverse economic impact on the American people?” the New York Representative questioned ahead of the vote.
asserted
Representative → give → vote
After the bill passed, Jeffries told TIME that Trump “cannot be entrusted with new powers to impose tariffs that will further raise costs for American families.”
asserted
that → pass → families
TIME has reached out to the White House for comment.
asserted
TIME → reach → comment
Shortly after his return to office, Trump implemented global tariffs as part of what he called a “Liberation Day.”
asserted
he → implement → what
Although the majority of those were shut down by a Supreme Court ruling in February that deemed them illegal, his general use—and threatened use—of tariffs has continued to fuel international tensions.
asserted
use → shut → tensions
Tariffs introduced since Trump’s return have already made their mark on American households, experts say.
asserted
experts → introduce → households
The Yale Budget Lab in late August estimated that household costs due to tariffs “total about $1,100 annually under current law.”
asserted
costs → estimate → law
Many Americans are already struggling with the cost of living crisis.
asserted
Americans → struggle → crisis
The Urban Institute in April found that “49% of people in American families don’t have the resources to cover essential expenses to live securely in their community.”
asserted
% → find → community
Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York, the top Democrat on the Foreign Affairs Committee, has also raised concerns about the potential impact on American families.
asserted
Meeks → raise → families
In the weeks leading up to the Russia sanctions bill, he urged lawmakers to find a “compromise that properly punishes Russia for its illegal war of aggression against the Ukrainian people, while protecting the American people from reckless inflationary tariffs.”
asserted
that → lead → tariffs
In a statement to TIME after the vote, Meeks said he found it "regrettable" that lawmakers chose not to “place more guardrails” on the bill’s tariff authorities.
asserted
lawmakers → say → authorities
Similar concerns were raised by Rep. Don Beyer of Virginia, who described the bill as “well intentioned, but terribly flawed” in its efforts to hinder Russia’s war effort against Ukraine.
asserted
who → raise → Ukraine
“Trump has abused every tariff authority Congress has delegated to the President,” Beyer told TIME, accusing his colleagues of choosing to “ignore our warnings that he is highly likely to continue that pattern with this bill.”
asserted
he → abuse → bill
“Trump has abused every presidential tariff authority—every single one—that Congress has given, often to target our allies.
asserted
Congress → abuse → allies
This bill has a loophole that would allow him to define basically any country as a facilitator of evading Russian sanctions,” he argued.
asserted
he → have → sanctions
“He could then hit them with tariffs of up to 100%, with no guardrails or oversight, and no expiration.
uncertain
He → hit → guardrails
It’s a much stronger tariff power than those he has already abused, and it would be much harder to challenge in court.
asserted
it → ’ → court
Giving him this power when he has shown us over and over again what he will do with it would be an incredible mistake.”
asserted
he → give → it
Why other Democratic lawmakers supported the legislation
The legislation’s capacity to economically isolate Russia earned it the bipartisan support needed to get the bill to Trump’s desk.
asserted
capacity → support → desk
The bill allows for the further introduction of sanctions on persons and financial institutions affiliated with the Russian government, the prohibiting of energy exports and investment into Russia, and blocks the transfer of funds to the Kremlin.
The bill also includes the potential to expand sanctions on Iran, and comes amid growing concerns from the U.S. over the relationship between Moscow and Tehran.
asserted
bill → allow → Moscow
The U.S. Treasury on Monday announced the latest sanctions targeting the Russian bank VTB over allegations it is involved “in Iranian sanctions evasion.”
asserted
it → announce → evasion
Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur of Ohio, who co-chairs and co-founded the Congressional Ukraine Caucus,
asserted
who → co → Caucus
”We're going to pay close attention to the Administration and to see what they're going to do with these new powers that have been given,” she told TIME after the vote.
asserted
she → go → vote
Kaptur previously said that both the sanctions and tariff measures were “the best chance we have to get bipartisan legislation signed into law to hold Russia accountable and achieve peace.”
asserted
Russia → say → peace
Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland also praised the legislation, championing it as an additional way to showcase support for Kyiv.
asserted
Hoyer → praise → Kyiv
“Today we took a step to redeem our pledge to Ukraine, to support their sovereignty and their democracy,” said Hoyer outside the Capitol.
asserted
Hoyer → take → Capitol
“We will sanction, actively and effectively, Russian criminal behavior.”
asserted
We → sanction → behavior
How China and India could be impacted by the Russia sanctions bill
The legislation extends Trump the authority to impose tariffs on new and prominent importers of Russian oil and gas.
uncertain
legislation → impact → oil
…and 29 more, not listed.
The Aporia
