U.S. lawmakers are pushing ahead with enactment of new sanctions meant to prevent the completion of a new pipeline constructed to carry Russian natural gas to Germany, beneath the Baltic Sea.

The measure could set back one of Europe’s largest energy deals for the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which U.S. lawmakers view as a geopolitical gambit by Russia to strengthen its grip on European energy markets.

However, the sanctions, which are directed at the companies providing pipe-laying services to the pipeline, might further strain relations between the U.S. and Germany, which has lobbied against the action.

Provisions imposing the sanctions are included in the $738 billion 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, an annual Department of Defense policy bill that frequently serves as a catchall for measures unrelated to defense.

The House approved the bill on Wednesday, with a Senate vote to follow. The bill would then go to the White House.