Washington (CNN) A group of bipartisan senators is preparing a bill that would offer sanctions against Russia, lawmakers confirmed as the Senate convened a new session of Congress on Tuesday.

Maryland Sen. Ben Cardin, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told reporters on Capitol Hill on Tuesday that he was working on the bill with a "broad group" of bipartisan senators. He said he hoped the bill would be released this week.

"It will be a comprehensive bill that will provide congressional authorization for additional sanctions against Russia," Cardin said.

The move comes as Russia has been a central focus in Washington. The White House and US intelligence community have said they are confident that Moscow sought to interfere in the US election through the hacking of Democratic political groups and sowing of distrust in the US government.

In response to those actions and what the US government called inappropriate treatment of its diplomats overseas, the White House announced a fresh round of sanctions on Russia and expelled roughly three dozen diplomats last week.

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