Senate approves sanctions against Russia for meddling in presidential election, other abuses

Michael Collins | USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — Defying the Trump administration, the Senate agreed overwhelmingly Wednesday to expand sanctions against Russia for meddling in last year’s presidential election and for myriad other abuses.

Senators voted 97-2 to add a package of Russian sanctions to a bill that seeks to punish Iran for its recent flurry of ballistic missile tests and human rights violations. The Senate could give final approval to the bill as early as Thursday.

Democrats and Republicans said the Russian sanctions, the result of extensive bipartisan negotiations, are needed to send a warning to Moscow and anyone else who interferes in U.S. elections will be punished.

“We will not tolerate attacks on our democracy,” said Sen. John McCain, the Republican chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

But the sanctions set up a confrontation with President Trump, who has dismissed reports of Russia’s interference in the election and whose administration has been attempting to improve U.S. relations with Moscow.

Not only does the amendment impose new sanctions on what it identifies as “corrupt Russian actors,” it makes it impossible for the Trump administration to remove them unilateraly. Under the bipartisan agreement, Congress will have the authority to review and potentially disapprove any attempt by the administration to suspend or terminate the sanctions.

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Secretary of State Rex Tillerson warned senators on Tuesday that the agreement could complicate ongoing talks with Russia.

“We have some channels that are open where we're starting to talk,” Tillerson told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “And I think what I wouldn't want to do is close the channels off.”

The amendment strengthens existing sanctions against Russia, including those that impact certain Russian energy projects and debt financing in key economic sectors.

It imposes new sanctions on “those conducting malicious cyber activity on behalf of the Russian government,” as well as those Russians involved in serious human rights abuses and those supplying weapons to the regime of Syrian president Bashar Hafez al-Assad.

In addition, the amendment gives the U.S. the authority to impose broad new sanctions on key sectors of Russia’s economy, including mining, metals, shipping and railways.

The amendment resulted from bipartisan talks between the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, led by Tennessee Republican Sen. Bob Corker, and the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, chaired by Republican Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho. Others involved in the talks included Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland, the Foreign Relation’s Committee’s top Democrat, and Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio, the ranking Democrat on the banking committee.

“Russia’s interference in our electoral process should outrage every patriotic American,” said Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-NH.

Intelligence experts have warned that, unless Congress acts, Russia will continue to meddle in future elections not only in the United States but around the world, she said.

“We must not allow this kind of interference in our election to become a normal process,” Shaheen said.