Story highlights A Russia sanctions bill, which was added to an Iran bill, passed the Senate 98-2

The Trump administration has expressed concerns with the bill

(CNN) The apparent death of the Senate's health care bill also comes with an unintended effect: It could give a boost to Russia sanctions legislation to get to the President's desk before Congress leaves for August recess.

The Senate passed a bill last month to slap new sanctions on Russia and give Congress veto power over the administration if it tries to ease sanctions on Moscow. Lawmakers in both parties have been itching to get the bill to President Donald Trump's desk as the administration raises the possibility of returning two compounds in New York and Maryland to Russia, but the bill has been stalled in the House amid objections from the White House and a series of procedural snafus.

On Friday, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy raised a new potential hurdle, saying he wanted to add a House-passed North Korean sanctions bill to the Senate's Russia sanctions measure, which would require the Senate to pass the bill for a third time.

Senate foreign relations committee Chairman Bob Corker said he was initially concerned that the House's plan to combine North Korea sanctions to the Senate's Russia sanctions bill would delay it beyond the August congressional recess.

But with health care seemingly out the door, the Senate calendar just opened up.

Read More