The Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 cleared a key procedural hurdle in the US House on Tuesday, with lawmakers voting 214-211 to adopt a rule allowing consideration of the Senate amendments to HR 5334. Two Democrats joined Republicans in supporting the rule. The vote did not constitute final passage of the sanctions bill, which still requires a separate House vote. A final vote on the measure is expected Wednesday.
The US House has cleared a key procedural hurdle for the Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 by 214-211, with two Democrats joining Republicans.
The vote allows consideration of Senate amendments to HR 5334 but does not constitute final passage.
A separate House vote on the sanctions bill is expected Wednesday.
Under the Senate-passed legislation, the President would have authority to impose additional duties of up to 100 per cent on goods from countries that fall within specified categories involving Russian crude oil and natural gas purchases or sanctions-evasion activities. The measure targets the five largest purchasers of Russian crude oil or natural gas, as well as countries identified among the leading facilitators of sanctions evasion.
India is a significant Russian oil buyer and could therefore fall within the scope of the provision. However, the bill’s passage would not automatically impose a 100 per cent tariff on Indian goods. The legislation would create the authority for such duties, with the administration determining their application and rate.
The House Rules Committee considered competing amendments. One amendment introduced by Democrats Steny Hoyer and Marcy Kaptur sought to specifically list India, China, Turkiye, Azerbaijan, Hungary, Slovakia, the UAE, Singapore, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan as countries eligible for duties of up to 100 per cent. Another amendment sought to remove the broad secondary-tariff provision altogether. Neither amendment was made in order by the Rules Committee.
The Senate had passed the legislation by an 86-11 vote on August 7, giving the measure strong bipartisan backing. The bill seeks to increase economic pressure on Russia by targeting its leadership, energy sector and networks involved in sanctions evasion, including vessels associated with Russia’s so-called shadow fleet. It also extends sanctions relating to Iran.
The proposed tariff authority has drawn opposition from some lawmakers who argue that it would give the President broad discretion over tariffs. Democratic lawmakers have also proposed changes to the waiver provisions and other parts of the legislation.
For India, the legislation comes amid its continued reliance on Russian crude. Russia accounted for 30.3 per cent of India’s crude imports in FY2026, with purchases worth about $40.8 billion.
The immediate development, therefore, is not a 100 per cent US tariff on Indian goods, but the advancement of legislation that could provide the Trump administration with the authority to impose such additional duties if India falls within the statutory criteria and the administration exercises that authority.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (CG)
