Lawmakers advance legislation letting Donald Trump target Indian trade
Lawmakers in Washington are moving closer to giving President Donald Trump the authority to impose 100 per cent tariffs on India and other nations buying Russian oil and gas. Members of the US House of Representatives narrowly cleared a procedural hurdle for the Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026. Two Democrats sided with Republicans to advance the resolution by a 214-211 vote. This result surprised Democratic leadership. Final House voting is expected on Wednesday before lawmakers begin an early recess on Thursday. They will reconvene on November 9 following the midterm elections. Historically, Washington has frequently used secondary sanctions to penalise third-party countries dealing with geopolitical rivals. This latest legislation seeks to punish Russia's leadership and its energy sector. It also targets a shadow fleet of vessels helping Moscow bypass restrictions on crude oil shipments. US officials maintain that this trade heavily finances the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Senators previously passed this legislation on August 7 by an 86-11 margin. While that version did not specifically name the trading partners, it clearly targeted the five largest importers of Russian oil and gas by volume. This directly includes top buyers like China and India. This aggressive trade posture raises significant economic risks for major global importers.
Pushback against executive power
Democratic Congressman Gregory Meeks expressed strong opposition to the bill on Monday. He serves as the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Meeks warned that this legislation would grant President Trump unchecked power to force tariffs without necessary guardrails. Meanwhile, pro-Ukraine advocacy groups are actively increasing their presence in Washington. Representatives from the Ukraine Action Summit are currently lobbying politicians for continued support to Kyiv. The bill requires full House approval before heading to the President for his signature.
