The US Senate has voted overwhelmingly for new sanctions punishing Russian Federation for meddling in the 2016 election and to force President Donald Trump to get Congress' approval before easing any existing sanctions. The vote was 98-2, with only Sen.
The two senators who voted against the measure were Republicans Rand Paul (Ky.) and Mike Lee (Utah). Bernie Sanders (I-VT) voting against the measure.
"Obviously this is a very strong piece of legislation and it is forward in its policy, but yes, if progress is made they have the ability to do what they need to do". The bipartisan effort showcases that the Obama legacy on relations with Iran, and specifically the Iran deal (which is not rescinded in the Senate bill), have become deeply unpopular.
On Thursday, the Senate added one more tacit criticism of Trump's foreign policy to the bill: an amendment reaffirming the United States' commitment to North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and its mutual defense obligations to other countries in the alliance.
There are also sanctions against Russian citizens suspected of cyber attacks on the political institutions of the United States. Ben Cardin (D-MD).
The House has yet to take up the measure, which is an amendment to a bill that tightens sanctions on Iran for its ballistic missile tests.
The Senate also voted overwhelmingly on Thursday to add provisions to the bill allowing the USA space agency NASA to continue using Russian-made rocket engines and the 100 senators votedunanimously for an amendment reaffirming the U.S. commitment to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation alliance. John Thune (R-SD).
Flyhalf Davies kicks Wales to win over Tonga
Apia is sure to be much more of a Test and Wales will need to be sharper and more cutthroat when opportunities present themselves. Wales lose Cuthbert to injury early in the second half and the pouring rain made for a scrappy encounter, with errors aplenty.
The measure calls for a mandatory congressional review if sanctions against Russian Federation are ever scaled back or terminated entirely.
The House and Senate, as well as a special counsel appointed by the Justice Department, are all investigating Russia's activities related to last year's USA elections, as well as potential links to Trump's campaign.
The US presidential administration is committed to anti-Russian sanctions, which it views as an effective tool, a White House spokesperson said on Thursday, hours after the US Senate passed a bill to impose fresh sanctions against Moscow, APA reports quoting TASS. Putin seems content to sit back and watch as America tears itself apart with partisan witch hunts and hatred of the president. After bashing the alliance for months, Trump conspicuously left out any mention of Article 5 in a speech at North Atlantic Treaty Organisation headquarters after senior administration officials said he would reaffirm America's commitment to it.
The measure, which was approved 97-2 - Sens. "If we can not make some progress, and I have told others in the Senate, I have had conversations with them, I may very well be coming to you and saying the time has come now to do this in order to motivate some movement on their part".
He called the sanctions "ill-timed" and said the administration needs the ability to "turn that heat up" on Russian Federation, should a future situation call for it.
"It needs to go through the House, and we don't have a final product yet to weigh in" on, said deputy press secretary Sarah Sanders. "But I believe that these new sanctions could endanger the very important nuclear agreement that was signed between the United States, its partners and Iran in 2015".
Comments