The US Senate in Congress has voted almost unanimously to impose new sanctions against Iran and Russian Federation, setting up a possible confrontation with the administration of President Donald Trump as it attempts to improve relations with Moscow, PressTV reported.
The legislation sets up a review process that would require Trump to get Congress' approval before taking any action to ease, suspend or lift any sanctions on Russian Federation.
The amendment on Russian Federation, which passed in a 97-2 vote on Wednesday, was attached to a bill to strengthen sanctions on Iran.
The measure is meant to punish Russian Federation for meddling in the 2016 USA election, its annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region and support for Syria's government in the six-year-long civil war.
Democrats pressed for and succeeded in adding a measure that would restrict President Donald Trump - whose administration has been entangled in investigations into ties to Russian officials - from lifting the sanctions unless approved by Congress.
Sanctions would be placed on Russians who violate human rights, supply weapons to the Bashar al-Asad regime in Syria or who are involved in the Russian defense and intelligence industry.
MOSCOW (AP) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that new USA sanctions on Russia will damage ties between the two countries.
The measure also asserts a role for Congress if the White House opts to ease any sanctions against Moscow.
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The legislation now moves to the House of Representatives.
- Allow broad new sanctions on key sectors of Russia's economy, including mining, metals, shipping and railways. The libertarian-minded Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) was the only other "no" vote against the bill. The vote was 97 to 2 for the legislation, filed as an amendment to an Iran sanctions bill.
Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown, one of the Senate bill's cosponsors, told reporters on Wednesday that the White House was already lobbying against the measure, Business Insider reported.
The bill as originally introduced was exclusively about slapping new sanctions on Iran.
This bill still must go to the House for consideration; it's not clear whether it will be advanced by GOP leaders there, as the Trump Administration is not pleased with some of the details.
Tillerson had asked for some time to try and change the direction of U.S. -Russia relations before Congress levied new sanctions on the Kremlin.
Christians United for Israel also lauded the measure, calling it a "good first step".
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