US Senate Passes Sweeping Sanctions Bill against Iran, Russia

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) emphasized that the upper chamber "said to Mr. Putin in no uncertain terms that when he violates global norms and interferes with our election, he will not escape reproach". It also imposes secondary sanctions on foreign entities doing business with certain Russian energy projects, to include foreign financial institutions that facilitate those activities.

The Trump administration is "committed to existing sanctions" and won't take a position on the Senate legislation, S. 722, until the House acts, spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters at the White House. It also creates a congressional review process if the executive branch eases current sanctions.

The sanctions follow the scandalous departure of Michael Flynn as Trump s national security advisor. The Trump administration had considered lifting Russian sanctions in the past, and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson opposed the new legislation, worrying it could hurt the US' ability to have a "constructive dialogue" with Russia. The two Senators that voted "no" were Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rand Paul (R-KY).

Previously, the Foreign Relations Committee chair was one of the few voices in Republican leadership urging caution on the matter, arguing that the Senate Intelligence Committee should first complete its investigation into Russia's intervention in the 2016 election.

Senior aides told Reuters they expected some sanctions package would eventually pass, but they expected the measure would be changed in the House. The Trump administration has pushed back against the bill, and his fellow Republicans hold a commanding 238- to 193-seat majority in the chamber. Bill Nelson (D-Florida) and other lawmakers.

- Allow broad new sanctions on key sectors of Russia's economy, including mining, metals, shipping and railways. It's not like the sanctions are a surprise to President Putin, who has been following the anti-Trump hysteria in Washington fairly closely.

The Senate bill also would cement in law a series of executive orders signed by Obama and aimed at punishing Russian Federation for aggressive behavior, including its 2014 annexation of Crimea and support for separatist rebels in Ukraine's east.

The Senate voted almost unanimously on Thursday to impose new sanctions on Russian Federation and Iran.

In a 98-2 vote, the Senate approved tougher measures against Iran's ballistic missile program, due to the country's support for terrorist groups and its record on human rights.

It also aims to punish Russian Federation s Vladimir Putin for interfering in past year s U.S. election, and to make it tougher for the White House to roll back sanctions.