In this video we discuss one of the most important recent interventions of US Congress into international economic sanctions realm, namely: Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026.
Difficulty in finding agreement between both political parties in Congress as well as foreign policy being generally the responsibility of the Executive mean that we rarely see Congress approving such a comprehensive act with respect to the US economic sanctions.
The Act, however, is noteworthy not only from this, one could say, rather symbolic perspective demonstrating a rare consensus in US political establishment. It is also important from the practical effect it will have.
First, the Act codifies in law the existing US sanctions against Russia making their lifting more complex. Second, it delegated to President new powers to impose both “primary” tariffs (related to Russian imports into the US) and “secondary” tariffs (related to imports into the US of third countries which purchase Russian oil or gas or otherwise assist in evading the oil sanctions). If these powers are exercised, they would represent an important development in sanctions law.
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