S-5025 — Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026

YourVoice.Now Summary

Your MoneyCivil LibertiesCriminal Justice & Due ProcessCorporate BenefitsTransparency & AccountabilityTargeted & Unrelated Provisions

Goods from countries that keep buying Russian oil could face 100% import taxes — Russian goods up to 500%.

Your Money

Import taxes on Russian goods — up to 500 percent within 30 days

The tax would cover every good imported from Russia, including oil, gas, and coal. It would be charged on top of any tax those goods already face.

Import taxes on countries buying Russian oil — up to 100 percent

This hits the five biggest buyers of Russian crude oil and gas if they keep buying after the first 30 days. It also hits the top five countries that help Russia dodge oil sanctions, and it applies to everything they sell here.

Investing in Russia — Americans barred after 30 days

New investment in Russia by any American or U.S. company would be banned 30 days after the law takes effect. Helping a foreign company make such an investment would be banned too.

Civil Liberties

Staying neutral on the war — wealthy Russians could be sanctioned

The President would have to sanction any Russian “oligarch” who has not shown opposition to the war in Ukraine. The bill does not say who counts as one.

Criminal Justice & Due Process

Penalties for breaking the new bans — fines and criminal charges possible

The new bans on dealing with Russia would carry the same fines and criminal charges as existing sanctions law. They would reach anyone who breaks a ban, tries to, or causes someone else to.

Proof that someone knew — “should have known” is enough

The bill treats “should have known” the same as knowing. That standard decides who gets named for helping Russia, so a company can be sanctioned without proof it knew.

Corporate Benefits

Time for companies to leave Russia — 270 days before sanctions apply

Sanctions would not apply for 270 days to a business winding down or selling off its operations in Russia. The company has to be making a real effort to get out.

Sanctions exemption for foreign banks — Treasury may grant it

Foreign banks that do big business with sanctioned Russian banks are supposed to be sanctioned too. The Treasury Secretary could spare any of them if sanctions do not fit U.S. economic or foreign policy interests.

Transparency & Accountability

Written reason for each waiver — sent to Congress before it takes effect

Before waiving anything, the President must certify in writing to Congress that it serves the national interest. The report must explain the reasons and cannot be fully secret.

Congress’s say over ending sanctions — 30 days to object

If the President moves to end a sanction or tax, it cannot take effect for 30 days. Congress can use that time to pass a resolution blocking the change.

Limits on the President — any sanction or tax can be waived

The President could set aside any sanction, restriction, or import tax in this bill. Congress does not get a vote on a waiver.

Congress’s power to block — the Senate would need 60 votes

Blocking the end of a sanction needs three-fifths of the Senate. That is 60 votes when every seat is filled, both to take the measure up and to pass it.

Targeted & Unrelated Provisions

Exception for space launches — Russian parts still allowed for NASA

Nothing in the sanctions may stop a Russian company from supplying parts or services for a NASA space launch. Launches for other non-military customers are covered too.

Exception for oil crossing Russia — non-Russian oil keeps flowing

Oil from another country that only travels through Russia on its way to market is not covered. Neither are the companies that carry it.

More about this bill

Things you buy could cost more if they come from a country that keeps buying Russian oil. Goods from those countries would face import taxes of up to 100 percent. That reaches the five biggest buyers of Russian crude oil. It also reaches the five biggest buyers of Russian gas. And it reaches the top five countries that help Russia dodge oil sanctions. Goods from Russia itself would be taxed at up to 500 percent. That covers oil, gas, coal, and everything else. Both taxes would start within 30 days. They would be added on top of any tax already charged. Americans would also lose some options. New investment in Russia would be barred after 30 days. Buying Russian government debt would be barred right away. U.S. banks and brokers could not move money to or from the Russian government. Companies tied to the Russian government could not trade on U.S. stock exchanges. Selling U.S.-made energy to Russia would stop as well. Companies already working in Russia would get 270 days to pull out. Sanctions would hit named Russian officials, state banks such as Sberbank, and ships that help Russia dodge oil sanctions. Food, medicine, and medical devices would be exempt. NASA space launches would be exempt too. The President could waive any sanction or tax after telling Congress in writing why. Ending the measures on Russia would take a peace deal that Ukraine accepts. Russia would also have to stop the fighting. Congress would then get 30 days to object. Blocking that step would take 60 Senate votes.

Congressional Summary

Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026 This bill imposes a variety of sanctions, tariffs, and prohibitions related to Russia. For example, under the bill, the President must impose visa- and property-blocking sanctions on specified persons (individuals and entities) such as the Russian president, certain Russian military commanders, and any foreign person that knowingly provides goods or services relating to Russia's defense industrial base; increase the rate of duty on all goods imported into the United States from Russia to a rate of up to 500% ad valorem (i.e., relative to the value); increase the rate of duty up to 100% ad valorem on all goods imported into the United States from a country that was among the five largest importers of Russian-origin crude oil or natural gas if such country knowingly makes new purchases of such products after enactment of the bill; impose property-blocking sanctions on financial institutions organized under Russian law and owned wholly or partly by Russia; and impose property-blocking sanctions on foreign vessels that knowingly transport certain products of Russian origin, including crude oil, uranium, and coal. The bill prohibits (1) the export, reexport, or in-country transfer to or in Russia of U.S.-produced energy or energy product; (2) U.S. persons from making new investments in Russia or purchasing Russian sovereign debt; and (3) trading the securities of Russian government-owned, -controlled, or -affiliated entities on U.S. national securities exchanges. The President may waive requirements of the bill by certifying it is in the national interest.

Details

Congress: 119th
Chamber: Senate
Status: summarized
Action: Introduced in Senate
Action Date: 2026-07-16
Date Added: 2026-07-30
Source: Congress.gov →

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