Washington DC - The Senate on Friday passed a sweeping sanctions package targeting Russia's energy revenues in memory of a late senator who championed it.
The package would impose sanctions on Russian officials, oligarchs, financial institutions and the so-called shadow fleet used to evade restrictions on Moscow's oil exports.
It would also allow President Donald Trump to set tariffs of up to 500% on Russian imports, including gas and oil, and up to 100% on goods from major purchasers of Russian oil and gas, including countries such as China and India.
Supporters say choking off energy income is essential to weakening Russian President Vladimir Putin's ability to finance the war in Ukraine, now in its fifth year.
The legislation now heads to the House of Representatives, though a vote there will not take place until at least early September due to the congressional summer recess.
The bill was named after the late Senator Lindsey Graham, who died on July 11 after spending more than a year building support for it.
Shortly before his death, Graham announced he had reached an agreement with the White House on a revised version of the text, including the extension of existing sanctions authority aimed at restricting funding for Iran's energy and weapons sectors.
For the late senator's sister, Darline Graham, who replaced him in Congress, the final adoption of the bill will not only honor her brother, "but will also promote peace by cutting off the funding fueling Russia's war machine."
Russia's embassy in the US had condemned the bill, saying it "does the current US administration a disservice."