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Russia-Iran Sanctions Act Is Law: What It Requires

President Trump signed the Russia and Iran sanctions act on Sept. 18. Here is what it requires, how it passed 86-11 and 262-159, and what remains unsettled.

ByPeter
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President Donald Trump signed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 on Sept. 18, making H.R. 5334 Public Law 119-111, CBS News reported. The law sanctions Russian President Vladimir Putin, his officials, oligarchs and banks, and lets the president impose tariffs of up to 100% on the five largest buyers of Russian oil and natural gas. The Senate passed it 86-11 on Aug. 7, and the House cleared it 262-159 on Sept. 16.

At a glance

  • Bill: H.R. 5334, signed Sept. 18 as Public Law 119-111 (Congress.gov).
  • Key tool: “secondary tariffs,” meaning taxes on imports from third countries that buy Russian energy, rather than on Russia itself.
  • Open question: how the president will use the new powers. The Congressional Research Service (CRS) says some wording is unclear.
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What the law does

Sanctions are financial and trade penalties. CBS reports the law targets Putin, officials in his government, oligarchs and Russian banks and financial institutions. At Trump’s request, it also extends sanctions on Iran’s energy and weapons sectors. A CRS legal analysis says the law ends five years after enactment, except for a provision extending the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996.

The tariff sections draw the most attention. According to CRS, Section 112 directs the president to raise duties on goods from Russia “to a rate of up to 500 percent” within 30 days, with no minimum set. CRS adds that a 2022 law already bans U.S. imports of Russian oil and other energy products, so the practical effect on those goods may be limited.

Section 113 covers countries other than Russia. It applies to the five largest importers of Russian crude oil or natural gas, and to the five countries that most facilitate evasion of Russian oil sanctions. Duties could reach 100%. Countries that import less than 15% of Russia’s gas exports and have taken “significant steps” to cut imports are exempt on gas. The U.S. Trade Representative must reassess the list every 180 days, and CBS reports the president can waive the sanctions by certifying to Congress that doing so is in the national interest. China and India are the largest buyers of Russian crude, CBS reports, citing the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.

Where it stands

  • Sept. 11, 2025: Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.) introduces H.R. 5334 (Congress.gov).
  • Apr. 27, 2026: the House passes it by voice vote.
  • July 28-29: the Senate votes 86-12 to end debate (a “cloture” vote) and 84-12 to take up the bill.
  • Aug. 7: the Senate rejects, 32-64, an amendment by Sen. Rand Paul to strike the secondary-tariff provision, then passes the bill 86-11 with changes.
  • Sept. 16: the House agrees to the Senate changes, 262-159. CBS counts 58 Democrats in favor and seven Republicans opposed.
  • Sept. 18: Trump signs the bill. Graham, its namesake, died suddenly in July, CBS reports.

What supporters and critics say

House Speaker Mike Johnson said the bill “sends a powerful message of American unity and gives the administration every tool in the toolbox to help bring this war to a just end.” Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) argued on the floor that “you can evade sanctions … but you cannot evade tariffs,” calling tariffs “the teeth of this bill.” Republicans also noted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s support, CBS reports.

House Democratic leaders Hakeem Jeffries, Katherine Clark and Pete Aguilar voted no, saying Trump “cannot be entrusted with new powers to impose tariffs that will further raise costs for American families.” Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), the top Democrat on the Foreign Affairs Committee, said Trump “already has all the authorities to impose the Russia sanctions in this bill, but he has refused to do so” (Meeks statement).

Analysis: CRS flags several unsettled points rather than taking a side. These include whether the European Union counts as a “country,” what “significant steps” means, and how far courts could review the president’s choices.

What happens next

CRS describes a 30-day window after enactment for the first tariff actions, which by my count ends around Oct. 18. The sources reviewed did not report any tariff rates under the law yet. CBS noted that Trump was due to meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Sept. 24. Whether tariffs are imposed, waived or adjusted is now up to the administration, and the law gives the Trade Representative authority to change rates for countries that alter their purchases.

Sources

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