Russia sanctions bill

Time to move on Russia sanctions bill

The Senate majority leader said he is looking at a date and time to move the legislation.

Jordain Carney

Senate Majority Leader John Thune is ready to move on a long-stalled Russia sanctions bill.

Thune, in a brief interview, said lawmakers are “talking about a time and date” for taking up the legislation that would impose tariffs on countries that import Russian energy and implement secondary sanctions on foreign firms that support Russian energy production.

“It’s ready. … I think it’s time to move,” Thune added.

Thune told reporters later on Thursday that he expected the bill would be brought up in roughly the next 30 days.

Thune’s decision to move forward comes as he and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who spearheaded the legislation with Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), have been working with the White House to resolve “technical issues.” Thune and Graham spoke this week about the bill.

The White House had previously pushed for Trump to have more flexibility in enacting the financial penalties. Thune said on Thursday that Graham will be re-filing the bill after the months-long talks to incorporate new changes but it would be the “same basic premise.”

Republicans have been eager for President Donald Trump to formally bless the bill. The president said he is having a “lengthy” conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The movement comes a day before Trump is expected to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Washington.

A bipartisan group of senators had also hoped to set up a meeting with Zelenskyy, but Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said in a brief interview that it had not come together because of the Senate schedule. The meeting would have been on Friday, when the Senate is scheduled to be out of town.