A group of US senators is poised to introduce new legislation that would reign in the Trump administration should it seek to lift sanctions on Russia, according to a CNN report published Tuesday night.
ADVERTISEMENT
Senators are pushing a measure that could prevent Trump from lifting Russia sanctions
It's a sign that US-Russia relations won't be warming anytime soon.
Sen. Lindsey Graham.
Citing a draft of the "Russia Review Act," the cable network said the proposed legislation would allow a 120-day congressional review of any White House request to lift sanctions on Russia and give Congress final approval authority.
The bipartisan move will be led by Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland.
Sens. John McCain, Marco Rubio, Claire McCaskill, and Sherrod Brown have also expressed support.
ADVERTISEMENT
Rubio told CNN the legislation had received broad support, and he suggested lawmakers could potentially defeat a presidential veto if it came to that.
"I think if there was a real threat of lifting sanctions minus the respect for Ukrainian sovereignty and meeting those conditions, my sense is that we would have the votes to pass that in the Senate and we would be able to pass it with a veto-proof majority," Rubio said.
Rubio has previously criticized Trump's praise of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and he grilled Secretary of State Rex Tillerson over his Russia ties during his confirmation hearing.
The latest move in the Senate comes after an interview Trump gave to Fox News host Bill O'Reilly in which Trump appeared to defend Putin. In response to O'Reilly's description of Putin as a "killer," Trump responded: "We've got a lot of killers. What do you think? Our country's so innocent?"
US officials have had Russia in the crosshairs in recent months because of the cyberattacks they say Russia carried out to destabilize the presidential election — and for the regime's interference in eastern Ukraine.
ADVERTISEMENT
The new measure is scheduled to be introduced on Wednesday.
JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!
ADVERTISEMENT
Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:
Email: eyewitness@pulse.ng
ADVERTISEMENT