Senate Passes Russia Sanctions Bill

The U.S. Senate on Thursday overwhelmingly passed, 98-2, legislation that slaps new sanctions on Russia, Iran, and North Korea, sending the bill to President Donald Trump’s desk. The bill was approved in the House by a vote of 419-3 on Tuesday. The White House has sent muddled messages on the legislation, but the margins by which it was passed in both chambers means it is now veto-proof. In the run-up to the House vote, the Trump administration was actively lobbying against a provision in the legislation that would require Congress to review any unilateral attempts by the president to lift or ramp up the sanctions.