Senate Lawmakers Careen Toward Failed Vote On Ukraine
It appears Senate lawmakers are careening toward a failed vote on a proposed resolution that would have imposed additional sanctions against Russia and limited President Donald Trump’s ability to lift already imposed ones.
On Wednesday, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman James Risch (R-ID) unveiled a draft resolution that would impose new sanctions on Russia in response to its ongoing aggression in Ukraine, while also limiting Trump’s ability to ease current sanctions placed on Moscow.
Unfortunately, barely more than 24 hours following the proposal, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced that he does not have enough support from Republicans for the vote to be successful. McConnell, who backed the legislation, claimed in a statement: “The only way to get a strong and reliable signal to Moscow is to move forward together. It appears that will not be possible.”
The failed vote is only the latest indication of the deep divisions within the Senate on Russian-related matters. Earlier this year, Republicans blocked a vote on bipartisan legislation that would have allowed Congress to veto any attempts by the White House to lift sanctions.
It would appear that the issue will remain a contentious one in the coming months, and that a resolution providing for stronger measures against Russia may be a long way off.
In response to the news, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel (D-NY) decried the failure to act and stressed the importance of Congressional oversight: “Congress must impose tougher consequences on Russia or the country will continue its illegal activities without fear of repercussion.”
Ultimately, unless lawmakers prove willing to come together, the chances of a bipartisan resolution passing are slim. The issue of how to respond to Russia’s various misdeeds is not going away any time soon, and the White House and Congress must eventually come together to form a strategy that meets the approval of both.