The upper house of the US Congress has taken a key step towards adopting a new large-scale bill aimed at significantly tightening sanctions against the Russian Federation and the Islamic Republic of Iran.
During the plenary session on Wednesday (July 29), broadcast live on the American public television channel C-SPAN, lawmakers approved holding substantive debates.
Convincing majority in support of the new measures
The second procedural vote passed with a clear majority. Total 84 senators voted “for“ the opening of the debates, while only 12 senators voted “against“. This convincing bipartisan result is a clear signal that work on the legislation will continue at an accelerated pace.
The initiative's progress is moving according to plan, after the first mandatory procedural vote on the texts was successfully overcome a day earlier, on July 28.
What's next for the bill?
The high number of "yes" votes indicates a strong political will in Washington to increase economic pressure on Moscow and Tehran. Senators are expected to consider possible amendments and additions to the texts before the document is submitted to a final vote in the Senate and subsequently sent for approval to the House of Representatives.
What do the new "hell sanctions" against Russia include?
The new legal instrument has the main goal of turning the Russian Federation into a true "trade island" by blocking its main financial flows from the export of raw materials. The measures are refined to cause maximum damage in the following areas:
Energy sector: Direct sanctions are imposed on the Central Bank of Russia, the leading creditor "Sberbank", as well as "Gazprombank", which finances the export of Russian natural gas. Tariff pressure on buyers: President Donald Trump is given the authority to impose tariffs of up to 100% on the five largest importers of Russian oil and gas (including China and India). "Shadow Fleet": For the first time, restrictions and blockades of foreign ships used by Moscow to circumvent the existing oil price ceiling are being introduced. Tying up Iran: At the explicit insistence of the White House, the text integrated an extension of sanctions against Iran's energy and arms sectors until 2031 due to its military support for the Kremlin.
Political response and next steps in Congress
Despite the overwhelming bipartisan majority, critical voices were also heard on Capitol Hill. Some Democrats, led by Senator Peter Welch and Congressman Gregory Meeks, expressed serious concerns that the law gives President Trump too broad and uncontrolled powers to impose tariffs at his own discretion, which could also affect the United States' European allies. Republican Rand Paul also spoke out against it, arguing that uncontrolled tariff pressure risks economic turmoil.
After passing this important procedural phase, the Senate will move on to discussing written amendments before holding the final vote on adoption. Since the House of Representatives is on summer recess until August 31, final approval of the sanctions package by both chambers of Congress and Donald Trump's signature are expected in early September 2026.