Russia sanctions bill gains bipartisan traction in Senate

[DonViejo]

Source: Politico


By ELANA SCHOR 07/20/2018 06:00 AM EDT

Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) are stepping up a push for action on their bipartisan proposal to hit Russia with automatic new sanctions if it interferes in future U.S. elections.

Rubio and Van Hollen have asked bipartisan leaders of the Banking and Foreign Relations committees, which share jurisdiction over sanctions legislation, to hold a hearing on and mark up their plan to impose new penalties on Moscow within 10 days after the director of national intelligence determines that further electoral meddling has occurred.

Introduced in January, the Rubio-Van Hollen bill picked up eight new cosponsors on Thursday, evenly divided between both parties. The bill’s momentum has grown steadily since Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) mentioned it on Tuesday as one option on the table for the Senate to respond to President Donald Trump’s warm posture toward Vladimir Putin’s government, although some senators have raised concerns that its broad reach may hit U.S. allies.

McConnell on Thursday asked the Banking and Foreign Relations panels to hold new hearings into the implementation of last year’s bipartisan Russia sanctions bill and to suggest possible further steps that lawmakers can take to counter Russian malfeasance ahead of November’s midterm elections. In the meantime, Trump announced later on Thursday that he would extend an invitation for Putin to visit Washington this fall.

Read more: https://www.politico.com/story/2018/07/20/senate-russia-sanctions-bill-rubio-van-hollen-734904

[still_one]

1. and trump will veto it

[oberliner]

3. No, he won't

Congress would override.

[still_one]

4. They may be able to do it in the Senate, but I do not think they have the votes in the House

[oberliner]

7. The July 2017 Russia sanctions bill passed the House by a vote of 419-3

[Sneederbunk]

8. Would be of benefit to KGOP in mid-terms.

[Farmer-Rick]

2. But the current sanctions have never been fully implemented.

So, it's all merely show. Congress knows little Putin is their real boss.

[dalton99a]

5. without consequences

[Achilleaze]

6. Just another republican smoke screen

they are not doing shit to protect America

[jcgoldie]

9. IF it interferes?

Microsoft and the US intelligence apparatus says its already doing it.