Russian sanctions bill stalls in House as discord prevails
Democrats seek to check Trump
WASHINGTON — A Russian sanctions bill has stalled in Congress amid partisan finger-pointing, leaving lawmakers worried the inaction could limit their legislative check on the Trump administration.
Top Democratic senators warned President Donald Trump’s officials ahead of bilateral talks next week not to give back Russia’s diplomatic compounds in New York and Maryland that were seized amid revelations of Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Returning the compounds or lifting other sanctions would have required congressional review under the legislation approved by the Senate in an overwhelming 98-2 vote last month.
The legislation, however, has stalled in the House as the administration works to soften congressional reach.
“Simply put, the Russian government has done nothing to deserve renewed access to these compounds,” wrote Sen. Ben Cardin, DMd., of the Foreign Relations Committee, and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., along with their Democratic colleagues from their states.
“There is clearly very strong support in Congress for vigilance with regards to the Russian government presence in the United States,” the senators wrote. “We urge you to be similarly vigilant as you broach negotiations on a range of bilateral issues with the Russians.”
Congress drafted the sanctions bill to backstop thenPresident Barack Obama’s administration efforts to reprimand Russia after the election interference. The bill would enable the legislative branch to halt a reversal or lifting of sanctions by the White House with a majority vote.
House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said this week he intended to pass the bill.
“I’m a Russia hawk. I believe in strong, bold Russian sanctions. We want to move this Russia sanctions bill,” the speaker said.
Problems arose in part because the Senate version would have allowed any single member of Congress to force a vote. But House Republicans and the administration objected, saying it gave too much authority to the legislative branch, and allowed the minority Democratic Party to gum up floor operations. The Senate approved a revised version of the bill, but House Democrats objected to having their power curtailed.
The standoff continues as investigations deepen into the Trump team’s ties with Russia, and Donald Trump Jr.’s emails about his meeting with a Russian lawyer during the campaign.
In public, Republicans in Congress have downplayed the Russian inquiry as not a top priority for constituents back home.
Rep. Dave Brat, R-Va., said the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence panel, which is conducting a bipartisan investigation of the matter, is “seeing smoke everywhere, like a ‘Cheech and Chong’ movie.”
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said Republicans, by refusing to more directly confront and criticize the White House over its Russian ties, have become “enablers” of behavior that is threatening to undermine American institutions.