The US Senate voted overwhelmingly on Friday to pass a long-anticipated sanctions bill targeting Russia and Iran, which has been named after the late Senator Lindsey Graham. The legislation received bipartisan support, passing with an 86-11 vote.
Lindsey Graham's sister, Darlene Graham, currently serves as his temporary replacement in the Senate and will seek election for a full six-year term in November. She presided over the vote and gaveled the final count. The bipartisan group of senators who helped draft the bill announced that the sanctions target Russian political figures, oligarchs, various banks and financial institutions, as well as Russia's shadow fleet of oil tankers.
The bill now moves to the House of Representatives for consideration, which is currently in recess until the end of this month. House Speaker Mike Johnson has previously expressed support for sanctioning Russia, but it remains unclear whether the bill will secure enough votes to pass in the House. Graham died suddenly last month at the age of 71, having been a key driving force behind this legislation.
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