The Great Smoky Mountain Journal
Staff Reports
Posted: Monday, January 01, 2018 12:26 PM
House To Combine Sanctions On Russia, North Korea and Iran Tuesday In New Bill
House Major Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., on Saturday released a scheduled of the chamber’s legislative agenda for next week that shows the sanction will be rolled into one “Russia, Iran, and North Korea Sanctions Act.”
The effort will be led by the House Foreign Affairs Committee. McCarthy did not immediately post the text of the bill.
The GOP-led Senate already overwhelmingly approved a bill for Russia sanction, in the aftermath of the U.S. intelligence community largely agreeing the Kremlin meddled in the 2016 White House race, in which Republican Donald Trump upset Democrat Hillary Clinton.
However, whether President Trump would sign such legislation passed by entire Republican-led Congress remains unclear, considering Trump associates have been implicated in colluding with Russia in the meddling.
Maryland Sen. Ben Cardin, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Saturday that he would have preferred the House adopt the upper chamber’s bill but welcomed the effort.
“A nearly united Congress is poised to send President Putin a clear message on behalf of the American people and our allies, and we need President Trump to help us deliver that message,” Cardin said.
He also said proposed changes to the Senate bill have “helped to clarify the intent of Members of Congress as well as express solidarity with our closest allies in countering Russian aggression and holding the Kremlin accountable for their destabilizing activities.”