Lawmakers Reach Deal On Russia Sanctions Bill Without Trump’s Changes
Trump loses major battle with Congress over easing Russian sanction.
House and Senate negotiators have reached a deal on the Russia sanctions bill that doesn’t include any of the changes that the Trump White House sought, according to a new report in Politico.
Trump had pressured lawmakers to weaken the sanctions on Russia, but the deal unveiled Saturday makes clear that lawmakers didn’t heed Trump’s advice.
The deal represents a major loss for the Trump White House and indicates that Congress is willing to reject Trump on the issue of Russia.
The original legislation which passed the Senate with a vote of 98 to 2 last month placed sanctions on Russia, Iran and North Korea.
The White House had aggressively pushed to soften provisions allowing Congress to block the president from lifting or easing sanctions on Russia.
However, in a rare bipartisan deal announced Saturday, the bill will allow lawmakers to block Trump from making changes to sanctions policy.
Senator Ben Cardin, the top-ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, praised the agreement saying, “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.”
The revised bill is expected to pass with overwhelming support from both Republicans and Democrats in a vote on Tuesday.
[image via Twitter]
