Sen. Blumenthal to Congress: Honor Lindsey Graham by passing stalled Ukraine bill
Blumenthal worked with Graham, who died suddenly on Saturday, to craft "sledgehammer" sanctions for countries funding Russia's war in Ukraine. His urged senators to finally pass the bill "in his memory."
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Sen. Richard Blumenthal is urging Congress to honor Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham by passing a long-stalled bill to help Ukraine.
Graham died suddenly of a heart condition on Saturday.
Graham and Blumenthal crafted the legislation targeting Russian oil sales, but some critics worry that it could raise gas prices.
BLUMENTHAL-GRAHAM BILL
Blumenthal and Graham didn’t see eye to eye on much, but they did agree on defending Ukraine.
“I fought Donald Trump vigorously and vehemently, and he supported President Trump,” Blumenthal said on Monday. “But he was always focused on trying to bridge differences.”
Just one day before Graham’s unexpected death, he and Blumenthal announced an agreement with Trump to support the Sanctioning Russia Act. It would hit countries that buy Russian oil and uranium – mainly China – with “sledgehammer” tariffs.
Those oil profits are fueling Russia's four-year-long invasion of Ukraine.
Speaking to reporters in Kyiv on Friday, Graham said he has “never been more optimistic than I am today that we have the formula to end this war.”
Graham returned home just hours before his death; Blumenthal traveled to Ukraine last month. He urged senators to fulfill one of Graham’s top priorities.
“In his memory, I hope my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will unite behind this bill,” Blumenthal told reporters at the state Capitol.
The original legislation, which has 85 co-sponsors in the Senate, floated 500% tariffs. It’s unclear what the final bill will look like.
IMPACT ON GAS PRICES
But with Graham’s passing, the future of the Russian sanctions bill – and Ukraine aid in general – is up in the air.
“This bill would be an important symbolism to say, ‘We’re going to be with Ukraine,’” Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio), told CBS’s Face the Nation. “And I certainly hope the Senate moves it this week and we can put it on the President’s desk this week.”
Similar agreements with the White House have fizzled out before because sanctioning Russian oil could raise gas prices even more – right when the war with Iran is heating back up. Oil prices jumped 10% on Monday, the biggest one-day spike since 2020.
Graham’s South Carolina colleague wants to press pause.
“I hope that it has a path forward, but today I’ll spend more time thinking about Lindsey Graham and the impact that he’s had, versus the legislation that people are hungry to take his legacy and use it as a springboard for a legislative victory,” Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) told CNN.
But Blumenthal thinks now is the time to act while Ukraine is gaining advantage. The country is building its own drones and striking targets as far away as Moscow, plus Trump recently agreed to let Ukraine build Patriot Missiles.
“Stopping Putin in Ukraine is absolutely vital to our own national interest,” Blumenthal said.
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster appointed Graham's sister, Darline Graham Nordone, to serve out the remainder of his Senate term. Voters will elect a new senator in November.
