WASHINGTON, The U.S. Senate has approved a second procedural vote to advance legislation aimed at significantly tightening sanctions on Russia and Iran, paving the way for a final vote that could take place later this week.
According to a C-SPAN broadcast, 84 senators voted in favor of moving the bill forward, while 12 senators opposed the measure. The vote allows Senate debate on the legislation to continue before a final decision is taken.
The development follows an initial procedural vote held on Tuesday, when the bill received 86 votes in favor and 12 against.
The legislation was co-authored by Senator Lindsey Graham, who died suddenly on July 11, 2026. The bill seeks to expand sanctions against Russia’s political and military leadership, state-owned enterprises, and entities linked to Moscow.
A key provision of the proposed legislation introduces secondary sanctions targeting countries and companies that continue to conduct significant trade with Russia. It also proposes a 100% tariff on major purchasers of Russian oil and natural gas.
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Republican lawmakers, who hold the majority in the Senate, are aiming to bring the bill to a final vote before the end of the week, according to congressional media reports.
Earlier on Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed support for the legislation but said he did not believe there was any need for the House of Representatives to interrupt its August recess to immediately consider the measure.
If approved by both chambers of Congress and signed into law, the bill would represent one of the toughest U.S. sanctions packages imposed on Russia and Iran in recent years.
