US House advances bill enabling 100% tariffs on India over Russian oil
The US House of Representatives has voted to advance a bill that would authorise President Donald Trump to impose 100 per cent tariffs on India and other countries that buy oil and gas from Russia, while also extending existing sanctions on Iran.
The Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 cleared a procedural hurdle in the House on Tuesday evening after two Democratic lawmakers voted with Republicans. The measure is expected to come up for a final vote in the House on Wednesday.
The resolution to advance the Russia sanctions bill, along with several other pieces of legislation, was approved by a 214-211 vote, in a result that surprised the House Democratic leadership. On Monday, Democratic Congressman Gregory Meeks, the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, opposed the bill, arguing that it would give President Trump unchecked authority to impose tariffs without any guardrails.
Last month, the US Senate passed the bill by an 86-11 margin. The legislation seeks to impose sanctions not only on Russia's leadership and energy sector, but also on the "shadow fleet" of vessels that help Moscow evade sanctions on oil deliveries. The US believes that Russia's crude oil trade is helping fund the war against Ukraine. The bill also seeks to authorise Trump to impose 100 per cent tariffs on Russia's top oil trading partners, including China and India. The version passed by the Senate on August 7 does not name Russia's trading partners, but refers to the five largest importers of oil and gas by volume.
The vote is taking place at a time when pro-Ukraine groups have stepped up lobbying efforts in Washington. The Ukraine Action Summit, organised by the American Coalition for Ukraine, is underway to press US lawmakers for continued support to Kyiv. The bill must be passed by the House before it is sent to the President for signature. The House is due to begin its early recess on Thursday and is expected to reconvene on November 9 after the midterm elections.
In sum, the House has moved forward on a bill that could allow the US President to levy steep tariffs on countries buying Russian oil and gas, including India, while widening sanctions linked to Russia and Iran.
