Senate Majority Chief John Thune (R-S.D.) on Monday poured chilly water on the chance that bipartisan laws to position heavy sanctions on nations that purchase oil from Russia will probably be added to a seamless decision (CR) to fund the federal government previous Sept. 30.
Thune mentioned he hopes the sanctions laws sponsored by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) turns into “ripe” to maneuver within the Senate quickly, however he forged doubt on the chance of that taking place.
“I would say that Russia sanctions — I’m hoping, I talked to Lindsey over the weekend. I hope it’s ripe here soon but I think one of the things the president is trying ensure happens before we do secondary sanctions is that our European allies join us,” Thune informed reporters.
“I think it would … minimize the effectiveness of the sanctions unless we have all of our allies join us,” he added. “I commend the president for trying to do that. I think this needs to be everybody taking the same tack when it comes to addressing the situation in Ukraine and Russia.”
The Republican chief mentioned he desires to maneuver a Home-passed authorities funding package deal later this week, one thing he acknowledged could require senators working into the weekend.
“I’d like to get it, if we can get it from the House, get it done this week before we leave,” he mentioned.
Thune mentioned he desires to maintain the funding invoice as “clean” as potential to decrease the possibilities of a authorities shutdown. Home GOP leaders have additionally indicated they might quickly unveil a “clean” stopgap invoice.
“The CR will have a few anomalies in it but … it’s going to be, by and large, clean, which is why the Democrats ought to be willing to go for it,” he mentioned.
Thune mentioned the stopgap funding measure might embrace extra safety funding for members of Congress, the Supreme Courtroom and government department.
President Trump has requested $58 million to extend safety for the manager and judicial branches.
Graham and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), the lead Senate and Home sponsors of the Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025, issued a press release Saturday urging their colleagues so as to add the sanctions laws to the persevering with decision.
