Senators introduce bill to slap 'crushing' new sanctions on Russia

[demmiblue]

Source: The Hill

A bipartisan group of senators is introducing legislation to impose "crushing" new financial penalties on Russia.

The bill would slap new sanctions on Moscow, require two-thirds Senate approval if President Trump wanted to withdraw from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and force the State Department to determine if Russia is a state sponsor of terrorism.

GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham (S.C.) said current U.S. sanctions against Russia haven't stopped Moscow from trying to meddle in the November midterm elections, despite Congress passing new legislation last year.

“Our goal is to change the status quo and impose crushing sanctions and other measures against [President Vladimir] Putin’s Russia until he ceases and desists meddling in the US electoral process, halts cyber-attacks on US infrastructure, removes Russia from Ukraine, and ceases efforts to create chaos in Syria," he said in a statement.

Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/400074-senators-introduce-bill-to-slap-crushing-new-sanctions-on-russia

[George II]

1. I'm anxious to see who votes for and against this one!

[Me.]

6. Me Too

[sheshe2]

10. Me too.

[dchill]

15. For/Against Patriot/Traitor.

Roll call....

[Kablooie]

26. Vote? Who thinks McConnell will allow a vote on it?

He's pro Russia because Russia is helping Republicans win.

(Also he may have his fingers dabbling in the Russian pie and doesn't want that source of income messed with.)

[bucolic_frolic]

2. Trump will veto it

and probably no override. McConnell probably won't even schedule a vote on it in the first place.

[saidsimplesimon]

28. "Ain't it sad"?

From "Mamma Mia", "Money, Money, Money", the turtle is a sorry excuse for a Senator representing US.

[ffr]

3. Oh, that's going to go over well with the President.

Putin, I mean.

[babylonsister]

4. Good. nt

[NCjack]

5. Putin doesn't allow Secret Agent 45 to apply sanctions

against Russia. So, Sen. McConnell, what now?

[True_Blue]

7. Did Trump ever impose the old sanctions?

Last I heard, he hadn't.

[BumRushDaShow]

8. I think he did some

but then the whole story fell out of the news cycle.

[rurallib]

21. I don't think Putin will let him

I don't think he has either. I keep waiting to hear what congress is going to do to make him enforce the law like his job description calls for.
Apparently nothing.

[magicarpet]

25. Last I heard trDump wanted to remove Deripaska from the Oligarch sanctions list ...

.... So trDump could send a message to Manafort that trDump has his back. (Signaling to Manafort - don't squeal on trDump or Putin about their involvement
in the conspiracy to rig the US election - and trDump will pardon Manafort if found guilty in court.)

Deripaska the guy Manafort owes all that money to from a loan/business deal gone bad - approx. $17 million). Deripaska also has a lot of assets tied up in the west and the sanctions have blocked access for him being able to put his hands on these laundered funds/assets.

Putin would also like that trDump made the effort and signaled that sanctions were being removed from tied up Russian Oligarch laundered funds/assets. If trDump had his way he would remove all the Russian sanctions pronto busto like a good Putin puppet boy.

[Wwcd]

9. Very telling, who Votes Against it this time. The Graham-Menendez bill

The Graham-Menendez bill

It's a necessary start.
We'll hope that it's brought to a vote at the least, and watch who VOTES AGAINST IT, as that important vote will be a personal message to Putin.
Once again.

There are some strong voices in the Senate, determined to bring this bill to a vote.

SNIP
“Our goal is to change the status quo and impose crushing sanctions and other measures against [President Vladimir] Putin’s Russia until he ceases and desists meddling in the US electoral process, halts cyber-attacks on US infrastructure, removes Russia from Ukraine, and ceases efforts to create chaos in Syria," he said in a statement.
Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) added that the bill is "the next step in tightening the screws on the Kremlin."

Sens. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) are also supporting the legislation.

It comes as lawmakers are growingly increasingly concerned that Russia will try to interfere in the 2018 elections, where control of Congress hangs in the balance.

SNIP
The Graham-Menendez bill is the broadest of the bills that are currently being mulled by lawmakers. Graham previously told reporters he would include everything but "the kitchen sink."

The new financial penalties would target political figures, oligarchs, family members and others that "facilitate illicit and corrupt activities" on behalf of Putin.

MORE...

[orangecrush]

11. Bravo!!!

[sheshe2]

12. It should be unanimous, but it won't be. nt

[keithbvadu2]

13. Good luck thinking that Dotard would sign it

[Maxheader]

14. Dumb asses...

You keep tickling a bad dog under the nose, its gonna keep snapping at ya...

GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham (S.C.) said current U.S. sanctions against Russia haven't stopped Moscow from trying to meddle in the November midterm elections, despite Congress passing new legislation last year.

[workinclasszero]

16. I'm sure Putin's puppet

is gonna sign that into law ASAP!

[Honeycombe8]

17. Glad to see they're DOING something! This isn't a partisan issue.

There is no doubt in my mind that the Obama administration would move on this, once it was shown the extent to which Russia was hacking us. I think he should have done more before the election, but I get why he didn't. He expected McConnell to, and he didn't have much longer in office. Still...he tried to do something. Unlike this administration. And unlike this Congress.

[rainin]

18. Will McConnell bring it up for a vote? I'll be shocked.

[BadGimp]

19. NO Way!

- McConnel will not allow it to come up for a vote - and that's a good thing for the Dems going into theMid terms imo
- Even if it came up, and passed - NO WAY the House would pass it
- Even if it passed the House and Senate, Trump would veto it - and that's a good thing for the Dems going into theMid terms imo

The only outcome I see is that this lays bare the GOP's inability to protect America from Russia as they are now #ThePartyOfPutin

[ehrnst]

20. Who in the Senate would dare to oppose sanctions on Russia?

What explanation could they possibly give other than supporting Russia?

[gordianot]

24. Rand Paul

Explanation he and all his voters are pricks.

[bucolic_frolic]

22. For Democrats, Patriotism. For Republicans, Theater.

Republicans trying to save their sorry souls at the ballot box. Too late, Dudes.

[ALBliberal]

23. His traitorous actions have put us closer to

war with Russia. Also the Republicans traitorous actions. His “getting along with Putin” schtick has Putin expecting far greater than the USA is hopefully willing to give up. And if the USA via trump doesn’t deliver..... no one knows what will happen. If he had at least one patriotic bone in his body we would not be in this precarious relationship with Russia or NK for that matter. And we would still have good relationships with our allies. Just can’t stand him and all his cohorts

[gordianot]

27. We are at cyber war with Russia now they are winning.

When Trump is gone the cyber war will heat up. A hot cyber war will be as damaging as nuclear and conventional weapons.

[ALBliberal]

30. Agree .... As he pawns off his line that he wants a closer relationship with Russia

[magicarpet]

29. Rethug Russian Traitors morphing into....

Red, White, and Blue - American Patriots just in time for the mid-term elections.

Does everyone have goose bumps now that the Rethugs are sing God Bless America as they kiss and embrace the Russian flag and sing the praises of Vladimir Putin behind our backs ?

[bluestarone]

31. Why not enforce the previous sanctions first???

THEN new ones!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!