Sanctions on Putin's War Machine: Why the House Must Act Now

Sen. Richard Blumenthal returned from Ukraine with a clear message for Congress: pass the sanctions bill. Now. The Senate already did, 86 to 11, before its August recess. The House, back this week, holds the power to tighten the economic screws on Vladimir Putin's war machine.

This isn't abstract foreign policy. It's about whether the world's wealthiest democracy will actually back its own stated principle: that Russia's invasion is illegal and Ukraine's right to exist is non-negotiable.

What the Bill Does

The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act would give the president authority to impose tariffs up to 100% on the five largest purchasers of Russian oil and natural gas. There are carve-outs: countries importing less than 15% of their natural gas from Russia that are actively reducing dependence get a pass. The bill also targets oligarch assets and the "shadow fleet", vessels Russia uses to dodge existing sanctions.

Blumenthal framed the authority as "narrowly constrained," a response to House Democrats worried about handing the executive branch a blank check on tariffs. Fair concern. The bill's design, naming specific targets rather than blanket authority, reflects what he called "painstaking, sometimes painful negotiations" with the trade representative, the White House, and lawmakers on both sides.

Why It Matters Now

Blumenthal pointed to Russia's economic position: a looming $125 billion deficit (about 5% of GDP), interest rates at 14% on national debt, and a currency under pressure. Economic stress doesn't end wars, but it limits a dictator's options. Sanctions that throttle revenue to the war machine give Ukraine breathing room and raise the cost of conquest beyond what Russia's economy can sustain.

The timing is real. Blumenthal visited Ukraine last week and saw both progress and heartbreak: hospitals and schools bombed, families displaced, a nation bleeding. Zelenskyy made his own priorities clear. Top of the list: this bill.

Read the full reporting at CBS News.

The Common Good Party's Position

We support Ukraine's sovereignty without equivocation. Russia's invasion is an illegal war of aggression. A sovereign nation's right to self-determination is not negotiable. That means backing it with policy, not just words.

Targeted sanctions, economic pressure that weakens the state waging the war without harming American workers or allies, are a legitimate tool of statecraft. They're especially justified when defending a democracy against authoritarian conquest. The bill's design, with carve-outs for allied nations and specific targeting, shows that strength doesn't require recklessness.

The House should pass this bill. Ukraine's survival matters. So does the principle that might doesn't make right.