Representative Michael McCaul (R-TX) joined more than 20 House colleagues in a letter urging President Donald Trump to implement the Lindsey Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act.
Championed by Rep. McCaul, the bill passed both chambers of Congress and was signed into law by Trump on Sept. 18. However, the president’s recent deal allowing Russian diesel exports has lawmakers concerned that easing restrictions could undermine the law’s efforts to cut off revenue funding Russia’s war against Ukraine.
“We urge the Administration to revoke this license and not issue further general licenses that reopen Russian energy transactions and restore revenue to the Kremlin's war chest,” the lawmakers wrote, adding that the deadline to implement the law’s sanctions provisions is Oct. 18.
Earlier this week, Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) signed a similar letter joined by 11 other senators, also urging Trump to rescind the Russian diesel deal and enforce the sanctions law.
Rep. McCaul and the House lawmakers pointed specifically to the law’s secondary tariffs, which would target countries that continue purchasing Russian energy and help cut off revenue supporting Russia’s war effort.
The law directs tariffs on major importers of Russian energy and leading facilitators of sanctions evasion, and the lawmakers called on the administration to apply those measures precisely.
“Oil and gas sales remain the Kremlin’s most important source of income, and China and India remain its largest purchasers of crude,” the lawmakers wrote.
The lawmakers said the administration should avoid penalizing countries that are already reducing their purchases from Russia and supporting Ukraine.
“Penalizing partners who are already cutting off Moscow and supporting Ukraine would undercut America’s greatest leverage over the Kremlin—the powerful international coalition working to isolate Putin while his invasion continues,” the lawmakers wrote.
With the deadline to implement the sanctions fast approaching, the lawmakers urged Trump to revoke the diesel license and follow through on the law’s sanctions provisions.
“[President Vladimir] Putin has repeatedly shown that he responds to pressure, not goodwill,” the lawmakers wrote. “This will make clear that American resolve is bipartisan and durable, and that the cost of continuing this war will only grow until Russia comes to the negotiating table.”
