Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Senator Lindsay Graham (R-SC) say they are working on new, comprehensive legislation that would strengthen sanctions on Russia and provide the United States with more tools to response to future attacks.
From the press release:
“We are fully committed to ensuring Congress maintains an active role in both confronting Russian aggression and ensuring that the Executive Branch takes the necessary steps to protect the U.S. and our allies. That is why we will be introducing comprehensive legislation in the coming days to ensure the imposition of mandatory sanctions under CAATSA, while levying additional sanctions to ensure the maximum impact on the Kremlin’s campaign against our democracy and the rules-based international order.
“Just as Vladimir Putin has made clear his intention to challenge American power, influence, and security interests at home and abroad, the United States must make it abundantly clear that we will defend our nation and not waver in our rejection of his effort to erode western democracy as a strategic imperative for Russia’s future.
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The Senators’ legislation will include:
- Increased sanctions on the Russian energy and financial sectors
- Increased sanctions on Russian oligarchs and parastatal entities
- Sanctions on Russian sovereign debt
- Sectoral sanctions on cyber actors in Russia
- Establishment of a National Center to Respond to Russian Threats
- Senate approval requirement for U.S. withdrawal from NATO
- Bolster effort to counter Russian disinformation and hybrid threats
- Establishment of a sanctions coordinator office at the State Department
- Reporting requirements to tighten sanctions implementation under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA)
- Authorizing assistance to bolster democratic institutions across Europe to defend against Russian interference
At the same time, Senators Pat Toomey (R-PA) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) are asking Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin to use current law to sanction the 12 Russian military intelligence officers Special Counsel Robert Mueller indicted earlier this month.
From the press release:
In a bipartisan letter, Senators Toomey and Van Hollen specifically call on Treasury to use a 2017 sanctions law to punish those who engage in malicious cyber activity against the U.S. or attempt to meddle in our elections. The letter details an example from earlier this year when Treasury exercised this authority against another group of indicted Russian actors for similar nefarious activities.
"Vladimir Putin and those acting at his direction meddled in our 2016 presidential election," said Senator Toomey. "Accordingly, the Treasury should again exercise the tools it has at its disposal and penalize those identified as carrying out this attack on our country. Putin's attempts to undermine our elections should be continuously met with swift and strong repercussions by Congress and the White House."
"There is no question that Russia attacked our elections in 2016 - and the Justice Department has identified at least 12 Russian military intelligence officers who are behind those attacks. The Administration has the ability to sanction them today, and the precedent to support that action," said Senator Van Hollen. "As Congress considers additional legislation to deter Russia from attacking future elections, I urge Secretary Mnuchin to use the tools he already has to hold the Kremlin accountable."
Read Toomey and Van Hollen's letter
GRAHAM, MENENDEZ OUTLINE BIPARTISAN RUSSIA SANCTIONS BILL (press release)
Toomey and Van Hollen to Treasury: Sanction the Indicted Russian Military Officers (press release)