Overview

• House Speaker Mike Johnson said tougher Russia sanctions are long overdue but emphasized Congress needs President Trump's sign-off to act.
• Senate Majority Leader John Thune signaled the sanctions push is unlikely to be added to the short-term funding bill, which leaders aim to keep largely clean.
• Sponsors Lindsey Graham and Brian Fitzpatrick urged colleagues to attach their Sanctioning Russia Act to the continuing resolution to force action this month.
• Trump said he is ready to pursue major sanctions if NATO countries move first and stop buying Russian oil, setting a high bar for U.S. action.
• The leading proposal would enable secondary tariffs reported as high as 500% on buyers of Russian energy, a design that has broad bipartisan interest but unresolved White House conditions.