September 15, 2026
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National Taxpayers Union (NTU) urges House Members to vote “NO” on the Senate amendment to the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 (H.R. 5334 as amended by the Senate), legislation that would cede additional Article I, Section 8 taxing authority to the executive branch.
The intent of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 is to deter Russian aggression against Ukraine. This is a worthy goal. Unfortunately, Section 113 of the legislation would provide new authority to the executive branch to impose tariffs of up to 100% based on its determination of which countries are among Russia’s top five export markets for crude oil or natural gas, or are among the top five countries facilitating Russian evasion of oil sanctions.
This discretionary authority could allow for new tariff threats or potentially even the imposition of new tariffs on allied countries in Europe or elsewhere that are helping Ukraine fend off Russian aggression.
NTU urges Congress to focus on targeted sanctions directed toward Russia and Iran, not broadly defined tariff sanctions that could hit U.S. allies or, ultimately, the American businesses and consumers who buy from them. Congress should reclaim its constitutional authority over tariffs and taxes, not give more of it away.
Barring improvements such as removing tariff authority from the bill or requiring congressional approval for any tariff increases, roll call votes on the Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act will be included in NTU’s annual rating of Congress and a “NO” vote will be considered the pro-taxpayer position.
If you have any questions, please contact Director of NTU’s Free Trade Initiative Bryan Riley at briley@ntu.org
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