Senate passes Russia sanctions 86-11; tariff fight splits both parties

The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act passed 86-11, targeting Russian officials, oligarchs, the Russian shadow fleet, and banks, and directing the president to impose up to 100 percent tariffs on goods from the five largest importers of Russian crude oil. Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., said the legislation "will strengthen sanctions to increase pressure on Russia, reduce the resources fueling Putin's aggression, and help advance peace" and called passage "a fitting tribute" to Graham's legacy.

Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., an original co-sponsor, said Ukraine "is seizing the momentum on the battlefield" and called on the House to act "as soon as possible when they return in September." Bennet also noted that his bipartisan SEED Act — allowing early childhood educators to claim the same tax deduction as K-12 teachers — served as the legislative vehicle for the bill's passage.

In a floor statement, Sen. Warnock said the concession from Ambassador Greer was "meaningful, because if the President ignores the law, if he oversteps his power, we will see him in court," while still calling Trump's broader tariff regime "reckless." Blunt Rochester said the bill "would have received my support if any of the meaningful bipartisan amendments introduced by my colleagues had been adopted," specifically citing the Paul-Wyden amendment she cosponsored. Padilla said he voted in favor of that amendment to strip the new tariff authorities; it failed 32-64.

Paul, in floor remarks, argued the bill grants the executive branch "the power to raise nearly $500 billion dollars in revenue" and called it a violation of the non-delegation principle, writing that "tariffs are taxes on imported goods paid by American families, retailers, and manufacturers" — not foreign governments.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., wrote Friday to Target, Apple, Amazon, Nike, Motorola, Walmart, and Energizer urging each company to pass along tariff refunds to consumers. The Trump administration has issued at least $100 billion in refunds to companies that paid tariffs the Supreme Court struck down in February 2026 as unauthorized under IEEPA.

"American consumers — who are paying almost the full cost of these tariffs — have received nothing," Warren wrote. She noted that Walmart is expected to receive up to $10.2 billion, Apple has reportedly received $2.2 billion, and Amazon received $600 million in refunds in the second quarter alone. Warren pressed each company for data on how much they paid in IEEPA tariffs, how much they have received back, and whether any refunds would flow to customers.

Separately, Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., helped introduce the Back-To-School Supplies Affordability Act, which would exempt school supplies and educational materials from Trump's tariffs. "Parents are being squeezed by the high cost of school supplies thanks to Donald Trump's reckless tariffs," Rosen said.

Sens. James Lankford, R-Okla., and Mike Lee, R-Utah, introduced the Ballots by Election Day Act, which would require all absentee and mail-in ballots in federal elections to be received by election officials by the time polls close on Election Day to be counted. The bill responds directly to the Supreme Court's ruling in Watson v. Republican National Committee, which held that federal election-day statutes do not set a deadline for ballot receipt.

"Election Day should mean Election Day," Lankford said. "Americans should not have to wait days or weeks while states like California keep counting ballots. The SAVE Act, this bill, and every other effort to secure our elections are about the same thing: making sure the American people can trust the results."

Lee argued that "states counting late ballots are inviting fraud and sowing doubt in their own election results." The bill preserves existing protections for military and overseas voters under UOCAVA and applies to federal elections held in 2027 and after.

Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., announced her cosponsor support for the Take Care of America's Veterans Act (S.4744), a sweeping bicameral bill that bundles 62 bipartisan measures into a single package covering VA health care, disability compensation, caregiver support, and suicide and overdose prevention. The bill has been placed on the Senate Legislative Calendar, making it eligible for a floor vote.

"I've visited with so many veterans and their families who are frustrated that commonsense improvements to VA programs get bogged down in the legislative process," Hyde-Smith said. "The Take Care of Veterans Act is a bold effort to enact many of these program improvements together."

The package includes the Major Richard Star Act, which would overturn a policy denying some combat-disabled veterans full military retirement pay and disability compensation, and the Love Lives on Act, allowing spouses of deceased servicemembers to retain survivor benefits upon remarriage. A coalition of more than 20 organizations — including the American Legion, Wounded Warrior Project, and two Medal of Honor recipients — has called on Congress to pass the bill. It is paid for in part through updated VA disability ratings for sleep apnea and tinnitus, expected to reduce future spending by $38 billion over ten years.

In a floor statement, Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., objected to the Delaney Hall Closure Act, blocking Democratic legislation that would permanently close an ICE detention facility in New Jersey. Schmitt argued the bill "does not hire a single doctor," "does not add a single nurse," and "does not require a single inspection" — characterizing it as "abolition with a short title."

"You cannot pull the batteries from the smoke alarm and then pose beside the ashes demanding to know who failed," Schmitt said. "Fix what is broken. Hold wrongdoers accountable. Protect every person in federal custody, of course, but we must enforce the law."

Separately, Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., appeared on NewsNation to discuss his Citizenship Act of 2026 and what he called a Democratic effort to "defund or eliminate ICE." Schmitt also sent a letter to Acting Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling urging the Department to modernize the PERM labor certification process, writing that "abuse of the PERM and H-1B programs allow corporations to replace American workers with cheaper foreign labor."

Four senators — Cortez Masto, D-Nev.; Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa; Ron Wyden, D-Ore.; and Mike Crapo, R-Idaho — introduced the bipartisan Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Act, which would invest in the Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control Program. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the bill would save taxpayers at least $45 billion. In fiscal year 2025, HCFAC activities recovered $12 for every $1 spent on Medicare integrity efforts.

"Medicaid and Medicare are lifelines for families. To ensure they are working as intended, we have to crack down on bad actors taking advantage of Americans," said Cortez Masto. Grassley said his oversight "has revealed fraud, waste and abuse across our health care system, including Medicare, Medicaid and the Obamacare marketplace."

Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., spoke with Arizona community health centers during National Health Center Week, warning that Medicaid cuts in what he called "Donald Trump's bill" would force rural hospitals to eliminate OB/GYN clinics. "Millions of Americans are about to lose their health care safety net and food benefits at the same time," Kelly said. Separately, Sens. Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., and Tim Kaine, D-Va., introduced the HCBS Access Act to make home and community-based care a mandatory Medicaid benefit and eliminate waiting lists — cosponsored by 16 senators.

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, introduced the DEPOTS Act with Rep. Michael Cloud to protect Army depots — including the Corpus Christi and Red River Army Depots — from financial losses caused by cancelled government work. The provision is also included as Section 327 of the Senate's FY27 National Defense Authorization Act (S. 4784). "Army depots are a critical part of revitalizing our defense industrial base, and we must provide budgetary flexibility so they are not hampered by financial losses from cancelled government work," Cornyn said.

Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., and Katie Britt, R-Ala., introduced the Space Superiority Readiness Act to expand wargaming, modeling, simulation, and training for Space Force Guardians. The bill also requires an unclassified report to Congress within 180 days on Chinese commercial space capabilities and potential military applications. "Communist China is expanding its military activities in space, and the United States cannot afford to fall behind," Cortez Masto said.

Sens. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., and Pete Ricketts, R-Neb. — per a release with significant body-text mismatch — appear to have introduced biotech-related legislation, though the release body is truncated and cannot be fully cited.

Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester, D-Del., announced she will vote against Todd Blanche's nomination to serve as United States Attorney General. "Todd Blanche said it himself — he serves one person: Donald Trump," Rochester said. "Throughout the confirmation process, he has committed to restricting abortion access, restated his blind allegiance to the president, and defended Trump's slush fund for January 6th rioters."

Rochester noted she also opposed Blanche's earlier nomination as Deputy AG. "The American people deserve an Attorney General who values the rule of law above all else — that is not Mr. Blanche," she said.

Separately, the bipartisan Senate HELP Committee — Chairman Bill Cassidy, R-La., and Ranking Member Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. — wrote to Acting Attorney General Blanche requesting a status update on the criminal contempt referral against former Steward Health Care CEO Ralph de la Torre, whose failure to appear before the committee in 2025 prompted the first criminal contempt resolution issued by the HELP Committee in modern history. The senators set an August 20 deadline for a response.

The Senate passed a resolution by Sens. Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock, both D-Ga., commending soldiers and civilian personnel who responded to a mass shooting at Fort Stewart on August 6, 2025, in which five soldiers were wounded before fellow servicemembers stopped the shooter. The resolution marks the one-year anniversary of the incident.

In a separate action the same day, Ossoff and Warnock sent a second inquiry to the Defense Health Agency demanding it "immediately rescind Congressional notification" for plans to close all inpatient services at Dwight D. Eisenhower Army Medical Center. DHA failed to respond to the senators' June 2026 deadline. "Seventeen days have passed since the deadline stated in our letter seeking more information about DHA's decision to close all inpatient services at Dwight D. Eisenhower Army Medical Center," the senators wrote to DoD Assistant Secretary Keith Bass and DHA Director Vice Admiral Darin Via. "This is unacceptable."

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., led introduction of the Constructing the Path to Suicide Prevention Act, which would authorize a CDC study on suicide risk factors unique to construction workers. The construction industry accounts for nearly a fifth of all deaths by suicide with a reported industry code, despite comprising only seven percent of the American workforce.

"From our homes to our offices, our roads to our favorite coffee shops, construction workers are responsible for building America," Cortez Masto said. "But work in this industry presents distinct mental health risks, and we owe it to construction workers to find solutions."

The bill is cosponsored by Sens. Mark Warner, D-Va.; Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H.; Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M.; Mark Kelly, D-Ariz.; and John Hickenlooper, D-Colo. — six senators total issuing releases on the legislation Friday, a coordinated rollout.

Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., introduced the TABOO Act — Transparency in the Administration's Business Opportunities Overseas — requiring ethics disclosures for all individuals representing the United States in negotiations with foreign governments, including Special Envoys and unpaid officials. The release names Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff as examples of individuals exercising significant diplomatic authority under current gaps in federal law.

"There should be no question that officials representing the United States overseas are serving our national interests, not lining their own pockets," Merkley said. Co-sponsors include Sens. Tim Kaine, D-Va.; Jacky Rosen, D-Nev.; Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill.; Chris Van Hollen, D-Md.; Andy Kim, D-N.J.; Chris Coons, D-Del.; Cory Booker, D-N.J.; and Jack Reed, D-R.I.

Merkley also introduced the Truth in Labeling Act of 2026 with Rep. Lou Correa to establish federal guidelines for recyclable, compostable, reusable, and refillable product labeling. "Most of us have been taught the three Rs — reduce, reuse, and recycle; but too often the reality with plastics is the three Bs — buried, burned, and borne out to sea," Merkley said.

Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., introduced the Small Business Cybersecurity Assistance Evaluation Act, which would require the Government Accountability Office to survey all federal cybersecurity resources available to small businesses and recommend improvements. Companion legislation passed the House unanimously. "As small businesses face a growing threat of cyberattacks and phishing schemes, we must give them the tools they need to stop hacks and lower their risk," Schiff said.

Sens. Dave McCormick, R-Pa., and Chris Coons, D-Del., introduced the NIH Mentorship Modernization Act to formalize evidence-based mentorship standards across NIH career development and training programs. The bill targets what the release describes as a critical attrition point — the gap between early career development awards and R01-level independent research funding. "America's leadership in biomedical research depends on developing the next generation of scientific talent," McCormick said. "Strong mentorship helps young researchers succeed, drives innovation, and ensures taxpayer investments in medical research deliver lasting results."

Sen. Ashley Moody, R-Fla., introduced a resolution recognizing August 7 as Purple Heart Recognition Day and submitted the stories of four Florida recipients — Sgt. Jason Crawford, retired Staff Sgt. Dustin Tuller, Sgt. Peter McKanna, and retired Navy Cmdr. Douglas Doughty — into the Congressional Record. "No one ever serves hoping to receive this medal, it is not an honor anyone sets out to earn — it is given because an American stood his or her ground against an enemy," Moody said.

Signals

• coordinatedSix senators issued releases on the Constructing the Path to Suicide Prevention Act within a three-hour window Friday afternoon, a coordinated rollout across Cortez Masto, Warner, Shaheen, Luján, Kelly, and Hickenlooper.
• coordinatedLankford and Lee each issued separate full-length releases on the Ballots by Election Day Act within roughly ten hours of each other, with identical bill text and shared quotes — a standard two-senator rollout.
• voteThe Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act passed the Senate 86-11 Friday; the bill now heads to the House, which returns in September per Sen. Bennet's release.
• volumeFriday's release count of 44 ran approximately 8.3% above the Friday baseline of 40.6, with Eric Schmitt alone accounting for three releases — on the Delaney Hall floor objection, the PERM labor loophole letter, and a birthright citizenship birth certificate letter.
• recessThe Senate is three days from its August state work period; no votes are currently scheduled on the calendar.
• silent breaksSen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., has been silent for 24 days; the Russia sanctions bill passed Friday bears his name and was introduced by colleagues in his honor following his death.
• silent breaksTwo releases from Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich. (IDs 9b70c242 and 1e7bcc81 and fccc9995), contain body text belonging to different releases entirely — a content mismatch that prevented full citation of her biotech and farm bill statements.

Quiet desks

Senators with no release in two weeks or more.

• Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-SC24d
• Sen. Alan Armstrong, R-OK22d
• Sen. Roger F. Wicker, R-MS16d