Rep. Costa Leads Bipartisan Push for Full Implementation of Graham Russia Sanctions Law

Image October 15, 2026 Press Release WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Jim Costa (CA-21), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, joined Co-Chairs of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus Representatives Mike Quigley (IL-05), Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), and Joe Wilson (SC-02) in leading a bipartisan letter urging President Trump to fully implement the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 ahead of its first enforcement deadline on October 18. The lawmakers called on the Administration to strengthen economic pressure on Russia, cut off revenue financing Vladimir Putin’s war against Ukraine, and bring Russia to the negotiating table. “ As Russia prepares to wage a fifth winter campaign against Ukraine, the United States has an opportunity to reinvigorate peace efforts by placing maximum pressure on Vladimir Putin and the governments and networks that finance his war ,” the lawmakers wrote . “ Utilizing the tools for economic pressure in this law will be decisive in forcing Putin to take peace talks seriously. ” In the letter, the lawmakers urged the Administration to: Fully enforce mandatory sanctions against Russian officials, oligarchs, banks, state enterprises, and foreign entities helping Russia evade existing restrictions. Impose secondary tariffs on major purchasers of Russian energy, targeting revenue from oil and gas sales that continues to finance Russia’s war. Crack down on sanctions evasion , including foreign financial institutions, shadow fleet operators, and intermediaries facilitating Russian energy transactions. Protect U.S. allies by applying exceptions and tariff adjustments for countries actively reducing their dependence on Russian energy. Strengthen congressional oversight by providing implementation details, tariff justifications, and measurable benchmarks to assess the effectiveness of sanctions. The lawmakers emphasized that Russia continues to rely heavily on oil and gas exports to finance its military operations, while intensifying attacks on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure and commercial shipping in the Black Sea, threatening global food security. The letter also calls on the Administration to reverse course in issuing general licenses that could reopen Russian energy transactions and restore revenue to the Kremlin. The lawmakers requested answers ahead of the October 18 deadline on which sanctions and tariffs will be implemented, whether any provisions will be delayed or waived, and how the Administration will measure their effectiveness. The letter was signed by Don Bacon; Sanford Bishop; Salud Carbajal; Ed Case; Steve Cohen; Jim Costa; Danny Davis; Madeleine Dean; Brian Fitzpatrick; Jared Golden; Josh Gottheimer; Steny Hoyer; Marcy Kaptur; John Mannion; Michael McCaul; Robert Menendez; Dan Newhouse; Mike Quigley; Melanie Stansbury; Dina Titus; Jill Tokuda; and Joe Wilson. The full text of the letter can be found HERE . Issues : Foreign Affairs & National Security