The US House of Representatives has advanced legislation that would give President Donald Trump sweeping new powers to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on countries, including India, for purchasing Russian oil and gas. Alongwith India, China is also on the list, reported news agency PTI.

The legislation comes as the House prepares for an early recess on Thursday and is expected to reconvene on November 9 after the midterm elections. Its passage through the House this week would clear the final congressional hurdle before the Bill could reach the President.

The Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 cleared a key procedural hurdle in the House on Tuesday evening, with two Democrats joining Republicans to approve the measure, taking the vote in favour to 214:211. The vote came despite opposition from several senior Democrats who raised concerns over the extent of the President’s powers over tariffs under the legislation.

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The bill is expected to face a final House vote on Wednesday. If approved, it would then be sent to Trump for his signature.

The US Senate passed the legislation on August 7 by an overwhelming 86-11 vote. The bill would impose sanctions targeting Russia’s leadership, energy and defence sectors, as well as its so-called “shadow fleet” of vessels accused of helping Moscow circumvent existing sanctions on oil shipments.

It would also authorise Trump to impose 100 per cent tariffs on major purchasers of Russian oil. While the Senate version does not specifically name Russia’s trading partners, it refers to the five largest importers of Russian oil and gas by volume.

India and China are among the countries identified as potential targets of the secondary tariff provisions.

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Democrats divided over presidential tariff powers

The legislation has exposed divisions among Democrats, including lawmakers who backed Ukraine but opposed expanding Trump’s authority to impose tariffs.

Gregory Meeks, the ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, argued against the measure, saying it would give Trump unchecked tariff authority without sufficient safeguards, reported The Guardian. Meeks, along with Don Beyer, the top Democrat on Congress’s Joint Economic Committee, and Richard Neal, the ranking Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee, said the legislation could ultimately “do more harm than good”.

They argued that the Bill would expand Presidential tariff powers in a big way but would fall short of making sanctions against Russia mandatory. According to the lawmakers, the provisions could increase prices for Americans and undermine long-term support for Ukraine.

Neal said the opposition was based on concerns about how Trump has previously used tariffs against US partners, including Canada and Mexico.

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“I just feel that the abusive nature of these tariffs, the way he’s used them to drive away friends across the globe, what is our protection afterwards?” Neal said in an interview on Monday.

He also said the expanded authority could potentially allow Trump to take a tougher position towards Ukraine.

Efforts to limit countries facing sanctions

Negotiations have been underway among Democrats to narrow the scope of the countries that could face secondary sanctions.

Representative Steny Hoyer, one of the bill’s co-sponsors, proposed an amendment identifying 10 countries that could be subject to the sanctions: China, India, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Singapore, Slovakia and the United Arab Emirates.

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The legislation has also faced opposition from Republicans who are sceptical of continued US involvement in Ukraine. Their resistance has made Democratic support important for the bill’s passage in the House.

The issue has led to disagreements among House Democrats. During a meeting this week, California Democrat Linda Sánchez criticised members of her party who supported efforts to change the bill, saying Democrats should support Ukraine while questioning whether Trump should receive greater tariff powers.

Ukraine urges US to increase pressure on Russia

The legislation is being closely watched by Ukrainian officials and groups supporting Kyiv.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on the US to increase economic pressure on Russia and urged lawmakers to pass the sanctions bill.

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“Lindsey Graham’s sanctions Bill is still a Bill, unfortunately, and not a law,” Zelenskyy said in a nightly address on Monday. He added that it was important for the legislation to become law, reported The Guardian.

Vitaly Kim, a member of Zelenskyy’s cabinet and Ukraine’s minister of veterans affairs, also backed greater economic pressure on Russia. Speaking on the sidelines of the Ukraine Action Summit in Washington DC on Saturday, Kim said sanctions aimed at restricting Russia’s economy could help end the war.

The Ukraine Action Summit, organised by the American Coalition for Ukraine, is underway in Washington, with pro-Ukraine groups lobbying US lawmakers for continued support for Kyiv.

Supporters of the legislation argue that restricting Russia’s oil revenues would reduce the resources available to Moscow for its war against Ukraine.