The House Rules Committee today advanced the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026. Beyond sanctions on Russian officials and institutions, the bill grants the president new authority to impose tariffs up to 100 percent on countries that purchase or facilitate purchases of Russian energy, an expansion of unilateral presidential trade power.
Scott Lincicome, vice president for general economics and the Stiefel Trade Policy Center at the Cato Institute, issued the following statement:
“After almost a decade of American presidents abusing vague US tariff laws to impose massive and questionable new import taxes without congressional approval, it boggles the mind that Congress is poised to give the president even more unchecked tariff power – something most Americans oppose. If Congress wants to increase Russia sanctions, fine. But, for the sake of the economy and the rule of law, it should leave tariffs out of it.”
A forthcoming Cato Institute/Morning Consult survey, releasing later this week, found 70 percent of Americans say the president should need Congress’s approval before imposing tariffs, including 56 percent of Republicans and 86 percent of Democrats.
Lincicome is available for interviews, as are our other trade scholars. If you’d like to speak about the policies in the bill or the polling results, please contact Madison: mmiller@cato.org.