The Senate unanimously voted for each payments. The Home handed the primary 420-3 and the second 413-9. Solely three members — Republican Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Thomas Massie of Kentucky, and Matt Gaetz of Florida — opposed each payments.
They now go to President Joe Biden for his signature, after he referred to as for the punitive measures final month.
Whereas the Home had already overwhelmingly handed related payments, the Senate had been mired for weeks over the laws, making some adjustments and requiring the Home to vote once more on Thursday. Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul objected to proposed adjustments to the International Magnitsky Act, fearing that the brand new language would give an excessive amount of energy to the chief department to pursue these accused of human rights abuses.
The Senate finally gave in to Paul’s calls for, retaining the extra narrowly outlined statute relating to human rights violations however made the language everlasting regardless of the desires of some Republicans.
“Immediately, as Putin commits struggle crimes towards the folks of Ukraine, unanimous passage of everlasting GloMag reauthorization sends a robust sign to him and different dictators and kleptocrats that there can be private penalties for human rights violators and corrupt actors,” mentioned Maryland Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin. “The US of America units no time restrict on defending human rights and battling corruption.”
The commerce relations and power ban payments are the newest efforts by Congress to crack down on Russia and assist Ukraine in the course of the battle. Final evening, the Senate handed a invoice to extra rapidly present army support to Ukraine.
The US additionally introduced sanctions on the spouse and daughter of Putin’s overseas minister, Sergey Lavrov. The UK later introduced its personal sanctions, and the European Union was anticipated to observe swimsuit as properly, ramping up Western stress on Moscow because the struggle enters its second month.
This story has been up to date with extra developments Thursday.