Lawmakers Urge Trump To Follow Through On Russia Sanctions
- 7 years ago
Lawmakers are expressing concern about the Trump administration’s seeming lack of follow through on new sanctions the president agreed to impose on Russia in early August.
Lawmakers are expressing concern about the Trump administration’s seeming lack of follow through on new sanctions the president agreed to impose on Russia in early August.
According to the Daily Beast, nearly a month has passed since the agreed-upon implementation date of October 1, and the White House has not yet issued guidelines to implement the legislation including the people and entities who should be punished.
As a result, members of Congress have been speaking out, with Arizona Senator John McCain telling the publication, “If they don’t cooperate, then further actions need to be taken.”
South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham was also asked about the issue on NBC’s 'Meet the Press' Sunday, and he said, ‘I think that the Trump administration is slow when it comes to Russia. They have a blind spot on Russia. I still can't figure out.
And, after warning the president that Russia will continue to be a cyber threat to the U.S., he said about the sanctions, “The Congress will have a way to hold the president accountable.”
President Trump signed the bill, which targets the Russian energy and defense industries, after it passed both the House and Senate with a high degree of support.
Despite his agreement, the president complained about the constraints it put on his powers.
“By limiting the Executive’s flexibility, this bill makes it harder for the United States to strike good deals for the American people, and will drive China, Russia, and North Korea much closer together,” Trump said.
He also alluded to the bill’s flaws and, in his words, “a number of clearly unconstitutional provisions.” As such, The New York Times reported at the time that the president’s language “left open the possibility that he might choose not to enforce them as lawmakers intended.”
Lawmakers are expressing concern about the Trump administration’s seeming lack of follow through on new sanctions the president agreed to impose on Russia in early August.
According to the Daily Beast, nearly a month has passed since the agreed-upon implementation date of October 1, and the White House has not yet issued guidelines to implement the legislation including the people and entities who should be punished.
As a result, members of Congress have been speaking out, with Arizona Senator John McCain telling the publication, “If they don’t cooperate, then further actions need to be taken.”
South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham was also asked about the issue on NBC’s 'Meet the Press' Sunday, and he said, ‘I think that the Trump administration is slow when it comes to Russia. They have a blind spot on Russia. I still can't figure out.
And, after warning the president that Russia will continue to be a cyber threat to the U.S., he said about the sanctions, “The Congress will have a way to hold the president accountable.”
President Trump signed the bill, which targets the Russian energy and defense industries, after it passed both the House and Senate with a high degree of support.
Despite his agreement, the president complained about the constraints it put on his powers.
“By limiting the Executive’s flexibility, this bill makes it harder for the United States to strike good deals for the American people, and will drive China, Russia, and North Korea much closer together,” Trump said.
He also alluded to the bill’s flaws and, in his words, “a number of clearly unconstitutional provisions.” As such, The New York Times reported at the time that the president’s language “left open the possibility that he might choose not to enforce them as lawmakers intended.”