The Senate overwhelmingly voted in favor of limiting the power of trump in the area of easing of sanctions against Russia
Karun Demirchyan (Karoun Demirjian), Anna Dzhiran (Anne Gearan)
On Wednesday, the Senate overwhelmingly voted to allow Congress to block any attempt by the President to ease sanctions against Russia, as well as for tougher sanctions against Moscow in response to its intervention in the elections of 2016.
For the bill voted 97 senators, against — two. Thus, the senators expressed their extreme disapproval of the position that the President is a trump against Russia. The vote was a demonstration of sharp criticism of trump for his unwillingness to accept the opinion of intelligence, which believed that Moscow was behind the attempts to influence the U.S. presidential election.
Two senators who voted against the measure — Republicans Rand Paul (Rand Paul) of Kentucky and Mike Lee (Mike Lee) from Utah.
Trump has repeatedly and openly expressed doubts that the conclusion of the intelligence true. And although his administration gave no orders about the cancellation of all existing sanctions, legislators concerned with its conciliatory rhetoric toward Russia. They are also concerned about recent decisions taken to return under Moscow’s two diplomatic residences, access to which the Obama administration shut down in late December. As was stated by the administration, Russia used these systems to collect intelligence information. But after closing out of the country were also deported 35 Russian spies working under diplomatic cover.
“This administration is very committed — I think too much tends to bring up for discussion the question of mitigation of sanctions, said Senate minority leader, a Democrat from new York Charles Schumer (Charles Schumer). We can’t allow Russia’s intervention in the elections in our country go unpunished. It is impossible to admit that they took something like that.”
Campaign headquarters trump over the past few months is under the scrutiny of Congress and the FBI. The investigators studied in detail the charges under which his aides acted in collusion with Russian officials to influence the outcome of elections. Trump has accused Democrats that they made against him “a witch hunt”.
Team President on Wednesday spoke out against this legislation. Secretary Rex Tillerson (Rex Tillerson) warned lawmakers against adopting any act that could tie the hands of the administration.
“We would like to have the ability to be flexible and to “strengthen fire” when we need it, but to do so, to be able to maintain a constructive dialogue,” said Tillerson, speaking at a hearing of the house Committee on foreign Affairs.
“Of course, I agree with the opinion of several members of the house, representing both parties, that Russia must be held accountable for its interference in U.S. elections,” said Tillerson. He noted that he agreed with the conclusion that Russia has really attempted this.
But Tillerson also said that his task is to try to improve U.S. relations with Russia so that it benefited America. He said that the new sanctions can stop this.
Speech Tillerson is essentially a warning that the administration could act against the package of new sanctions that can be approved in the Senate this week.
But if to judge by results of voting in the Senate, in the case of support of the amendments by Congress to block a presidential veto would be impossible. The house of representatives has yet to vote on this legislative measure, which was included in supported in Congress a bill to toughen sanctions against Iran in response to ballistic missile tests.
Even the President’s supporters agreed in this matter with his most ardent critics and voted in support of sanctions against Russia. Thus, they realized that the Chairman of the Senate banking Committee, the Senator from Idaho Mike Krapo (Mike ‘ Crapo) called “the proper measure of influence” on Russia. In his opinion, the measure which “will allow Congress to exercise proper control over the use of these highly effective sanctions.”
The amendment, which lawmakers voted on Wednesday, would allow Congress to block any attempts by the trump — or any other President to lift the sanctions without the consent of Congress.
It will also enshrine the existing sanctions against Russia imposed over the annexation of Crimea and involvement in the war in the East of Ukraine.
Then, on the basis of this amendment, against Moscow will be introduced new sanctions. They are connected with Russia’s actions in Syria, where the Kremlin supports the regime of President Bashar al-Assad and its interference in last year’s presidential elections in the United States.
Legislative punitive measures aimed at
various spheres, including the sphere of Russian intelligence and defense, some areas of the energy sector, as well as at the Russian metallurgical, mining and railway industry. This also included measures to more effectively prevent corruption and illegal financial schemes that are associated with Russia.
The amendment was put to a vote after several rounds of discussion and agreement between the chairmen of the banking Committee and the Committee on foreign Affairs, and congressional leaders. The talks were attended by Republican senators John McCain (John McCain) from Arizona, Lindsey Graham (Lindsey Graham) from South Carolina, and senators-Democrats — Genie Shakhin (Jeanne Shaheen) from the state of new Hampshire and Richard Blumental (Richard Blumenthal) from Connecticut. They advocated that the final document included various aspects.
Before this amendment, the Senate proposed three bills, trying to toughen or strengthen existing sanctions against Russia. The Chairman of the Senate Committee on foreign Affairs, a Republican from Tennessee Bob Corker (Bob Corker), which was initially opposed calls to promote amendments on sanctions against Russia this week said it created another — the fourth — the law on the subject, though he has not made.
