WASHINGTON _ A bipartisan group of senators introduced legislation Wednesday to punish Russia for interfering in U.S. elections, and for exerting "malign influence" in Syria and aggression in Ukraine, setting up a potential clash with President Donald Trump.
The bill includes new sanctions on Russian banks, sovereign debt, natural gas investments, political figures and oligarchs, and its sponsors include Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican and Trump ally. Similar legislation last year, in response to what senators characterized as provocations by Russia, never received a vote.
Under the measure, Trump would be blocked from pulling out of NATO without clearance from the Senate. It also singles out Russian President Vladimir Putin and asks for a report on his net worth and assets.
A legislative vote to crack down on Russia would test Republican lawmakers' desire to confront Trump as special counsel Robert Mueller continues to investigate links between Trump's 2016 campaign and Moscow. Trump has said his administration already is taking a tough approach with Russia, though lawmakers from both parties have said more needs to be done to punish the country.
"President Trump's willful paralysis in the face of Kremlin aggression has reached a boiling point in Congress," said Sen. Bob Menendez, the top Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, and a sponsor of the legislation, in a statement.
Menendez of New Jersey added: "Putin's actions cannot be tolerated, and the consequences of inaction are quickly compounding _ further humanitarian disaster in Syria, regional instability, kidnapping of Ukrainian sailors and seizure of ships, and the steady erosion of international norms."
Other sponsors include Democrats Ben Cardin of Maryland, Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and Republican Cory Gardner of Colorado.
