Democratic Leaders Fear the New Russian Sanctions Bill Could 'Harm' Americans. Here's Why

The House lawmakers on Wednesday passed legislation paving the way for tough new sanctions on Russia that will target financial institutions and the energy industry, which has largely financed the assault on Ukraine.The legislation, which now sits with President Donald Trump for signing, has been hailed for its harsher measures on Russia, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky calling it “an extremely powerful tool.” However, Democratic leaders have expressed grave concern over the broader tariff authority it affords to Trump.The legislation allows Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100% on countries that make “new purchases of crude oil or natural gas” originating from Russia, or any country among the top five importers of Russian oil or gas over the last 12 months. According to the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), the top three purchasers of Russian oil and gas in August were China, India, and Turkey.Deborah Elms, head of trade policy at the Hinrich Foundation, says Trump’s previous ambition to introduce tariffs using any available avenue has ignited the concern among Democrats.“The reason why people are so nervous about this is that the authority is extreme...