US Senate Advances Russia & Iran Sanctions Bill

In a bipartisan vote, 86 senators voted to move forward with the Russia and Iran sanctions bill, championed by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham. Tuesday's vote came just hours after senators gathered to honor Graham's memory, which was immediately followed by a closed-door meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

With a vote of 86-12. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) was the only Republican to vote against it.

While Tuesday's vote was a procedural vote, leadership expressed hope that the strong bipartisan support will allow for an expedited path to final passage. Graham's bill would impose 100% secondary tariffs, targeting countries that continue to buy Russian oil and gas.

The bill will also target Russia's "shadow fleet," a network of aging tankers used to evade Western sanctions while exporting Russian oil. - ABC News