The US House of Representatives may delay the adoption of a bill on "hell" sanctions against Russia at least until the November congressional elections, Bloomberg writes. According to House Speaker Mike Johnson, the document has caused concern not only among Democrats, but also among certain groups of Republicans. "We are all in favor of sanctions against Russia, but the resolution has to be right," Johnson emphasized.
Before that, the bill was quickly passed by the US Senate, but now congressmen are concerned that granting Trump additional tariff powers will lead to an increase in oil prices and hit Washington's trading partners. In particular, the initiative provides that the head of the White House will have the right to impose 100 percent tariffs on the five largest buyers of Russian oil and natural gas, as well as on five countries that help Moscow circumvent sanctions. These are mainly China, India and Turkey.
Republican Brian Mast, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, stressed that the bill's impact on the fuel market is currently being assessed. According to him, forcing India and other buyers of Russian crude to switch to alternative sources could lead to a rise in gasoline prices before the election.
Democrats, for their part, oppose the bill, believing that it could lead to the creation of a legal basis for the Trump administration to impose unlimited tariffs. Representative Gregory Meeks of the Foreign Affairs Committee criticized the attempt to give the president powers that he does not have, and Democratic Congressman Brad Schneider called the tariff provision “unacceptable.”
Big business also opposed the bill, including ExxonMobil, General Electric, Ford, Pfizer and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. They sent a corresponding letter to Congress. “We are concerned that parts of the bill could have unintended consequences for consumers by authorizing new, broad tariffs against our trading partners and allies,” said Ellen Jackson of the Retail Industry Leaders organization.
