Internal Squabbling Holding Up Bipartisan Iran-Russia Sanctions Bill

What began as a bill slapping sanctions on Iran for ballistic missile development and human rights violations is being mired in minutiae over a single added word—“Russia.”

Leadership in both chambers and parties have expressed resolve about passing sanctions on the Kremlin. But the joint Russia-Iran legislation has repeatedly hit difficulties, in part due to the politically charged nature of its subject.

The sanctions bill incorporates penalties on the Kremlin over election interference and would trigger congressional review in case the administration tries to ease or suspend sanctions on Russia. Administration officials have raised concerns that the bill will hamstring the president in talks with the Kremlin.

The bill passed the Senate 98-2 in June. Since then, the Senate agreed on a fix to a constitutional issue, raised by the House, which requires that bills dealing with revenue originate in the lower chamber.

“This language was given to us by the House. We passed exactly what they wanted,” Senate Foreign Relations committee chairman Bob Corker told reporters.