Deal on Russia, Iran sanctions clears way for House vote

Bloomberg

Republican and Democratic leaders in the House reached a deal to move ahead on a bill that would prevent the Trump administration from acting unilaterally to remove sanctions on Russia.
The agreement to fix procedural concerns, add sanctions against North Korea, and modify provisions that would restrict the participation of US energy companies in some international projects, clears the way for a House vote next week. A version of the bill released by House Republican leaders includes changes sought since the Senate passed legislation in June that would prohibit US businesses from working on or supporting energy projects that include any participation by Russian companies, even outside Russia’s borders.
The new version would set a threshold for Russian involvement, applying that restriction to projects where sanctioned Russian entities have at least a 33 percent interest.
A separate procedural impasse would be resolved by allowing leaders from both the majority and minority parties in the Senate or House to force their respective chamber to consider an objection to White House action on sanctions. The original bill allowed any member of Congress in both chambers to force consideration of sanctions waivers. Senators can still introduce resolutions, with leadership approval. Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the revised legislation was “the product of intense negotiations.” With the changes, “a nearly united Congress is poised to send President Putin a clear message on behalf of the American people and our allies, and we need President Trump to help us deliver that message,” Cardin said in an emailed statement.
The legislation comes after US intelligence agencies concluded that Russia sought to influence the American presidential election last year. Congressional committees and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are examining the Russian interference and whether there was any collusion with President Donald Trump’s campaign.
The measure gained urgency as evidence emerged in recent weeks that members of Trump’s family and inner circle were in touch with Russians during last year’s campaign. White House officials were on Capitol Hill earlier this month asking lawmakers to reconsider the Russia provisions that the Senate added to an Iran sanctions bill and passed 98-2.
The new version also will include sanctions against North Korea, modeled after language that passed the House 419-1 in May and hasn’t been taken up by the Senate. If the House passes the modified sanctions package, the Senate will have to hold another vote on the legislation that would now punish North Korea, Iran and Russia.
Trump would then be faced with signing legislation that takes away his power to act unilaterally on sanctions. If Trump vetoes a law proposed in part to punish Russia for its documented interference in the 2016 US election, he risks the appearance of doing a favor for Moscow.
House Minority Leader Steny Hoyer, a Democrat from Maryland, said the agreement “will hold Russia and Iran accountable for their destabilizing actions around the world” while making provisions “more workable” and ensuring that both Republicans and Democrats are able to act as a check on administration action on sanctions.
The modified version represents a victory for oil companies, manufacturers and oilfield service firms that had argued the earlier, Senate-passed bill could jeopardize projects around the globe—even those that weaken Russia’s ability to use its own natural gas as a political weapon.
They had warned that under the Senate measure, Russia would be empowered to elbow US companies out of energy projects globally simply by making small investments in them.