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The 98-0 vote came after the White House announced that it was now at odds with the proposal of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The resolution expressed the sense of the Senate that no diplomat, civil servant, law enforcement official, a member of the armed forces or a political representative should be put at the disposal of the Putin government for questioning. The proposal was produced by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat.
Thursday's vote was a rare sign of reaction to President Donald Trump's controversy earlier this week, when the US president appeared to support Putin on the assessment of the US intelligence community that Russia had interfered with the United States. presidential election. Trump's comments echoed across the Capitol all week as lawmakers from both parties blasted the president, and Republicans in Congress – who control both houses – are considering several options to address it.
The vote followed another Thursday earlier, when a top Republican Senate leader blocked the passage of a non-binding bipartite resolution – proposed by another Republican senator – supporting the US intelligence community.
Republicans criticize proposal to send ex-ambassador back to Russia
Earlier on Thursday, Republican senators criticized the White House for temporarily receiving a proposal from Putin to interview Americans in exchange for help in the US survey on electoral interference. The White House later said that she did not support the proposal.
"It's a sincere proposal made by President Putin, but President Trump does not agree," Sarah Sanders said Thursday in a statement. "I hope that President Putin will bring the 12 identified Russians to the United States to prove their innocence or guilt."
The Americans wanted Michael McFaul, the former US ambassador to Russia, and the US financier Bill Browder, who successfully lobbied the US government to impose new sanctions on Moscow.
Before the White House issues the statement, Senator Bob Corker, Tennessee Republican and Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, called the idea of sending Americans to be questioned by the Russians " bad".
"I do not know why this is even aware," he said.
And Senator Johnny Isakson, a member of the Foreign Relations Senate "I do not think we should send anyone in Russia to be interviewed by the Russians," said Isakson, the Republican of Georgia, to CNN. "I do not think we should do that."
Votes blocked earlier Thursday
Sen. John Cornyn, a Texan GOP and the second Republican in the House, complained that the first resolution was "purely a symbolic act" and said that he wanted Senate committees to dig into the issues involved. before deciding on the next steps. Cornyn said that these measures could include new sanctions against Russia to punish that country for its interference in the US elections, which Cornyn said he supports.
Their proposal rejects Putin's denial of electoral interference, calls for the immediate promulgation of sanctions passed by Congress last year, and calls on Senate committees to hold hearings on what's going on. exactly happened during the private meeting between Putin and Trump. information.
Cornyn noted that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is scheduled to appear before the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee next week and that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has requested that the Senate Banking Committee, to hold hearings soon on the implementation of legislation that Congress passed last year imposing sanctions on Russia on the issue of electoral interference.
Flake said that "the empirical and objective truth has taken a hit in the last 18 months".
"As we saw in Helsinki on Monday, entertaining the untruths of a dictator has the same effect," continued Flake. "Adopting this resolution will allow our constituents, the administration, our allies and our adversaries to know that here in the Senate we do not tolerate the deception of dictators."
Cornyn defended Trump, claiming that the president was in agreement with Russia. said at the press conference with Putin.
"I agree in Helsinki that he was not very clear about this, but he came back and said that he was poorly expressed and reaffirmed its previous position that the Russian government was ingested in the elections, "Cornyn said.
The same day, a new CBS poll found that 68% of Republicans backed Trump's actions in Helsinki, more evidence for GOP Senators that they could irritate their grassroots constituents. they opposed the president too strongly.
On Thursday, Senator Rand Paul, a Republican from Kentucky, opposed a different resolution from Senator Bernie Sanders, a Vermont Independent who caucus with Democrats, who said among other things that the Senate accepts the Intelligence community's findings is taking steps to protect Special Advisor Robert Mueller, who is investigating this issue and other issues.
Paul argued that Trump's critics are wrong to oppose him by trying to work with Putin and Russia
Elizabeth Landers contributed to this report.
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