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Congress produces an unusual wave of proposed legislation, resolutions and new sanctions to repel President Donald Trump's approach to Vladimir Putin, consolidate relations with allies of the world. NATO and prevent Russian interference in the mid-term elections.
But it remains uncertain if any of their efforts will yield results. Lawmakers are struggling with the party 's internal divisions as well as their own assaults of proposals as they try to go beyond a symbolic reprimand of Trump' s interactions with the Russian president and the government. to exert influence both at home and abroad. And while many Democrats are eager for quick votes, some Republicans prefer none.
As Trump and Putin weigh another meeting face to face legislators of both parties – especially in the Senate – appear
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell published a rare warning that Russia "should stop playing in the US elections" while he was instructing two Senate committees to start working on the legislation on sanctions and other measures In the House, the President Paul Ryan is joining McConnell to say that Putin would not be welcome on Capitol Hill even though he did not introduce any bill on Russia until his chamber was lifted in August .
the last few weeks have been one of the few times in the Trump era that Republicans and Democrats have jointly asserted the role of Congress as a counterbalance to the administration.
"You are watching the action of the Congress since at the Helsinki Summit, the Democrats and the Republicans both stand up and say no," said Senator Ben Cardin, D-Md., In an interview on C-SPAN with the Associated Press and the Washington Post.
There is a bipartisan pressure from Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., Of Senator Tim Kaine, D-Va., And others to "explicitly prohibit" the President from withdrawing from the government. NATO without the approval of the Senate.
measures to prevent interference in the mid-term elections. Senator Lindsey Graham, RS.C, and Senator Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., Call the protection of the electoral system a "national security priority."
Graham said that he is "extremely important Congress further recognizes the threat to In addition, McCain and Cardin's legislation would require Congressional approval before Trump could rescind sanctions imposed under the Sergei Magnitsky law, which bans travel visas and freezes assets. . Russia's dissatisfaction with Magnitsky's 2012 law played in what Trump first called an "incredible offer" from Putin at the top to allow the United States to question the Russians accused by the Ministry of Justice of democratic piracy. emails. In return, Putin asked the opportunity to investigate Americans involved in the Magnitsky Law.
McCain called a "perverse proposal" and Trump has since backed off.
With about 100 days before the mid-term elections, some say Congress is not moving fast enough.
A bill that received a green light from McConnell is a law of Senator Marco Rubio, R-Fla., And Senator Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., Which attempts to prevent electoral interference Putin by putting in place tough new sanctions against Russia if it tries to intervene.
The measure is progressing slowly through the Senate Banking Committee, but some legislators in the House and Senate have raised concerns. Rubio says that he is willing to adjust the legislation to address concerns, but said that the goal is for Russia to understand that there will be a price to pay for Russia. new electoral interference. He adds that the legislation was introduced several months before the Helsinki summit and that it was not intended to embarrass or attack the president.
"I am deeply concerned about their ability to intervene in our policy," said Rubio. "We want them to know what the price will be for making that choice."
The bill would likely benefit from overwhelming support, say lawmakers on both sides. But a vote is not expected
Some symbolic measures on Russia have failed to get out of the gate.
Already, the Senate has blocked a symbolic resolution of Senator Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., And Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., To reaffirm the findings of the US intelligence community that Russia interfered in the 2016 elections. Twice in the past two weeks, Republicans opposed motions to advance the measure, saying that they prefer a more strategic approach that goes beyond the symbolic resolutions
Democrats House were thwarted in their attempts to strike new sanctions. US elections and the reinforcement of electoral security funds in states like Republicans have blocked these votes.
Major Republicans make more federal spending on electoral security. The Senate Appropriations Committee GOP Chair, Alabama Senator Richard Shelby, said on Monday that he was worried that federal funds would be subject to "conditions" that would impede electoral operations, which he said should be left to the States
. The United States has "learned a lot" about Russian interference. "So, I think we are much better prepared today than a few years ago."
But the President added that there was more to do for Congress.
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