[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 123 (Tuesday, July 28, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4289-S4290]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                               Sanctions

  Mr. WICKER. Mr. President, and now let me join with my colleagues 
from New Hampshire and Alabama in urging a strong ``yes'' vote on the 
motion to proceed to Lindsey Graham's sanctions bill.
  A number of us gathered today, as we have already heard, at the 
National Cathedral for Senator Lindsey Graham's funeral. And in a few 
moments, we will vote to advance a bill that Lindsey Graham made 
possible.
  During the past few days, we have heard a number of stories about 
Lindsey Graham's many idiosyncrasies: his endless energy--he has been 
called the Energizer Bunny--his quotable jokes, his nonquotable quips, 
his one-of-a-kind personality.
  We also remembered his steadfast love for freedom and his intolerance 
for tyrants. The bill we will vote on in a few moments reflects those 
aspects of his personality.
  I have suggested that it is his greatest political achievement. It 
took a Senator like Lindsey Graham to bring this bill so far. In this 
environment, with these stakes, he brought together so many parties. It 
seems he did this almost through the sheer force of his will. I have 
seen that drive for 32 years since we came to Washington together as 
freshmen in 1994.
  Again, I say this could turn out to be Lindsey Graham's greatest 
legislative achievement. The Lindsey Graham sanctions bill will advance 
the cause of freedom, and it will combat Vladimir Putin's war machine. 
It will go after Vladimir Putin, his inner circle, and the shadow fleet 
they use to evade sanctions. It will hold accountable those who 
purchase the most Russian oil and gas. It will also take aim at China's 
investments in Russian weapons production. It will maintain sanctions 
pressure on Iran. These policies will save human lives. They will pave 
the way for even more impressive battlefield achievements by Ukraine.
  The Ukrainians have been resourceful from day one. For 4 years, the 
freedom fighters have managed to stand against a country four times the 
size of theirs. And today, Ukraine is using long-range drone strikes to 
take the war to Russia. I hope to meet with President Zelenskyy of 
Ukraine soon. He regularly refers to these drone strikes as long-range 
sanctions. Let's give Ukraine even more sanctions, even more tools to 
fight back against the dictator Putin.
  This bill will be a moral achievement. It is a clear statement about 
the aggressor in Russia and the nation he is attacking.
  Ukraine targets facilities in Russia used to wage war. On the other 
hand, Vladimir Putin targets apartments, neighborhoods, churches, and 
corner stores. As Ukraine defends its homeland, Vladimir Putin 
callously sends the sons of Russia into bloodshed. He is not persuaded 
by appeals to human rights.
  I have made no secret of my complete disgust for the dictator 
Vladimir Putin and for his many war crimes against the Ukrainian people 
throughout this unprovoked conflict. If we have learned anything about 
the Russian despot Vladimir Putin over the course of this war, it is 
that the slaughter of civilians and even his own Russian troops give 
him no pause. His soulmates are the dead dictators of the previous 
century--Pol Pot, Hitler, Mussolini, and Stalin. Vladimir Putin's name 
deserves to be stated among those disparate war criminals.
  He disregards human life, but he does prize the strength of his war 
machine. For this, Putin relies on his energy sales, and that is what 
we are getting to with this bill. This legislation will help curtail 
those energy sales. It will put maximum economic pressure on Vladimir 
Putin. This is the one thing--apparently the only thing he understands.
  President Trump and President Zelenskyy have long extended the hand 
of peace. Time and again, Putin has answered with more violence, more 
destruction, and more innocent Ukrainian and Russian lives snuffed out.
  Lindsey Graham understood Putin's calculation, and he wrote a bill to 
hit Putin where it hurts. We will have a

[[Page S4290]]

chance to act on that bill today. I expect an overwhelming majority 
vote in favor.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Idaho.