Washington: The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, passed legislation targeting Russia’s energy sector, individuals and its so-called “shadow fleet” of oil tankers.
The Bill also authorises the U.S. President to impose tariffs of up to 100% on countries that continue buying Russian oil and gas under specified conditions. The legislation was passed by 262-159 votes.
The Bill will now be sent to President Donald Trump for his signature. If enacted, it could expose India and other major buyers of Russian energy to significantly higher U.S. tariffs.
India Could Face Higher Tariffs Over Russian Oil Purchases
Under the legislation, countries could become targets if they rank among the five largest importers of Russian-origin crude oil or natural gas by total volume during the 12 months before the law takes effect. They would also need to knowingly make new purchases of Russian crude oil more than 30 days after enactment.
The tariff provisions could also apply to countries among the five largest facilitators of Russian oil sanctions evasion.
However, countries that have taken significant steps to reduce Russian natural gas imports could be exempt. The Bill also provides exemptions where a country’s Russian gas imports account for less than 15% of Russia’s total gas exports.
An amendment proposed by Democratic lawmaker Steny Hoyer to specifically identify 10 major importers, including China, India, Turkiye, Azerbaijan, Hungary, Slovakia, the UAE and Kyrgyz Republic, did not make it into the final House version.
The legislation comes as India and the United States continue negotiations on a preliminary trade agreement. India has also increased its Russian oil purchases compared with last year.
India’s imports of Russian crude reached an 11-month high in April 2026 after the U.S.-Israel war with Iran disrupted energy supplies. Purchases had previously fallen to a 38-month low in December 2025.
The Trump administration had earlier imposed an additional 25% tariff on India over its purchases of Russian energy, on top of an existing 25% tariff. The U.S. Treasury also paused sanctions on certain oil shipments already in transit before March 11.
The latest legislation is an amended version of the Senate’s Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, which passed the Senate 86-11 on August 7.
Lawmakers Raise Concerns Over Presidential Powers
Several lawmakers have opposed the legislation over concerns about the broad tariff powers it could give the President and their potential impact on American consumers.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Gregory Meeks criticised the Bill, while maintaining that he supports sanctions against Russia. He argued that the President already has powers to sanction Russia but has not fully used them.
Meeks also warned that granting additional tariff authority could increase costs for American families. He estimated the potential impact at about $3,000 per American family if tariffs were imposed on the five largest Russian oil importers.
The Bill includes provisions allowing the President to waive sanctions on national-interest grounds, giving the administration discretion over how the new measures are implemented.
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