Raja Krishnamoorthi Sole Indian-American Lawmaker to Back Russia Sanctions Bill
The Illinois Democrat supported the House measure while five other Indian-American lawmakers voted against it.
WASHINGTON, Sept 18: Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi was the only Indian-American member of the US House of Representatives to vote in favour of legislation imposing tougher sanctions on Russia, breaking with the other Indian-American Democrats in Congress.
The House passed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 by a 262-159 vote on September 16. The legislation targets Russia’s energy and financial sectors and gives the US president authority to impose tariffs of up to 100% on countries that continue to purchase Russian oil and gas. India and China could be among the countries affected by the provision.
Krishnamoorthi was the only one of the six Indian-American members of the House to support the measure. Ro Khanna, Pramila Jayapal, Ami Bera, Shri Thanedar and Suhas Subramanyam voted against it, according to the House vote.
The legislation had earlier cleared the Senate by an 86-11 vote in August before returning to the House for consideration of the Senate amendments.
The bill also includes provisions aimed at Russian officials, financial institutions and oil transport networks used to evade existing restrictions. Its tariff authority has drawn particular attention because of the potential consequences for major buyers of Russian energy.
Ahead of the House vote, Krishnamoorthi met members of the Illinois Ukraine Action group, a Ukrainian advocacy organisation. Following the meeting, he said the people of Ukraine continued to fight for their freedom and sovereignty and that the United States should maintain its support.
Krishnamoorthi, a Democrat representing Illinois, had unsuccessfully contested the Democratic primary for the US Senate earlier this year. He is scheduled to leave the House in January next year.
His vote comes as the legislation moves to the White House. India has said the proposed tariff authority could have implications for bilateral relations and the global energy market, while the Kremlin has warned that the new measures could make efforts toward a Ukraine peace agreement more difficult.
