U.S. Senate committee passes Russia energy bills, delays vote on sanctions 'from hell'

By Patricia Zengerle

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A U.S. Senate committee approved legislation on Wednesday targeting Russian energy and boosting NATO but delayed voting, likely until next year, on a measure often known as the “sanctions bill from hell” to punish Moscow for meddling in the 2016 U.S. election.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved the “Energy Security Cooperation with Allied Partners in Europe Act of 2019,” which calls for sanctions over Russia’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline, encourages NATO member countries not to buy Russian gas and expedites exports of U.S. .

That vote, like the others, sent the act to the full Senate, but there has been no indication yet of when, if ever, the chamber’s Republican leaders would allow votes on the bills. The Senate’s Republican leaders have allowed little Senate floor time this year on matters besides confirmation of Trump’s nominees for federal judgeships and other key posts.

They must pass the full Senate and House of Representatives before they can go to the White House for President Donald Trump to sign into law, or veto.

Lawmakers, including some of Trump’s fellow Republicans, have been pushing the White House to take a harder stance against Russia over actions including alleged election interference, its annexation of Crimea from Ukraine and support for Syria’s government in that country’s civil war.

The committee also approved the European Energy Security and Diversification Act, directing the State Department to prioritize assistance to develop energy infrastructure in Europe.

And it passed legislation that would require the State Department to determine whether Russia should be designated a state sponsor of terrorism, as well as a measure requiring congressional approval if the president seeks to withdraw from NATO.

But the committee did not consider the Defending American Security from Kremlin Aggression Act of 2019, known as DASKA, introduced in February by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and Bob Menendez, the top Democrat on the foreign relations panel.

Targets of the DASKA sanctions would include: Russian banks that support efforts to interfere in foreign elections; the country’s cyber sector; new sovereign debt, and individuals deemed to “facilitate illicit and corrupt activities, directly or indirectly, on behalf of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin.”

It also would impose several strict measures on Russia’s oil and gas sector.

Senate aides said the committee delayed considering the bill because Graham was chairing a Judiciary Committee hearing. That committee’s chairman, Republican Senator Jim Risch, said the panel would consider it next week, but aides said that could slip until next year, given that lawmakers are due to leave Washington next week for their year-end holiday recess.

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