Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell signaled Tuesday it’s unlikely there will be time to consider new Russia sanctions legislation on the floor during a crowded September, though he did say he’d be interested in taking a look at it.
“September’s pretty crowded already,” Mr. McConnell told reporters at the Capitol. “I’m personally very interested in a Russia sanctions bill. I hope there can be a bipartisan coming together with something we can pass.”
“The chances of sandwiching that in, honestly, in the month of September with all the other items that we have swirling around is probably pretty slim,” he said. “But we’ll be here longer this year, and it would be high on the list for consideration for floor time.”
The Senate already has plans to take up 2019 spending bills, a new farm bill, and the confirmation process for Judge Brett Kavanaugh, President Trump’s nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court, in the coming weeks.
Mr. McConnell cut the chamber’s traditional monthlong August recess short this year, saying the extra time is needed to process more of Mr Trump’s nominees and move forward on 2019 appropriations bills ahead of the next government funding deadline at the end of September.
Earlier this month, a bipartisan group of senators introduced a new package of sanctions to try to deter Moscow from meddling in U.S. elections after 2016.
The legislation would allow the Justice Department to pursue federal charges for the hacking of any voting system, allow for new economic sanctions on political figures and oligarchs with ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, and reaffirm the U.S. commitment to the North Atalntic Treaty Organization, among other provisions.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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