Tougher Russia sanctions face skepticism from Senate Republicans [View all]

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Source: The Hill

An effort to slap new financial penalties on Russia ahead of the midterms is facing pushback from Senate Republicans who question whether that's the best approach.

Senators emphasize that while they want to prevent Russia from interfering in U.S. elections, they aren't sure how to accomplish that. They’re also questioning if sanctions legislation should be the only option for the U.S.

Talk of new legislation on Capitol Hill comes as Trump has repeatedly cast doubt on whether Russia interfered in the 2016 election, despite findings from both the U.S. intelligence community and the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Any new legislation would likely have to overcome pushback from Trump’s staunchest congressional allies, as well as a White House that has been wary of efforts by Congress to insert itself into foreign policy. Legislative proponents also face a tight calendar if they want to get a bill to Trump’s desk before the midterms: The House is out until September and expected to leave town again for the back half of October.

Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/400343-tougher-russia-sanctions-face-skepticism-from-senate-republicans