Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., are set to release a bipartisan bill to increase sanctions on Russia over the country's interference in the U.S. presidential election.
The Countering Russian Hostilities Act of 2017, whose chief sponsor is Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland, will depute at an afternoon press conference, Politico reports.
The bill is intended as a message that the GOP wishes to repudiate Russia for its hostile actions despite Republican president-elect Donald Trump has publicly questioned the country's involvement in the hack of the Democratic National Committee.
The sanctions include banning the visas and freezing the assets of "those who undermine the cybersecurity of public or private infrastructure and democratic institutions," according to a summary of the bill from Politico. The bill would also impose sanctions on transactions with Russian defense and intelligence organizations, and codify sanctions placed on Russia over its actions in its 2014 annexation of Crimea. It would also allow U.S. agencies to spend $100 million countering Russia propaganda.
McCain is confident that the bill will find support in Congress.
"People will sign up, I'm sure," he told reporters in early January, according to Politico.
"There will be plenty of people. There will be lots, particularly after this hearing this morning."
Graham said last Thursday that he would "love a better relationship with Russia, but Russia is not interested in a better relationship."
"They are interested in trying to undermine international organizations like the [European Union] and NATO and create discontent in our own backyard," he added.
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