American senators want stiff sanctions on key industries to discourage Russia from election meddling
- The proposed Deter Act is aimed at increasing pressure on Moscow over a range of ‘bad behaviour’
- Sanctions will affect Russia’s banking, energy and defence sectors
US Republican and Democratic senators will introduce legislation on Wednesday seeking to deter Russia from meddling in US elections by threatening stiff sanctions on its banking, energy and defence industries and sovereign debt.
Known as the “Deter Act”, the legislation is the latest effort by lawmakers in the United States to ratchet up pressure on Moscow over what they see as a range of bad behaviour, from its aggression in Ukraine and involvement in Syria’s civil war to attempts to influence US elections.
The measure will be introduced by Senators Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat, and Marco Rubio, a Republican. They offered a similar measure last year, when it also had bipartisan support but was never brought up for a vote by the Senate’s Republican leaders, who have close ties to President Donald Trump.
Trump has gone along with some previous congressional efforts to increase sanctions on Russia, although sometimes reluctantly.
According to details of the legislation seen by Reuters, it would require the US director of National Intelligence (DNI) to determine, within 30 days of any federal election, whether Russia or any other foreign government, or anyone acting as an agent of that government, had engaged in election interference.
If the DNI found such interference occurred, the act would require, among other things, that mandatory sanctions be imposed within 10 days on, among others, Russian banks and energy companies.