Democrats fear slowdown of Russia sanctions bill in House
WASHINGTON (AP) — Legislation that would hit Russia with economic sanctions and limit President Donald Trump's authority to lift the penalties faces an uncertain future in the House despite the bill's heavily bipartisan backing in the Senate.
Instead of moving for a quick vote to build on the burst of momentum created in the Senate, where the measure won 98 votes last week, the Republican leadership in the House has sent the sweeping sanctions package to the Foreign Affairs Committee for a review.
[...] a move amid multiple investigations into Russia meddling in the 2016 presidential election would trigger an outcry among Democrats and some Republicans.
The sanctions package approved by the Senate is aimed at rebuking Russia for what U.S. intelligence agencies concluded was a hidden campaign to influence the 2016 presidential election to favor Trump.
The Obama administration struck back at Moscow in late December with a series of penalties aimed at Russia's leading spy agencies, the GRU and FSB, that the U.S. said were involved.