Sen. Lindsey Graham will be remembered Tuesday in Washington, where world leaders including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy are expected to attend memorial services at the U.S. Capitol rotunda and National Cathedral. The late senator's final legislative priority — a sweeping sanctions package against Russia — could face a key Senate procedural vote Tuesday night.
Graham died suddenly earlier this month at age 71. His sister, Darline Graham, was appointed to fill his seat, making her South Carolina's first female senator.
The renamed legislation now includes additional measures targeting Iran's economy and Russia's "shadow fleet" of tankers hauling energy exports. It proposes up to 500% tariffs on Russian imports and up to 100% tariffs on countries purchasing Russian energy, including China and India.
What the Right Is Saying
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., teed up the package last week and expressed confidence in Tuesday's procedural vote. "I hope to — you know, the motion to get on it will be a very bipartisan vote," Thune said. "If it is, I think that will at least set up a path to get it done."
Rep. William Timmons, R-S.C., who became close friends with Graham over years of playing golf together, described him as singularly focused on public service. "I just think that he was very much singularly focused on public service, whether it was the military or in Congress or as a senator," Timmons said. "It literally was his entire life."
Republican senators have emphasized Graham's decades of work on foreign policy and national security, arguing the sanctions package represents the culmination of his career-long advocacy for confronting Russian aggression. The legislation grants President Donald Trump flexibility to waive certain sanctions through a "national interest certification" process.
What the Left Is Saying
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., a key architect of the sanctions package, quoted Graham in describing its significance. "To quote Senator Graham, 'It's a big effing deal. We all did well. We all did good,'" Blumenthal told Fox News Digital. "Those were among the last comments he made to me. Neither of us knowing that he was going to pass."
Blumenthal called it "a profoundly significant part of his legacy" and said Graham's work on national security issues would be remembered. "It's a huge achievement for him," Blumenthal continued. "I'm very proud to be his partner in that effort." The senator acknowledged the package is not yet complete. "We are not there yet," he said, adding he hopes it passes.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has been in discussions with Majority Leader John Thune about advancing the measure. Democrats have broadly supported the Russia sanctions framework while pushing for the inclusion of Iran measures and provisions addressing energy trade with U.S. allies.
What the Numbers Show
The Russia sanctions package includes tariffs of up to 500% on Russian imports and up to 100% on countries purchasing Russian energy, including China and India — nations that have continued buying Russian oil despite Western pressure. The measure targets Russia's maritime "shadow fleet," estimated by analysts to comprise hundreds of vessels transporting crude oil and petroleum products outside established shipping lanes.
The package also includes new sanctions against Iran targeting its oil exports and financial networks. Senate records show bipartisan support for Russia sanctions has remained consistently above 70% approval among lawmakers since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, though negotiations over specific provisions have delayed previous legislative efforts.
Graham served six terms representing South Carolina, first elected in 1998. He was 71 at the time of his death.
The Bottom Line
The fate of Graham's signature sanctions package will be determined in the coming days. Tuesday night's procedural vote represents the first major hurdle; if it clears with bipartisan support — as Thune and Blumenthal both expect — final passage could follow within weeks.
World leaders attending Graham's memorial services underscore his international reputation, particularly regarding Ukraine. Zelenskyy's presence highlights how closely the sanctions legislation is tied to ongoing support for Kyiv's defense against Russian invasion.
What happens after Tuesday: The Senate must still reconcile any differences with House versions of the bill before it reaches Trump's desk. Lawmakers in both chambers have signaled willingness to move quickly on a package honoring Graham, though trade provisions affecting China and India could complicate negotiations.