Britt focuses on Russia sanctions legislation, arguing for cutting off Putin’s funding and giving the President economic tools, and she supports her case with specifics such as the negotiated expiry of Section 113’s authorities and named co-authors of the bill. She frames the issue in bipartisan terms and defers to party messaging on ‘peace through strength’ rather than raising unrelated issues. Her two floor statements here lean heavily on personal tribute and emotional framing—describing drone strikes on civilians and memorializing the late lead sponsor—with vivid imagery doing more persuasive work than evidence or argument. Both statements are short and direct, with no visible personal attacks on opponents, but she is seen so far only on this one issue.Written by AI from their statements. Updated .
“We must stand against Vladimir Putin and cut off his money because of his attacks on Ukrainian civilians. I want to keep this part of the bill to give President Trump the tools he needs to end the war.”
“Mr. President, the Senate has a spine. That is exactly what we are doing here today is standing with a steel spine. We are standing against Putin’s aggression. You saw, this week, him actually attack innocent Ukrainians. Ballistic drones go, hit breweries. They hit innocent civilians working in warehouses. This is enough. Today, we stand together to say: We are going to cut off the flow of money to Putin. Senator Lindsey Graham said that this part, the part that our colleague from Kentucky wants to rip out, was actually the heart of this bill; that this was the way to hit Putin where it hurt most. Section 113 was carefully negotiated, and these authorities expire and are not permanent. Today, we send a message to Vladimir Putin, and we give President Trump the tools he needs to end this war.”
Official Congressional Record
Mr. President, the Senate has a spine. That is exactly what we are doing here today is standing with a steel spine. We are standing against Putin’s aggression. You saw, this week, him actually attack innocent Ukrainians. Ballistic drones go, hit breweries. They hit innocent civilians working in warehouses. This is enough. Today, we stand together to say: We are going to cut off the flow of money to Putin. Senator Lindsey Graham said that this part, the part that our colleague from Kentucky wants to rip out, was actually the heart of this bill; that this was the way to hit Putin where it hurt most. Section 113 was carefully negotiated, and these authorities expire and are not permanent. Today, we send a message to Vladimir Putin, and we give President Trump the tools he needs to end this war.
“I want the Senate to pass this sanctions bill to honor the late Senator Lindsey Graham. The bill gives the president more power to sanction people who fund Russia's war, stops countries from buying Russian oil and gas, and punishes Iran.”
“Mr. President, 2 weeks ago, I stood alongside so many of my Senate colleagues from both sides of the aisle, in a press conference, to announce the Russia sanctions legislation. It was just 3 days before that that this legislation and this cause lost its champion, Senator Lindsey Graham. Today, many of us attended his service at the National Cathedral, and in typical Lindsey fashion, he somehow orchestrated a vote on Ukraine’s future--on peace through strength--on that very same day. While this sanctions bill quickly amassed bipartisan support across the Senate, it took more than a year of tireless work by one man and a few friends--Senator Dick Blumenthal, Senator Jeanne Shaheen, and Senator Roger Wicker--to finally get this to the floor. Even though Lindsey is not physically with us today, his presence can certainly be felt in this Chamber. During his 33 years of public service, Lindsey achieved a great deal. He used his role on the Senate Appropriations Committee to make sure that South Carolina’s hard-earned taxpayer dollars went back home. He was a fierce and outspoken advocate for the most vulnerable among us--the unborn. He led the fight to repeal section 230 because he believed in protecting the next generation online. He believed in blind justice, in defending the Constitution, and in confirming judges to the bench who would uphold the law. And he was an incredible colleague, mentor, and friend. This list of accomplishments, while it doesn’t even span all of the things he did, is impressive, but it is this legislation--this legislation we are voting on today--that he told me would be the most consequential piece of legislation that he ever led and got to the President’s desk. Now, that is saying something. It is an honor to now help champion one of his highest priorities, and not just for Lindsey, but importantly for the doctrine which he so deeply and passionately believed; that is, peace through strength. Today, we have an opportunity to advance this legislation at a critical juncture in the war, where Russia is the weakest that it has been since the start of the war more than 4 years ago. This legislation will give the President the tools and the economic firepower that he needs to sanction individuals who fund Russian war and its machine, to stop countries from purchasing Russian oil and gas that is Putin’s financial lifeline, and it will also hold the regime in Tehran accountable for fueling 47 years of terrorism around the globe. There is no reason this legislation should not advance with overwhelming bipartisan support, and I hope that that is what we see here today. Ukraine and the world need this war of aggression to end. As I reflected today on Lindsey’s service and his life and so many memories that I have of him, one thing came to mind. When we were leaving Normandy after being there for the 80th anniversary of D-day, he said to me: I want you to remember how important the decisions we, as political leaders, make because if we fail to do our job, young men and women are sent into harm’s way. He said: There is no doubt the ``greatest generation’’ earned that title, and he said the decision that was in front of us right now--as he reflected on all of this--was that people miscalculated Hitler. He said many were doing the exact same thing to Putin, and he believed that that miscalculation would ultimately be an enormous mistake. So let’s honor Lindsey’s memory the best way we know how, by responding to Putin’s war of aggression with a show of strength and vote today to hold the Kremlin accountable. It is time now to get the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 to the President’s desk. I hope my colleagues will join me in doing just that this evening. I yield the floor.”
Mr. President, 2 weeks ago, I stood alongside so many of my Senate colleagues from both sides of the aisle, in a press conference, to announce the Russia sanctions legislation. It was just 3 days before that that this legislation and this cause lost its champion, Senator Lindsey Graham. Today, many of us attended his service at the National Cathedral, and in typical Lindsey fashion, he somehow orchestrated a vote on Ukraine’s future--on peace through strength--on that very same day. While this sanctions bill quickly amassed bipartisan support across the Senate, it took more than a year of tireless work by one man and a few friends--Senator Dick Blumenthal, Senator Jeanne Shaheen, and Senator Roger Wicker--to finally get this to the floor. Even though Lindsey is not physically with us today, his presence can certainly be felt in this Chamber. During his 33 years of public service, Lindsey achieved a great deal. He used his role on the Senate Appropriations Committee to make sure that South Carolina’s hard-earned taxpayer dollars went back home. He was a fierce and outspoken advocate for the most vulnerable among us--the unborn. He led the fight to repeal section 230 because he believed in protecting the next generation online. He believed in blind justice, in defending the Constitution, and in confirming judges to the bench who would uphold the law. And he was an incredible colleague, mentor, and friend. This list of accomplishments, while it doesn’t even span all of the things he did, is impressive, but it is this legislation--this legislation we are voting on today--that he told me would be the most consequential piece of legislation that he ever led and got to the President’s desk. Now, that is saying something. It is an honor to now help champion one of his highest priorities, and not just for Lindsey, but importantly for the doctrine which he so deeply and passionately believed; that is, peace through strength. Today, we have an opportunity to advance this legislation at a critical juncture in the war, where Russia is the weakest that it has been since the start of the war more than 4 years ago. This legislation will give the President the tools and the economic firepower that he needs to sanction individuals who fund Russian war and its machine, to stop countries from purchasing Russian oil and gas that is Putin’s financial lifeline, and it will also hold the regime in Tehran accountable for fueling 47 years of terrorism around the globe. There is no reason this legislation should not advance with overwhelming bipartisan support, and I hope that that is what we see here today. Ukraine and the world need this war of aggression to end. As I reflected today on Lindsey’s service and his life and so many memories that I have of him, one thing came to mind. When we were leaving Normandy after being there for the 80th anniversary of D-day, he said to me: I want you to remember how important the decisions we, as political leaders, make because if we fail to do our job, young men and women are sent into harm’s way. He said: There is no doubt the ``greatest generation’’ earned that title, and he said the decision that was in front of us right now--as he reflected on all of this--was that people miscalculated Hitler. He said many were doing the exact same thing to Putin, and he believed that that miscalculation would ultimately be an enormous mistake. So let’s honor Lindsey’s memory the best way we know how, by responding to Putin’s war of aggression with a show of strength and vote today to hold the Kremlin accountable. It is time now to get the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 to the President’s desk. I hope my colleagues will join me in doing just that this evening. I yield the floor.
