Jeanne Shaheen · TranslatePolitics.com

Senate

Morning Business

2026-08-07

“I don't like that. I want taxpayers to spend more money. More money for my program.”

Senate

Legislative Session

2026-08-07

“I want to stop Russia from selling oil. That will give them less money. They will have a harder time paying for war. I want us to pass this bill. I say it will help Ukraine.”

Senate

Russia Sanctions (Executive Session)

2026-08-07

“I oppose the amendment. It is bad. It will not stop Russia's war machine. We need to put pressure on countries that buy Russian oil and gas. That will stop Putin's war. The amendment will not do that. It is bad. I want my colleagues to oppose it. We need to pass the underlying bill. It will put pressure on Putin. It will help Ukraine. We need to do this now. The war is bad. Russia is killing civilians. We need to stop them. The United States must show determination to support Ukraine. We need to shut down the funding for Russia's war machine. I yield the floor.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. President, I am so pleased to come to the floor this morning to join Senator Blumenthal, one of the sponsors of this legislation, to remember Senator Lindsey Graham and to thank everyone who has worked so hard on this legislation: the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act. And I so appreciate Darline Graham's being here and her support for this. So I am here to support the underlying bill, but I also am here to oppose the Paul-Wyden amendment. Now, I understand the concern of some of my colleagues on tariffs. I share those. I co-led an amicus brief, challenging the President's illegal use of IEEPA to impose tariffs, and appreciated Senator Wyden's partnership on that. That argument prevailed at the Supreme Court. I also oppose any abuse of the tariff authorities that are currently on the books. But the authority in this bill to impose tariffs is very narrowly scoped, and it contains clear guardrails. It explicitly says that the only countries that can be subject to tariffs are the top five purchasers of oil or gas--the top five--and the top five sanctions evaders for Russian oil. So if we are going to be successful at putting pressure on that we need to put pressure on to get Vladimir Putin to the table, we have got to shut down the money that he is getting from oil and gas, and that is what this bill would do. These tariffs have one purpose: to make it more costly for countries to keep buying the Russian energy that funds Putin's war. This amendment does not restore Congress' constitutional authority over trade, which listening to the authors, you might question. And if this amendment is adopted, President Trump's existing tariff authorities remain exactly where they are today. The only thing that would change would be our ability to put pressure on countries that are still buying Russian energy. So I oppose this amendment. I urge my colleagues to oppose it as well. And I think one of the critical issues here is the urgency of where we are in this war right now. The momentum is on Ukraine's side. This is Russia's worst summer of the war yet, but we know the situation can change quickly against Ukraine. China is supporting Russia's efforts to regain battlefield advantage by helping the Russians develop their own version of Starlink, one of the things President Zelenskyy raised a concern about the last time Senator Graham and I had a chance to meet with him in Ankara at the NATO summit. According to President Zelenskyy, that technology that China is working on can be available as early as November. That would advance Russia's drone technology to catch up with Ukraine. The battlefield could look significantly different in the next 6 to 12 months, and that could roll back Ukraine's advantages. Now is the time to put more pressure on Putin. This legislation, if it is advanced before the August recess, will be ahead of Russia's upcoming elections. They hold their legislative elections in mid- September. After that, Putin is likely to be required to change conscription in response to the severe shortage of recruits because they are losing 35,000 Russians a month. Advancing the legislation ahead of Russia's upcoming elections will increase pressure on Putin to seriously revisit prospects for a peace deal. And make no mistake: Russia is watching what we do. We have the history of this war to show that every time the United States backs away from putting pressure on Russia, from helping Ukraine, from funding the war, Russia ramps up its attacks in Ukraine. It kills more civilians. And that is where we are. If we can't shut down the funding for the war machine that Russia is using against Ukraine, then they are going to keep at it. We have to show the determination that the United States feels to support this emerging democracy that Senator Blumenthal was so eloquent to talk about. So that is why there is real urgency for what we are doing today, not just to pass this underlying sanctions bill but to make sure that the tariffs that are funding Russia's war machine can shut down the oil and gas that is keeping that war machine going. So I hope all of my colleagues will oppose this amendment and support the underlying bill. I yield the floor.

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Senate

Sanctions (Executive Session)

2026-07-28

“I want to put more economic pressure on Russia. Our bill will add sanctions on Russia's banks and energy sector. It will also put tariffs on countries that buy a lot of Russian oil and gas. Some people don't like the tariffs. They say the last President used tariffs too much. But the tariffs in this bill have a clear goal. The goal is to hurt Russia's war effort. We need to do this now. Ukraine is fighting back hard. They are attacking inside Russia. We need to help them. The President of Ukraine wants us to pass this bill. It will reduce Russia's money to make war.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. President, I come to the floor today in support of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act. I want to applaud Senator Schumer's comments about supporting this legislation to try and end the war in Ukraine. I applaud Senator Britt and Senator Wicker, and, of course, Senator Blumenthal who has worked for over a year to get to this point and thank Senator Darline Graham for her efforts to support this legislation. I had the privilege of traveling with Senator Graham earlier this month on what tragically turned out to be his final codel. We all know that he was a tireless advocate for Ukraine. He knew that Ukrainians stand on the frontlines of freedom. This legislation is designed to cut off Vladimir Putin's most important resource in his war against Ukraine: his money. And you can see from this poster, what this legislation does is impose mandatory sanctions that target Russia's war machine; it clamps down on Russia's shadow fleet; it strengthens financial and export restrictions; and it enforces targeted duties on top purchasers of Russian oil and gas. This includes sanctions against the Russian central bank, which keeps Russia's war economy afloat; Sberbank, the country's largest lender; and Gazprombank, which has helped finance Russia's energy exports. It also sanctions Russia's energy sector and the executives who run it, the major state energy projects that generate billions for the Kremlin, and future arctic energy projects designed to keep that revenue flowing. For the first time, this bill would impose sanctions on the Russia shadow fleet and any foreign vessel that is used by the Russian Government for sanctions evasion. It would impose tariffs on imports from the top five countries buying Russia crude oil or natural gas, and it would impose tariffs on imports from those top five countries facilitating Russia's oil sanctions evasion. We know who topped that list in 2025; it was China. They topped both lists. They continue buying Russian oil, even as Russia kills civilians and kidnaps Ukrainian children. And as sponsors of this bill, we have worked hard to protect our allies, those who have worked hard to get off of Russia's natural gas purchases. Now, some have raised concerns about the tariff provisions in this bill. They say that President Trump has used tariffs indiscriminately to target our closest allies. Well, I agree. But in the case of this bill, Congress is explicitly directing these tariffs for one unambiguous purpose: to increase the pressure on Vladimir Putin and end his unprovoked war against Ukraine. That is why this bill is narrowly targeted at the worst actors supporting Russia. I saw the consequences of Putin's strategy firsthand earlier this year on a congressional visit to Odessa. It was winter. Ours was the first official congressional delegation to visit Odessa. The Russians had destroyed every bridge going into the city, except the one that our convoy crossed over that the engineers--Ukrainian engineers--had managed to patch together. And, sadly, it is not a new phenomenon because Russia deliberately targets civilian infrastructure to break the will of the Ukrainian people, and it attacks American businesses. It attacks the grain silos of ships that help feed the world. And you can see what they are doing. This is a rescue worker at a Philip Morris factory in Kharkiv. They have attacked Coca-Cola, Cargill, Mondelez. Others have been deliberately hit. And when we met with businesspeople who were working for those American companies in Ukraine, they said they believed they were being deliberately targeted by Russia. So for those people who are concerned about the tariffs, consider the cost of continuing to do nothing. Pressure is the only language Vladimir Putin understands. It is the only thing he responds to, and that is why it is critical that we pass the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act today. The Ukrainians are making great progress. They are striking deep inside of Russia. They are targeting defense factories and oil facilities that enable Putin's war. And now is the time for us to do everything possible to put pressure on Putin. President Zelenskyy supports this bill. Everything that reduces Russia's revenues reduce the ability for Russia to continue the war against Ukraine. As ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I believe this is the only bill that Congress has before it that has a realistic path forward for imposing new sanctions on Russia. This is our best opportunity to support Ukraine, who are defending not just their country, but the rest of Europe from an increasingly aggressive Russia. And so I call on all my colleagues to vote for this bill to send Vladimir Putin a bipartisan message in a language that he understands. Let's pass the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act. I yield the floor.

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Senate

Recognizing the Appalachian Mountain Club

2026-07-21

“I want to thank a group for taking care of trails and nature for 150 years. This group made it easier to enjoy the outdoors. They support good laws to protect forests and trails. They help people hike and learn outside. I am happy the government gave money to improve some trails in New Hampshire. Now even people in wheelchairs can enjoy nature. I want people to keep protecting nature for the next 150 years.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to the Appalachian Mountain Club and recognize its 150 years of dedicated service in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions of our country. As the Nation's oldest continuously operating outdoor recreation and conservation organization, the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) has encouraged generations of Americans to venture outside and protect the region's most beautiful and prized mountain landscapes. AMC began with a call from Professor Edward Charles Pickering for ``those interested in mountain exploration'' to attend a meeting in early January 1876 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. According to news reports at the time, the meeting drew interest from 30 to 40 people. They gathered in an era when more Americans were beginning to appreciate mountains for their unparalleled beauty, their open space for recreation, and their considerable value for scientific study of the natural world. In the early years of the organization, members set their sights on New Hampshire's White Mountains to visit, create accurate maps, build accessible trails, and collect data in a variety of fields from botany to geology to meteorology. They published the first edition of Appalachia in 1876, which grew into the Nation's leading and longest running journal on outdoor exploration and conservation. In 1888, AMC opened its first backcountry hut in the Presidential Range and dramatically reshaped the culture of hiking in the region. The Madison Spring Hut has not only offered overnight shelter to exhausted hikers, but also contributed to scientific research, supported trail stewardship and visitor safety, and helped protect a fragile alpine environment. AMC still operates a network of eight huts in New Hampshire's White Mountains, and they epitomize the organization's founding philosophy of making mountain experiences more accessible while also promoting stewardship of the landscape. AMC's advocacy for the passage of the Weeks Act in 1911 is another example of its work at the intersection of conservation and recreation. Known as one of the most important conservation laws in American history, the Weeks Act authorized the Federal Government to purchase private land for the purpose of restoring and protecting forests and watersheds. It led directly to the establishment of the White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire and later dozens of other national forests in the eastern United States. Today, nearly 20 million acres of forestland have been permanently protected through the Weeks Act. Thanks in large part to the public support AMC generated for its passage, Americans will enjoy the many environmental, economic and recreational benefits of these lands for generations to come. The Weeks Act was a defining public policy achievement for AMC, but it was far from its last. Throughout the next century, its members and volunteers would continue to advocate for smart, forward-thinking legislation and programs that balance recreation, scientific research, conservation, and public access to this valuable mountain environment. AMC launched the Maine Woods Initiative in 2003 to conserve land, support sustainable forestry, create new trails, and enhance climate resilience across Maine's 100-Mile Wilderness. It also championed the Highlands Conservation Act in 2004 that protected thousands of acres of forestlands and watersheds in Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Most recently, AMC promoted the passage of the Great American Outdoors Act and the permanent reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund. This legislation is helping to tackle a substantial backlog of maintenance projects on Federal public lands. While promoting and raising public awareness for conservation, AMC never lost sight of one of its earliest objectives: to build and maintain public trails. It remains one of the Northeast's largest trail stewards. AMC crews care for more than 1,800 miles of trails across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, including many of New Hampshire's most popular routes. In 2021, I was proud to secure Federal funding used by AMC to restore and realign the Franconia Ridge Loop Trail, one of the Northeast's premier hikes. I was also pleased to see AMC open the Cardigan Mountain All-Persons Trail in 2023, a half-mile trail in Alexandria, NH, that allows people with wheelchairs and other mobility devices to take in a tranquil mountain setting. The 150th anniversary of the Appalachian Mountain Club is worthy of celebration. It is an opportunity to reflect on a century-and-a-half of advocacy and hard work that has strengthened our connection with each other and the natural world. It is also a chance to look forward and recommit to the longstanding mission of this worthy organization: to foster the protection, enjoyment, and understanding of the outdoors. I ask all Americans to join me in recognizing these enduring contributions and saluting the next generation of AMC staff, volunteers, explorers, and stewards who will carry forth this legacy in the next 150 years and beyond.

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Senate

Vote Explanation

2026-07-21

“I was not here for these votes. I want the Senate to know how I would have voted. I would have voted yes on some. I would have voted no on others. These votes are important.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. President, I was necessarily absent, but had I been present, I would have voted yes on rollcall vote No. 50, On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture Re: Amdt. No. 4308). I was necessarily absent, but had I been present, I would have voted yes on rollcall vote No. 52, On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: H.R. 6644 as amended). I was necessarily absent, but had I been present, I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 54, On Cloture on the Motion to Proceed (Motion to Invoke Cloture Re: Motion to Proceed to H.R. 7147). I was necessarily absent, but had I been present, I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 59, On Cloture on the Motion to Proceed (Upon Reconsideration, Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to H.R. 7147). I was necessarily absent, but had I been present, I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 60, On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: Tuberville Amdt. No. 4421 to the Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to S. 1383 with Amendment). I was necessarily absent, but had I been present, I would have voted yes on rollcall vote No. 61, On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: Schumer Motion to Suspend the Rules re: TSA Funding). I was necessarily absent, but had I been present, I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 62, On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: Markwayne Mullin to be Secretary of Homeland Security). I was necessarily absent, but had I been present, I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 168, On the Nomination (Confirmation: Anthony J. Powell, of Kansas, to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Kansas). I was necessarily absent, but had I been present, I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 171, On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: Justin D. Smith to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Eighth Circuit). I was necessarily absent, but had I been present, I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 189, On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: Arthur Roberts Jones to be U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Texas). I was necessarily absent, but had I been present, I would have voted yes on rollcall vote No. 190, On the Motion to Proceed (Motion to Proceed to S.J. Res. 196).

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