[ti:US Sanctions Bill Goes to Trump, Russia Responds]
[by:www.21voa.com]
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[00:00.04]The United States Congress has approved a bill
[00:04.52]placing new sanctions on Russia, Iran and North Korea.
[00:11.38]The measure passed both houses of Congress this week.
[00:18.16]The vote in the House was 419-3,
[00:23.48]while the Senate approved it 98-2.
[00:29.48]If President Donald Trump signs the bill, it becomes law.
[00:35.44]If he vetoes it, Congress is likely to override the veto to allow it to become law.
[00:45.56]White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci
[00:50.88]left open the possibility that Trump could reject the new sanctions.
[00:57.76]He told CNN on Thursday the president might decide to veto,
[01:04.00]then try to "negotiate an even tougher deal against the Russians."
[01:11.12]Top lawmakers from both parties criticized a possible presidential veto.
[01:19.08]"I think that would be a very bad mistake,"
[01:22.80]Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, a Texas Republican, told VOA.
[01:30.36]"What would be better is if they [White House officials] worked with us on the legislation."
[01:36.92]Democratic Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland  said the bill gives Trump
[01:43.20]a better negotiating position with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
[01:50.08]"If he vetoes it, it means he doesn't want a stronger hand
[01:55.48]in dealing with Mr. Putin," Cardin said.
[01:59.80]The bill places economic restrictions on many Russian industries.
[02:07.52]Russia's economy has already felt the effects from 2014 sanctions
[02:14.16]placed in response to Moscow's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine.
[02:22.48]The new sanctions are meant to punish Russia for that action.
[02:28.00]They are also a response to U.S. intelligence findings
[02:32.68]that Russia took steps to interfere in the U.S. presidential election.
[02:39.64]President Putin has repeatedly denied his government
[02:44.44]had any involvement in trying to influence the American election.
[02:51.44]In addition to Russia, the bill places sanctions on North Korea
[02:57.40]for its continued nuclear program.
[03:01.56]The measure bars North Korean ships from operating
[03:05.62]in American waters or docking at U.S. ports.
[03:11.24]The ban extends to ships from nations not following
[03:15.64]United Nations resolutions against North Korea.
[03:20.95]The bill bans goods produced by North Korea's forced labor from entering the U.S.
[03:29.96]Also, the legislation punishes people involved
[03:34.48]in Iran's ballistic missile program and anyone doing business with them.
[03:41.40]It also places restrictions on Iran's Revolutionary Guards.
[03:48.68]Russia was quick to criticize passage of the bill
[03:53.24]and answered with its own diplomatic measures.
[03:58.56]The Russian foreign ministry said the sanctions were evidence
[04:03.20]of "extreme aggression of the U.S. in international affairs."
[04:09.92]Russian officials called in outgoing U.S. ambassador John Tefft in Moscow
[04:16.56]to inform him of its own countermeasures.
[04:21.28]Russia ordered the U.S. to cut hundreds of diplomatic positions in the country
[04:27.52]to match the number of Russian diplomatic workers in the United States.
[04:33.68]In addition, Russia said it would block entry to two diplomatic properties in Moscow.
[04:42.36]The European Union expressed its concerns,
[04:46.04]saying the new sanctions could harm Europe's energy industry.
[04:52.40]Several nations – including Germany and France
[04:56.68]– said the sanctions might harm businesses
[05:00.32]that carry Russian natural gas through pipelines.
[05:05.88]Senior Republicans said they had responded by making changes to the bill
[05:12.36]to deal with some of the European concerns.
[05:17.16]I'm Bryan Lynn.
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