White House: reviewing House bill on Russia sanctions

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The White House said it was reviewing a bill passed on Tuesday by the US House of Representatives imposing new sanctions on Russia, the DPRK and Iran.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said in a statement that while President Trump supports tough sanctions, the White House is reviewing the House legislation and awaits a final legislative package for the President’s desk.

US President Donald Trump, flanked by Secretary of Veterans Affairs David Shulkin (L), participates in an event celebrating veterans at AMVETS Post 44 in Struthers, Ohio, US, July 25, 2017. /Reuters Photo

The US House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly on Tuesday, backing the sanction bill by a near unanimous margin of 419-3, with strong support from Trump's fellow Republicans as well as Democrats, despite objections from Trump, who wanted more control over the ability to impose sanctions.

House Speaker Paul Ryan said the bill is "one of the most expansive sanctions packages in history" and "tightens the screws on our most dangerous adversaries in order to keep Americans safe."

A DPRK flag flutters on top of a tower at the propaganda village of Gijungdong near the truce village of Panmunjom, South Korea, July 19, 2017. /Reuters Photo

The sanctions bill coincided with lawmakers taking steps to show they are willing to push hard as they investigate possible meddling by Russia in the 2016 presidential election and potential collusion by Trump's campaign.

Moscow has denied it worked to influence the election in the Republican candidate's favor, while Trump has denied his campaign colluded.

Investigations

The intense focus on Russia, involving several congressional probes and a separate investigation by a Justice Department-appointed special counsel, has overshadowed Trump's agenda.

The scrutiny has angered and frustrated the president, who calls the investigation a politically motivated witch hunt fueled by Democrats who cannot accept his upset win in last November's election against Democratic Party candidate Hillary Clinton, a former US Secretary of State.

Without offering evidence, Trump lashed out on Twitter on Tuesday about "Ukrainian efforts to sabotage" his presidential campaign in order to aid Clinton.

The Ukrainian embassy to Washington denied the accusations.

US Senior Adviser Jared Kushner attends a joint statement from US President Donald Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, US, June 30, 2017. /Reuters Photo

The Senate Judiciary Committee said on Tuesday it wanted Paul Manafort, a former campaign manager for Trump, to appear at a hearing as part of its investigation.

Also on Tuesday, Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, spent three hours with the House of Representatives intelligence panel, his second straight day on Capitol Hill, answering questions about his contacts with Russians during the campaign.

Republican representative Michael Conaway said Kushner was "straightforward and forthcoming. He wanted to answer every question that we had."

Kushner, who is now a top aide in Trump's White House, told reporters on Monday he had no part in any Kremlin plot.

(Source: Reuters, AFP)

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