Seems like some Republicanss are growing worried about Donald Trump’s dealings with Russian companies….
The effort went around GOP Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell….
This should not have a problem in the House….
Is this the first of many rebukes of McConnell and a rising up of the Congress against Trump on some things?
The Senate voted to advance legislation blocking President Trump’s plan to lift sanctions against three Russian companies despite an eleventh-hour effort by the administration to kill the bill.
Senators voted 57-42 to begin debating the resolution, with only a simple majority needed to get over the initial hurdle.
Though only a procedural vote, it’s the latest foreign policy break between the Trump administration and Senate Republicans, who have been wary of his warmer rhetoric toward Moscow.
It comes amid reports that the president has discussed pulling the United States out of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
“I do disapprove of the easing of the sanctions because I think it sends the wrong message to Russia and to the oligarch and close ally of Mr. Putin, Oleg Deripaska, who will in my judgement continue to maintain considerable [ownership] under the Treasury’s plan,” Sen. Susan Collins(R-Maine) told reporters.
In addition to Collins, GOP Sens. John Boozman (Ark.), Tom Cotton (Ark.), Steve Daines (Mont.) Cory Gardner (Colo.), Josh Hawley (Mo.), John Kennedy (La.), Martha McSally (Ariz.), Jerry Moran (Kan.), Marco Rubio (Fla.) and Ben Sasse (Neb.) voted to proceed to the resolution on Tuesday.
The same senators also helped block a separate effort from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to pigeonhole the measure….