U.S. House to vote on Bill imposing sanctions on Russia, Iran, North Korea

New York [U.S.A], July 23 (ANI): The U.S. House will vote on the bill agreed by Congressional Republicans and Democrats, that include a package of sanctions against Russia, Iran and North Korea, thus making it harder for President Donald Trump to lift sanctions on Moscow. The House will vote on the bill on Tuesday and the Senate is likely to take it up after that. The bipartisan agreement could send the new bill to President Trump by the end of the month. It was not immediately clear whether Trump would veto the bill, an action that would spark an outcry from both parties and risk a potential override with a two-thirds vote. Democrats and some Republicans have expressed concerns that the US President is considering giving Russia back two compounds in Maryland and New York that were seized by the Obama administration in December. The House is scheduled to leave for its August recess at the end of next week. The bill limits Trump's power of easing sanctions on Russia, as it gives Congress power to veto any decision made by the President that would "significantly alter" US foreign policy in connection with Russia, Fox news reported. The White House had objected to a key section of the bill that would mandate a congressional review if Trump attempted to ease or end the sanctions against Moscow. "The legislation ensures that both the majority and minority are able to exercise our oversight role over the administration's implementation of sanctions," said Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., the No. 2 House Democrat. House Majority leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif posted a legislative business schedule that shows the sanctions bill will be voted on Tuesday. McCarthy had pushed to add the North Korea sanctions to the package. The House had overwhelmingly passed legislation in May to hit Pyongyang with additional economic sanctions, but the Senate had yet to take up the bill. "North Korea, Iran and Russia have in different ways all threatened their neighbors and actively sought to undermine American interests," McCarthy and Rep. Ed Royce of California, the Republican chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, said in a joint statement. "The bill the House will vote on next week will now exclusively focus on these nations and hold them accountable for their dangerous actions." The bill was also changed to address concerns voiced by American oil and natural gas companies that sanctions specific to Russia's energy sector could backfire on them to Moscow. Sanctions bill is to punish Russia for its actions during last year's presidential campaign, as well as Moscow's military adventures in Ukraine and Syria, North Korea's missile test and Iran's nuclear deal That measure reflected Republican complaints that former President Obama had overstepped the power of the presidency and needed to be checked by Congress. According to the bill, Trump is required to send Congress a report explaining why he wants to suspend or terminate a particular set of sanctions. Lawmakers would then have 30 days to decide whether to allow the move or reject it. (ANI)