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Senate Overwhelmingly Approves Russia Sanctions Bill

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WASHINGTON (CBSMiami) - While lawmakers on Capitol Hill can't agree on the future of health care, they had no problem coming together to approve new sanctions against Russia.

By a vote of 98 to 2, the Senate passed a bill which calls for new sanctions against Russia, North Korea, and Iran. The bill also gives Congress the power to block any effort by the White House to weaken those penalties.

The bill, which passed in the House by a vote of 419 to 3, now heads to the desk of President Donald Trump.

President Trump has not indicated whether he will sign it.

White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci said Mr. Trump may veto the bipartisan sanctions.

"He may sign the sanctions exactly the way they are, or he may veto the sanctions and negotiate an even tougher deal against the Russians," Scaramucci said on CNN's "New Day."

Trump's presidency has been dogged by questions his campaign's ties with Russia.

Russia has condemned the new sanctions, saying they could destroy normalized relations between the two countries. On Friday, they ordered the closure of two U.S. facilities in Russia and told the U.S. to reduce the number of in-country diplomats.

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