WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — A bipartisan group of US congressmen introduced a bill to make sure that President Donald Trump's administration will not unilaterally remove or ease any sanctions on Russia, House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer said in a press conference on Wednesday.
"Today, we are introducing a bipartisan legislation to ensure that Russia does not receive any sanctions relief until it earned it," Hoyer stated. "It gives Congress the responsibility to review any sanctions relief before it can take effect. This is not a partisan issue."
I thank the cosponsors on both sides of the aisle for their hard work on the Russia Sanctions Review Act, important and timely legislation.
— Steny Hoyer (@WhipHoyer) 15 февраля 2017 г.
He also pointed out that in the past sanctions against Russia or any other state have been done through the procedure adopted by the US Congress and supported by its committees.
The congressman added that both House Democrats and Republicans are concerned about Russia allegedly violating the international law with respect to Crimea and Eastern Ukraine, attempting to meddle in democracies of the United States and other countries, and its actions in Syria.
"This is a serious matter of [US] national security," Hoyer stressed.
The latest round of sanctions was introduced at the end of December by the administration of former President Barack Obama in response to Russia's alleged meddling in the 2016 US presidential election.
Russia has repeatedly refuted the US claims as absurd and intended to deflect public opinion from revealed instances of corruption and other pressing domestic concerns.
On Monday night, now former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn stepped down amid reports about leaked information that he misled Trump administration officials, including Vice President Mike Pence, about engaging in conversation with the Russian ambassador to the United States in December.
The reports claimed Flynn talked to Russian ambassador Sergei Kislyak about anti-Russia sanctions prior to Trump being inaugurated on January 20.
