The Senate voted nearly unanimously on Thursday to impose new sanctions on Russia and Iran.  The vote was 98-2.  Only Senators Rand Paul and Bernie Sanders voted against the legislation. In addition to new sanctions, the bill would prevent President Trump from lifting  sanctions on Russia without congressional approval.  Reuters: The measure is intended to punish Russia for meddling in the 2016 U.S. election, its annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region and support for Syria's government in the six-year-long civil war. If passed in the House of Representatives and signed into law by Trump, it would put into law sanctions previously established via former President Barack Obama's executive orders, including some on Russian energy projects. The legislation also allows new sanctions on Russian mining, metals, shipping and railways and targets Russians guilty of conducting cyber attacks or supplying weapons to Syria's government. "The...(Read Full Post)