Gas prices have spiked to over $4 a gallon as energy markets are rocked by Russia’s war in Ukraine, something that may be aggravated further if Congress adopts bipartisan calls to ban Russian oil.
The Democratic and Republican leaders of the two congressional committees covering trade policy reached a deal Monday on a bill to ban energy imports and suspend normal trade relations with Russia and Belarus.
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Graham’s “breakthrough” case, the first known instance among senators, comes as the chamber has largely loosened social distancing restrictions in recent months, with at least 96 of the 100 senators vaccinated. Though the Capitol physician has recommended mask wearing regardless of vaccination status, most Republicans have not been wearing them, and even some Democrats would remove them while hobnobbing on the floor with their colleagues.
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It also comes as the Senate is embarking on a tense slog of legislating: It is currently debating a bipartisan bill, which Graham has been helping advance, before Democrats turn to a budget resolution and then leave for a weeks-long break.
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But his endorsements could prove risky as he looks to cement his hold on a party that has splintered into competing factions ahead of the midterms.
“As they’re looking at candidates, they’re trying to reshape the Republican Party away from what a lot would call a corporatist approach and more towards this America First approach,” said former Trump administration official Alexei Woltornist.
Despite losing his reelection battle in November, Trump continues to be seen as a leading figure within the party.
A Reuters-Ipsos survey conducted late last month showed 81 percent of Republicans expressing a favorable opinion of Trump, while 49 percent said they strongly disagreed with the view that the former president should not run for public office again.