Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin Tuesday briefed Senate Republican lawmakers about a plan to remove sanctions from three Russian companies controlled by a sanctioned oligarch, Oleg Deripaska, aiming to strengthen GOP support ahead of a Senate vote on the measures.
Mnuchin spoke to Republicans just hours before Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., planned to force a vote to block Mnuchin from lifting sanctions against the firms.
Mnuchin’s meeting, GOP leaders hope, will prevent the 13 Republican defections that would be needed to pass the Schumer measure.
“We have been tougher on Russia with more sanctions than any other administration,” Mnuchin told reporters, defending his handling of the sanctions.
Mnuchin said that the decision to lift the sanctions against the company came after long negotiations and in consultation with intelligence and career Treasury officials. He also said that lawmakers should not turn the sanctions into a political issue.
But it was not clear Tuesday how many GOP lawmakers might side with Schumer and help pass the measure that would keep those sanctions in place.
“I think I can say that the Republicans appreciated me giving them our overview and answering questions,” Mnuchin said leaving a closed-door GOP luncheon.
Mnuchin said the three companies had been listed only because of their connection to Deripaska.
“We put together an agreement that we think meets the laws and the requirements to delist them,” Mnuchin said.
House Majority Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said he planned to ask Mnuchin to delay lifting the sanctions. Mnuchin said he’s not planning to postpone action at this point.
“We’ll see how things go with the vote,” Mnuchin said.
