Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday chances are “probably pretty slim” the Senate will vote on a Russia sanctions bill in September, which would lessen the chances of the legislation becoming law ahead of the November midterm elections.
“September is pretty crowded already,” McConnell said when asked by reporters about the various bills Senate panels are weighing that would either sanction Russia or threaten sanctions over election meddling. “Honestly, the chances of sandwiching that in the month of September with all the other items we have to consider is probably pretty slim.”
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Congress often leaves town by mid-October in election years, which means if lawmakers were to consider a bill, it would likely have to move very early in October if the schedule follows the typical pattern.
The House is currently scheduled to leave town by Oct. 12 while the Senate is tentatively scheduled to remain in session until Oct. 26.
McConnell said he is “very interested in a Russia sanctions bill,” and noted the Senate “will be here longer this year and it will be high on the list of considerations.”
At least two sanctions bills have been authored by bipartisan groups of senators, and two Senate panels have convened hearings on Russia-U.S. relations, including next steps on sanctioning the country for meddling in U.S. elections.
The bills are aimed at discouraging Russian meddling in the November elections.
McConnell said he favored “a bipartisan coming together, something we can pass.”
Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., who is overseeing some of the sanctions legislation negotiations as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he would back legislation that has “overwhelming” bipartisan support that would discourage a presidential veto.
The Senate’s September schedule will be crowded with appropriations measures ahead of the Sept. 30 fiscal year deadline. The Senate will also be consumed with the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, who lawmakers want to send to the high court by Oct. 1.
[Opinion: Putin had it coming: Trump levies new sanctions against Russia over UK nerve agent attacks]
