Fourth House Republican backs bill to limit Trump on Russian sanctions

Rep. Charlie Dent (Pa.) on Tuesday became the fourth House Republican to back legislation requiring congressional approval in order for President Trump to remove or lessen U.S. sanctions on Russia.

In a press release announcing his support for the Russian Sanctions Review Act, Dent expressed concern about the Kremlin’s involvement in cyberattacks against the U.S. and Russia’s moves in Ukraine.

“Vladimir Putin’s aggressive actions in Ukraine and the repeated cyberattacks that Russia has carried out against U.S. government entities and individuals constitute a real threat to the democratic ideals that have long been held by the United States and our allies,” Dent, a frequent Trump critic, said in a statement.

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Trump’s praise for Russian President Vladimir Putin has been criticized on Capitol Hill, stirring concerns of an allegiance to a longtime geopolitical foe.

If passed, the Russian Sanctions Review Act would require the Trump administration to notify Congress before it lifts or lessens sanctions on Russia.

“In order to modify these imposed sanctions, the President would need to certify to Congress that the government of Russia has stopped the activities that warranted the sanctions in the first place,” Dent’s press release states.

Dent joins three other GOP co-sponsors for the bill: Reps. Adam Kinzinger (Ill.), Tom Rooney (Fla.) and Michael Turner (Ohio). Four Democratic lawmakers are also co-sponsoring the bill, including House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (Md.).

The bill mirrors legislation introduced earlier this month by a bipartisan group in the Senate.