Overnight Defense: Senate approves Russia, Iran sanctions | GOP chair expects to surpass Trump defense budget | Nude photo scandal could lead to court-martial

by Ellen Mitchell - 06/15/17 7:22 PM ET

THE TOPLINE: The Senate on Thursday overwhelmingly passed legislation imposing new sanctions on Russia and giving Congress the ability to block President Trump from lifting current penalties.

Senators voted 98-2 on the bill, which also includes new sanctions targeting Iran’s ballistic missile development, support for terrorism, transfer of weapons and human rights violations. Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) voted against the measure.

The legislation marks the Senate’s most significant check on the Trump administration’s foreign policy, which has flirted with lifting sanctions in a bid to entice Moscow into an agreement.

The bill now heads to the House, where it faces an uncertain future amid signs of pushback from the administration.

The Hill’s Jordain Carney has the full story here.

SANDERS SLAMS IRAN SANCTIONS: Following the vote, Sanders criticized the Senate’s decision to levy new sanctions on Iran, saying that the penalties could put the 2015 nuclear deal at risk.

{mosads}He said in a statement after the vote that, while he fully supported penalties against the Kremlin for its efforts to meddle in the 2016 election, the Iran sanctions could have dangerous consequences.

“That is not a risk worth taking, particularly at a time of heightened tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia and its allies,” Sanders said in a statement. “I think the United States should play a more even-handed role in the Middle East and find ways not only to address Iran’s activities, but also Saudi Arabia’s decades-long support for radical extremism.”

Read the rest here.

DEFENSE APPROPS CHAIR EXPECTS TO SURPASS TRUMP BUDGET: The chairwoman of the House Appropriations defense subcommittee said Thursday she expects to give national security funding more money than the $603 billion requested by the Trump administration.

Asked by The Hill after a hearing with Defense Secretary James Mattis whether she expects to appropriate more than the administration’s request, Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas) said, “Yes.”

“We’re still trying to put things together with the Budget Committee,” she said. “It’s just a very difficult year. I will keep fighting for the highest number I can.”

Thursday’s hearing before the House Appropriations defense subcommittee capped a week of hearings in which Mattis defended a budget request that has pleased few on Capitol Hill.