UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — U.S. House of Representatives to take up Russia sanctions Bill
Q1. Consider the following statements comparing the earlier draft of the U.S. Russia sanctions measure with the version finally passed by the U.S. Senate in August 2026:
1. The version cleared by the Senate lowered the ad valorem duty applicable to major buyers of Russian energy from 500 per cent, as proposed earlier, to 100 per cent.
2. Unlike the earlier draft, which was framed purely as a Russia sanctions measure, the Senate-passed version also carries Iran-related sanctions provisions in its title and scope.
3. The proposal to rename the measure after the late Senator Lindsey Graham was made by Representative Michael McCaul, who had co-negotiated the package with Graham for over a year.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The version cleared by the Senate lowered the ad valorem duty applicable to major buyers of Russian energy from 500 per cent, as proposed earlier, to 100 per cent.
- Unlike the earlier draft, which was framed purely as a Russia sanctions measure, the Senate-passed version also carries Iran-related sanctions provisions in its title and scope.
- The proposal to rename the measure after the late Senator Lindsey Graham was made by Representative Michael McCaul, who had co-negotiated the package with Graham for over a year.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 1 and 3 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q2. With reference to the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 as passed by the U.S. Senate, consider the following:
1. Besides targeting Russia, it extends the authority available under an existing Iran-related sanctions law.
2. It codifies existing Russia-related sanctions designations, but only for a period of five years from the date of enactment, after which they lapse automatically.
3. It bars the U.S. President from imposing the duties it creates unless each such duty is first approved by a joint resolution of Congress.
4. It exempts countries that purchase less than 15 per cent of Russia's natural gas exports and are taking meaningful steps to reduce those purchases.
Which of the above is/are correctly identified?
- Besides targeting Russia, it extends the authority available under an existing Iran-related sanctions law.
- It codifies existing Russia-related sanctions designations, but only for a period of five years from the date of enactment, after which they lapse automatically.
- It bars the U.S. President from imposing the duties it creates unless each such duty is first approved by a joint resolution of Congress.
- It exempts countries that purchase less than 15 per cent of Russia's natural gas exports and are taking meaningful steps to reduce those purchases.
- A. 1 and 2
- B. 1 and 4
- C. 2, 3 and 4
- D. 3 only
Q3. As cleared by the U.S. Senate on 7 August 2026, the tariff authority created by the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 is best described as which one of the following?
- A. A discretionary power of the U.S. President to levy duties of up to 100 per cent on goods from countries ranking among the top five importers of Russian crude oil and gas
- B. An automatic and permanent duty of 500 per cent on goods from every country importing any quantity of Russian crude oil, admitting of no exemption whatsoever
- C. A power of the U.S. Congress to clear each such duty by joint resolution before it takes effect, in every case and without exception
- D. A blanket prohibition on all U.S. imports from any country transacting with Russia's energy sector, imposed entirely at the discretion of the Treasury Secretary
Q4. The Senate cleared the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 by 86 votes to 11, a margin commentators described as 'veto-proof'. In U.S. legislative practice, a veto-proof majority precisely means which one of the following?
- A. Support of at least three-fifths of the Senators duly chosen and sworn, the threshold at which debate on a measure can be brought to a close
- B. Support of a simple majority in each chamber, with the Vice-President of the United States casting a tie-breaking vote wherever the Senate is equally divided
- C. Support of at least two-thirds of the members in each chamber, the threshold at which a Presidential veto on a measure can be overridden
- D. Support by unanimous consent in the Senate, the threshold at which a measure can be discharged from the committee to which it stands referred
Q5. Consider the following in relation to the extraterritorial reach of the 2026 U.S. Russia-Iran sanctions measure:
1. Russia's 'shadow fleet' of oil tankers operating outside Western maritime and insurance services.
2. The Central Bank of the Russian Federation.
3. A tariff power exercisable by the United States Trade Representative independently of the President.
4. Russia's energy, defence, financial and industrial sectors.
Which of the above is/are correctly identified as covered by the measure?
- Russia's 'shadow fleet' of oil tankers operating outside Western maritime and insurance services.
- The Central Bank of the Russian Federation.
- A tariff power exercisable by the United States Trade Representative independently of the President.
- Russia's energy, defence, financial and industrial sectors.
- A. 1 and 3
- B. 1, 2 and 4
- C. 2 and 3
- D. 3 and 4 only
Q6. The following countries have been named in connection with the 2026 U.S. measure as being among the five largest purchasers of Russian oil liable to face duties of up to 100 per cent:
1. China
2. Slovakia
3. Türkiye
4. Azerbaijan
Which of the above is/are NOT correctly identified?
- China
- Slovakia
- Türkiye
- Azerbaijan
- A. 1 and 2
- B. 2 and 4
- C. 1, 3 and 4
- D. 3 only
Q7. Russian crude accounted for its highest-ever monthly share of India's total crude oil imports in July 2026. That peak share was approximately:
- A. 30 per cent
- B. 44 per cent
- C. 56 per cent
- D. 62 per cent
Q8. Consider the following statements regarding India's trade and energy exposure in the context of the 2026 U.S. sanctions measure:
1. Russia supplied about 30 per cent of India's crude oil imports in FY2026, valued at about USD 40.8 billion out of a total crude import bill of about USD 134.7 billion.
2. India's imports of Russian crude touched a record of about 2.8 million barrels per day in July 2026.
3. In August 2026 India's Russian crude intake fell by roughly 700,000 barrels per day to about 2.1 million barrels per day.
4. The United States became India's largest trading partner for the first time only in FY2024-25, never having occupied that position in any earlier year.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- Russia supplied about 30 per cent of India's crude oil imports in FY2026, valued at about USD 40.8 billion out of a total crude import bill of about USD 134.7 billion.
- India's imports of Russian crude touched a record of about 2.8 million barrels per day in July 2026.
- In August 2026 India's Russian crude intake fell by roughly 700,000 barrels per day to about 2.1 million barrels per day.
- The United States became India's largest trading partner for the first time only in FY2024-25, never having occupied that position in any earlier year.
- A. 1 and 4 only
- B. 2 and 3 only
- C. 1, 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q9. Once a Bill passed by both chambers of the U.S. Congress is presented to the President, how many days does the President have to act on it before it becomes law without signature (Congress remaining in session)?
- A. 7 days
- B. 10 days
- C. 14 days
- D. 21 days
Q10. Consider the following statements about the passage of a measure such as the 2026 sanctions Bill through the U.S. Congress:
1. A Bill already passed by the Senate can reach the House floor only after the Speaker's discharge petition has been granted to it by the House Rules Committee.
2. The House Rules Committee determines both which Bills are brought to the floor of the House and whether amendments may be moved when the Bill is debated by the whole House.
3. A Presidential veto on the measure may be overridden by a two-thirds vote in both the House and the Senate.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- A Bill already passed by the Senate can reach the House floor only after the Speaker's discharge petition has been granted to it by the House Rules Committee.
- The House Rules Committee determines both which Bills are brought to the floor of the House and whether amendments may be moved when the Bill is debated by the whole House.
- A Presidential veto on the measure may be overridden by a two-thirds vote in both the House and the Senate.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 1 and 3 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q11. With reference to the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), consider the following:
1. It was enacted by the U.S. Congress in 2017.
2. It provides for punitive action against any country engaged in significant transactions with Russia's defence and intelligence sectors.
3. The United States imposed sanctions under it on Türkiye over that country's acquisition of the S-400 air defence system.
4. The United States formally granted India a waiver under it for the contract India signed in 2018 for five S-400 units.
Which of the above is/are NOT correct?
- It was enacted by the U.S. Congress in 2017.
- It provides for punitive action against any country engaged in significant transactions with Russia's defence and intelligence sectors.
- The United States imposed sanctions under it on Türkiye over that country's acquisition of the S-400 air defence system.
- The United States formally granted India a waiver under it for the contract India signed in 2018 for five S-400 units.
- A. 1 and 2
- B. 3 only
- C. 2 and 4
- D. 4 only
Q12. The 2026 U.S. sanctions Act is named posthumously after Senator Lindsey Graham, who died in July 2026. The legislator who had negotiated the sanctions package jointly with him for over a year, and who backed naming the measure after him, was:
- A. Steny Hoyer, Democratic Representative from Maryland
- B. Michael McCaul, Republican Representative from Texas
- C. Richard Blumenthal, Democratic Senator from Connecticut
- D. Gregory Meeks, Democratic Representative from New York