GOP's Bacon says he would back a discharge petition on legislation mandating Russian sanctions

Newsletters Morning Report 12:30 Report Evening Report Business Defense Health Care Technology Newsletter Energy & Environment Whole Hog Politics The Gavel The Movement

Technology Newsletter

NEWS Senate House Administration Courts Future America Media Campaign News Education In The Know Latino LGBTQ DC News Race & Politics State Watch Print Edition People in the News

POLICY Defense Health Care Energy & Environment Technology Transportation International Cybersecurity National Security Space Sustainability

BUSINESS Budget Taxes Personal Finance Lobbying

OPINION Columnists Congress Blog All Contributors Opinions – Campaign Opinions – Civil Rights Opinions – Criminal Justice Opinions – Cybersecurity Opinions – Education Opinions – Energy and Environment Opinions – Finance Opinions – Healthcare Opinions – Immigration Opinions – International Opinions – Judiciary Opinions – National Security Opinions – Technology Opinions – White House Submit Opinion Content

All Contributors Opinions – Campaign Opinions – Civil Rights Opinions – Criminal Justice Opinions – Cybersecurity Opinions – Education Opinions – Energy and Environment Opinions – Finance Opinions – Healthcare Opinions – Immigration Opinions – International Opinions – Judiciary Opinions – National Security Opinions – Technology Opinions – White House

Opinions – Civil Rights

Opinions – Criminal Justice

Opinions – Cybersecurity

Opinions – Energy and Environment

Opinions – Healthcare

Opinions – Immigration

Opinions – International

Opinions – National Security

Opinions – Technology

Opinions – White House

Submit Opinion Content

EVENTS Upcoming Events About

Supreme Court tariffs ruling

Content from Google Cloud

Rand Paul lauds Supreme Court tariff decision: ‘In defense of our Republic’ Senate | 5 minutes ago

Moreno calls for GOP to codify scuttled Trump tariffs Senate | 12 minutes ago

GOP Sen. John Curtis praises Supreme Court ruling against Trump tariffs House | 14 minutes ago

Warren calls for tariff refund for consumers after Supreme Court ruling Senate | 19 minutes ago

Watch live: Trump gives remarks after Supreme Court strikes down tariffs Video | 23 minutes ago

Trump loosens restrictions on toxic pollution, including mercury and lead, from coal plants Energy & Environment | 25 minutes ago

Opinion Victory and backing Israel aren’t conflicting goals for Democrats — they’re the same Opinions - Campaign | 28 minutes ago

Hegseth ramps up culture war with universities after cutting ties with Harvard News | 32 minutes ago

GOP’s Bacon says he would back a discharge petition on legislation mandating Russian sanctions

Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) said he would back a discharge petition to force a vote on a Russian sanctions bill, arguing that President Trump has been “wrong” on Ukraine.

Bacon told The Hill in an interview Thursday that he and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) are considering bringing forth a discharge petition as early as next week to force a vote on Fitzpatrick’s Peace Through Strength Against Russia Act of 2025.

The petition would require 218 signatures to succeed, meaning it would need support from at least some Republicans.

“Well, it’s going to be Fitzpatrick doing it, but I’m gonna support it, and so he should probably speak on it, but that’s our plan — was to put this as a discharge. It’s going to take a little while to get 218 signatures,” Bacon said.

Fitzpatrick had introduced a bill in mid-December, along with House Foreign Affairs Committee ranking member Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) and other colleagues, that would “impose sanctions and other measures with respect to the Russian Federation if the Government of the Russian Federation refuses to negotiate a peace agreement with Ukraine, violates any such agreement, or initiates another military invasion of Ukraine, and for other purposes.”

The bill would mandate sanctions on senior Russian officials, “sever Russia’s access to the global financial system” and impose sanctions for war crimes, among other things.

Fitzpatrick had introduced a resolution Tuesday to potentially fast-track consideration of the bill. The Hill reached out to Fitzpatrick’s office for comment.

Discharge petitions, which allow members to force legislation to the floor with 218 signatures, are rarely successful because they require a certain number of lawmakers to buck their own party leaders.

But they’ve seen more success in recent years, as House members become seemingly bolder in pushing back against leadership and the House contends with a razor-thin margin that means only a handful of majority party members need to sign on.

Along with Bacon, Fitzpatrick’s bill includes other Republican co-leads, including Reps. Mike Lawler (N.Y.) and Mike Turner (Ohio).

Bacon added that he’s been in contact with senior GOP leaders and the White House, who he said are inclined to bring the bill to the floor for a vote without going through the discharge petition process.

“I don’t know. I found the president says the right things at times and backs off. So I’m more inclined to keep the pressure on. But it was good to hear yesterday that there was a willingness to consider just putting this on the floor without a discharge,” he said.

However, Bacon added, “I think they probably need — they feel like they need two weeks for a House vote, but we would, I would be inclined to do the discharge anyway, but it won’t have 218 signatures right away. It will take a while to get 218. It would be a work in progress at that point.”

Another discharge petition would be a shot at Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), who has routinely struggled to keep his caucus unified as he balances a razor-thin majority in the House while trying to satisfy Trump.

Several Republicans have already joined Democrats in backing discharge petitions to force a vote on legislation requiring the Department of Justice to release files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and on legislation extending the Affordable Care Act subsidies for three years.

Bacon argued that Trump has been “trying to act like a neutral referee in a boxing match” on the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

“One country is a democracy. It’s been invaded, and cities are being bombed, and the other country is a dictator who’s doing war crimes. And we should take a stand on the country that is right and take a stand against the country that’s wrong. And I’d love to hear him have more moral clarity on this fight, and what I’ve heard is moral ambiguity, and I don’t like it,” Bacon said.

Watch live: Trump gives remarks after Supreme Court strikes down tariffs

Supreme Court strikes down bulk of Trump’s tariffs

Hundreds of students suspended, schools under close watch over anti-ICE walkouts

Warren calls for tariff refund for consumers after Supreme Court ruling

Live updates: Supreme Court strikes down most of Trump’s tariffs in 6-3 ruling

Gorsuch, Barrett side with liberals on nixing Trump tariffs

Judge throws out ruling backing Trump mass detention policy

Cruz: ‘Entirely possible’ Iran, Venezuela, Cuba regimes will fall in next 6 ...

Read: Supreme Court ruling on Trump tariffs

Gorsuch’s ‘told you so’ moment on Trump’s tariffs

Trump tells governors Supreme Court tariff decision is a ‘disgrace’

Kamala Harris may yet be the Democratic nominee in 2028

Fighter jets intercept Russian warplanes near Alaska

Moreno calls for GOP to codify scuttled Trump tariffs

Moore, Polis to attend governors meeting after White House reverses course

House Democrat: Mamdani’s proposed wealth taxes ‘not going to work’

US-born Olympian Eileen Gu on Vance criticism: ‘That’s sweet’

GOP Sen. John Curtis praises Supreme Court ruling against Trump tariffs

The Hill Podcasts – Morning Report

2024 Election Results

2024 Election Forecast

Regulation - Administration

Energy & Environment Video Clips

Health Care Video Clips

Technology Video Clips

Transportation Video Clips

International Video Clips

Cybersecurity Video Clips

National Security Video Clips

Contributors to The Hill

Submit Opinion Content

Advertise with Nexstar

Journalistic Integrity

THE HILL 400 N CAPITOL STREET NW, SUITE 650 WASHINGTON DC 20002

Provided by Nexstar Media Group, Inc.

By clicking on any of the sign up options below, you confirm that you have read and agree to our Terms of Use, which includes a jury trial waiver and class action waiver, and that you have read our Privacy Policy detailing our collection, use and sharing of your personal information.

The Hill is provided by Nexstar Media Group, Inc., and uses the My Nexstar sign-in, which works across our media network.

Learn more at nexstar.tv/privacy-policy.

The Hill is provided by Nexstar Media Group, Inc., and uses the My Nexstar sign-in, which works across our media network.

Nexstar Media Group, Inc. is a leading, diversified media company that produces and distributes engaging local and national news, sports, and entertainment content across its television and digital platforms. The My Nexstar sign-in works across the Nexstar network—including The CW, NewsNation, The Hill, and more. Learn more at nexstar.tv/privacy-policy.

Provided by Nexstar Media Group, Inc.

Check your email inbox

Provided by Nexstar Media Group, Inc.

Thanks for registering!

Provided by Nexstar Media Group, Inc.

Are you sure you want to log out?

© The Hill

visit website