NEWSLINK: “Factbox: What Do the New U.S. Sanctions on Russia Target?” – Reuters

“… * The law establishes a review process that allows #Congress to block any effort by #Trump to ease or lift sanctions on #Russia.

Lawmakers passed the bill to punish Russia over its alleged interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, its annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea region and its involvement in Syria’s civil war.

* Trump, or any U.S. president, must submit a report to the appropriate congressional committee describing the rationale behind any easing of sanctions on Russia and how it would affect U.S. national security interests. Congress would have at least 30 days to hold hearings and then vote on any proposed change. If lawmakers back a “joint resolution of disapproval,” the president would be barred from changing the sanctions.

* New sanctions are introduced on entities doing business with Russian military or intelligence agencies, companies involved in Russian off-shore oil projects, and those participating in Russian oil or gas pipeline construction within Russia. The bill targets a wide range of Russian industries, which might further hurt Russia’s economy, already weakened by 2014 sanctions imposed after the annexation of Crimea. ….”