Honoring Senator Graham's Legacy, Fighting for the Same Mission

Last week, I traveled to Ukraine to meet with Ukrainian troops near the front lines, receive an award from President Zelensky, observe drone operations, and hold robust discussions with several other government officials and military leaders.

As I was on the train from Kyiv to Warsaw, I received the devastating news that Senator Lindsey Graham had passed away.

His passing is a grave loss for our entire nation. Senator Graham was a visionary, a courageous patriot, and a personal mentor and friend. We shared the same worldview: that the U.S. is strongest at home when we're strongest abroad.

Senator Graham was also in Ukraine in his final days. While we were not traveling together, we shared the same mission: stopping Putin’s expanding campaign of aggression and securing lasting peace. That is why he spent last year working on a strong Russia sanctions bill, which I promised to introduce in the House. Just last week in Kyiv, Senator Graham announced that he had reached an agreement with both the White House and Senate Democrats on his bill, which gives President Trump powerful tools to cripple the Russian economy and force Putin to the negotiating table.

This coming week, I will introduce that bill — now titled the Lindsey O. Graham Russia Sanctions Act of 2026 — in his memory. Congress has a duty to pass this important measure to honor his legacy and continue his fight for freedom.

As I wrote in the Washington Examiner this week, “Let us move forward to realize Graham’s vision and achieve this noble pursuit of peace.” Click here or below to read my full op-ed.