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Democratic Lawmakers Push To Keep White House From Altering Russia Policy


U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to Russian President Vladimir Putin by telephone from the White House in January.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to Russian President Vladimir Putin by telephone from the White House in January.

WASHINGTON -- Two Democratic lawmakers are pushing a new measure to keep U.S. President Donald Trump from altering current U.S. policy toward Russia until an ongoing FBI investigation is completed.

The resolution introduced April 5 by Representatives Eric Swalwell (California) and Eliot Engel (New York) echoes similar legislation announced in February by a group of Republicans and Democrats in the Senate.

Like the Senate effort, the proposed House resolution calls on the Trump administration "to make no alterations to sanctions, treaties, military aid, or diplomatic relations that might benefit Russian President Vladimir Putin or his government."

Any changes, the resolution said, should come only after the FBI completes its probe into possible ties between Russian officials and Trump aides.

During last year's election campaign, Trump called for a more conciliatory approach toward Moscow, saying the two countries had shared interests, such as the fight against terrorism.

Since taking office, however, that rhetoric has cooled, and Moscow, which had embraced Trump's conciliatory rhetoric, has also responded with growing criticism of the Trump administration.

With Republicans holding majorities in both houses of Congress, it is unlikely that either measure will be adopted.

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    Mike Eckel

    Mike Eckel is a senior correspondent reporting on political and economic developments in Russia, Ukraine, and around the former Soviet Union, as well as news involving cybercrime and espionage. He's reported on the ground on Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the wars in Chechnya and Georgia, and the 2004 Beslan hostage crisis, as well as the annexation of Crimea in 2014.

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