美国参议院通过最严厉对俄制裁法案，总检察长提名人确认在即

. AMNA: AT THE U.S. CAPITOL, A WILD DAY OF DECISION AND INDECISION. THE SENATE TODAY PASSED THE TOUGHEST SANCTIONS BILL ON RUSSIA YET, AND IS NOW ON TRACK TO CONFIRM ATTORNEY GENERAL NOMINEE TODD BLANCHE. BUT OUR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT LISA DESJARDINS JOINS US TO REPORT THAT A SLEW OF OTHER HIGH-PRIORITY ITEMS ARE STILL TANGLED, LARGELY DUE TO REPUBLICAN DIVIDE. GOOD TO SEE YOU. LET'S START WITH TODD BLANCHE. IT SEEMS LIKE HIS CONFIRMATION IS ON TRACK.

LISA: IT LOOKS LIKE IT WILL BE THE NARROWEST OF MARGINS. IT CAME DOWN TO A SINGLE SENATOR, REPUBLICAN BILL CASSIDY OF LOUISIANA. JUST TWO MONTHS AGO HE LOST HIS PRIMARY BECAUSE PRESIDENT TRUMP WENT AFTER HIM. THIS MORNING CASSIDY MADE HIS ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT TODD BLANCHE ON THE SENATE FLOOR.

MR. BLANCHE IS NOT PERFECT, AND HE WILL TELL YOU THIS. BUT THE CHOICE IS NOT BETWEEN PERFECTION AND MR. BLANCHE. IT IS BETWEEN MR. BLANCHE AND ANOTHER ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL WHO MAY NOT RUN THE DEPARTMENT EFFECTIVELY UNDER PRESIDENT TRUMP AND WHO MAY NOT BE AS GOOD AS MR. BLANCHE. LISA: AS YOU HEARD, HIS SPEECH -- HE SEEMED TO CHOKE BACK EMOTION. CASSIDY IS A SENATOR THAT VOTED TO CONVICT A TRUMP IN THE SECOND IMACHMENT TRIAL FOR JANUARY 6.

HE WAS A DECISIVE VOTE ON THE DOMINATION OF HHS SECRETARY RFK JR. WITH BLANCHE, SENATE REPUBLICANS HAD TO GET THE VOTES EXACTLY RIGHT. I WANT TO SHOW PEOPLE WHAT HAS HAPPENED. CASSIDY IS A YES BUT TWO SENATORS IN THE MIDDLE WERE NOS. SENATOR MITCH MCCONNELL IS ABSENT. HE COULD HAVE BEEN A DECISIVE VOTE BUT THAT IS BUT ENTERING THE PRESIDENT. WHEN WILL THIS HAPPEN? POSSIBLY TONIGHT. WE ARE WAITING AS OTHER ISSUES ARE SNAGGED.

AMNA: YOU MENTIONED THE RUSSIA SANCTIONS BILL. THEY DID GET THAT DONE AND IT IS A BIG DEAL. LISA: IT IS A VERY BIG DEAL. THIS IS THE MOST POWERFUL STATEMENT THE SENATE HAS MADE WHEN IT COMES TO UKRAINE. IT IS A BIG VICTORY FOR UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY. IT IS THE TOUGHEST SANCTIONS BILL WE HAVE SEEN CONSIDERED AGAINST RUSSIA. IT ALLOWS UP TO 100% TARIFFS ON THE FIVE COUNTRIES THAT BUY THE MOST OIL AND GAS FROM RUSSIA, NEW SANCTIONS ON PUTIN, AND BLOCKS SOME WAYS RUSSIA HAS BEEN ABLE TO AVOID SANCTIONS.

IT WOULD ALSO EXTEND SANCTIONS ON IRAN. THE BILL IS NAMED FOR LATE SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM. HE HELPED NEGOTIATE IT. HIS DEATH IS PART OF THE MOMENTUM THAT HAS GOTTEN THIS THROUGH THE SENATE. THERE IS CONCERN BECAUSE IT GIVES A LOT OF POWER TO PRESIDENT TRUMP. HOWEVER, THERE IS MORE CONCERNED ABOUT RUSSIA AND NOW IT GOES TO THE HOUSE. AMNA: GOVERNMENT FUNDING WILL RUN OUT AGAIN SOON. WHERE DO THINGS STAND? LISA: I HAVE TO REMIND PEOPLE ABOUT THIS.

SENATORS ARE ASKING ME WHERE THINGS STAND. THAT IS NEVER A GREAT SITUATION. I KNOW A LOT BUT I DO NOT KNOW EVERYTHING. LET ME BREAK DOWN THE BASICS. GOVERNMENT FUNDING RUNS OUT SEPTEMBER 30. THE SENATE WILL LEAVE AND NOT COME BACK UNTIL SEPTEMBER 14. THE EXTENSION THEY WANT UNTIL DECEMBER IS SNAGGED ON A BILL ABOUT -- A BAN ABOUT HEMP PRODUCTS. THIS IS SUPPOSED TO GO INTO EFFECT NOVEMBER