WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Russians are coming to Washington; in fact, they are already here. But they aren’t happy.

A Russian parliamentary delegation is in the U.S. capital to lobby American lawmakers against a bill sanctioning Russian officials implicated in human rights abuses — a move Moscow considers offensive outside interference in its affairs.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A U.S. Senate panel on Tuesday unanimously approved a bill that would penalize Russian officials for human rights abuses, a measure with broad support in Congress that Russia protests would be an unwarranted intrusion into its internal affairs.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee passed the “Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act,” named after an anti-corruption lawyer who died in 2009 after a year in Russian jails. It is sponsored by Democratic Senator Ben Cardin.

WASHINGTON, June 19 (Reuters) – A Senate panel on Tuesday
postponed by one week a vote on a measure to penalize Russian
officials for human rights abuses, a bipartisan bill opposed by
Russia and facing resistance from the Obama administration.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee had been scheduled to
vote on the “Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act”
at a meeting on Tuesday afternoon. But the bill was taken off
the agenda after Democratic Senator Jim Webb requested a delay.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A draft proposal to penalize Russian officials for human rights abuses has been rewritten in the Senate to let the U.S. government keep secret some names on the list of abusers, congressional aides said on Monday.

The reworked Senate version, which could still change, upset some supporters of the legislation to create what is known as the “Magnitsky list.” They said that keeping part of the proposed list secret would neuter the effect of the bill, which is aimed at exposing human rights violators in Russia.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States extended exemptions from its tough, new sanctions on Iran’s oil trade to seven more economies on Monday, leaving China the last remaining major importer exposed to possible penalties at the end of the month.

In the latest sign Washington is working with other countries to pressure Iran’s nuclear program, India, South Korea, Turkey and four more economies will receive waivers from financial sanctions in return for significantly cutting purchases of Iranian oil, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama said on Friday he was offended by allegations that his White House had leaked classified national security information to embellish his record as he seeks re-election in November.

At a news conference, Obama said he had zero tolerance for such leaks and would root out those responsible for the recent revelations, because “in some cases it’s criminal – these are criminal acts when they release information like this.”

WASHINGTON, June 7 (Reuters) – Congressional intelligence
committee leaders turned up the heat on the White House over
alleged national security leaks on Thursday, with the head of
the Senate Intelligence Committee suggesting she might be
willing to join Republican demands for an investigation by a
special counsel.

Senator Dianne Feinstein, the committee’s Democratic
chairwoman, told reporters she needed more time to consider
Republican demands – voiced earlier this week by Senator John
McCain and committee vice chair Saxby Chambliss – for a special
counsel to probe how highly sensitive secrets were disclosed to
news media.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A congressional committee unanimously approved on Thursday a measure to penalize Russian officials for human rights abuses, adding to tensions with Moscow and complicating White House efforts to pass Russian trade legislation in the coming months.

The House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee approved on a voice vote the “Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act,” named for a 37-year-old anti-corruption lawyer who worked for the equity fund Hermitage Capital. His 2009 death after a year in Russian jails spooked investors and blackened Russia’s image abroad.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Democratic and Republican intelligence experts in Congress are joining forces to condemn a series of jaw-dropping intelligence leaks which some Republicans charge are timed to boost President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign.

But castigating leakers and questioning their motives may be a lot easier than coming up with remedies that might make leaking more difficult and risky.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Democratic and Republican intelligence experts in Congress are joining forces to condemn a series of jaw-dropping intelligence leaks which some Republicans charge are timed to boost President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign.

But castigating leakers and questioning their motives may be a lot easier than coming up with remedies that might make leaking more difficult and risky.