Stop the Untouchables. Justice for Sergei Magnitsky.

A Russian Rights Deal

Wall Street Journal

Senate leaders unveiled an agreement on Tuesday to revoke Cold War-era restrictions on trade with Russia and adopt new human rights legislation despised by the Kremlin.

Democratic Sen. Max Baucus, who chairs the Finance Committee, introduced a bill to establish permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) with Russia and repeal the 1974 Jackson-Vanik amendment, which was originally meant to pressure the Kremlin to treat Soviet Jews better. Ahead of Russia’s accession this summer to the World Trade Organization, U.S. companies will be disadvantaged on the Russian market without PNTR.

But the Obama administration will have to swallow new human rights legislation to replace Jackson-Vanik. In a letter, Sen. Baucus on Tuesday promised to include the so-called Magnitsky Act in the PNTR bill. Magnitsky sets out sanctions, including visa bans and asset freezes, for Russian officials implicated in human rights abuses. Sen. Ben Cardin, a Maryland Democrat, introduced the bill in 2010 after the death in police custody of Russian lawyer and whistle blower Sergei Magnitsky the previous year.

Senators John McCain (R) and Joe Lieberman (I) made their support for PNTR contingent on passage of Magnitsky. The White House had leaned on Democratic senators to stop or water down the legislation. President Obama has invested a lot of time and capital in the “reset” of relations with Russia, which has threatened to retaliate for Magnitsky. A new draft of the bill circulated by Sen. Cardin’s staff last week weakened some provisions, angering its Republican supporters.