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<bill bill-stage="Referred-in-Senate" dms-id="H4715B5F79EB2417280040A9A9D541677" public-private="public" key="G" bill-type="olc" stage-count="1"><metadata xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">
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<dc:title>118 HR 7701 : No Russian Tunnel to Crimea Act</dc:title>
<dc:publisher>U.S. House of Representatives</dc:publisher>
<dc:date>2024-09-10</dc:date>
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<dc:language>EN</dc:language>
<dc:rights>Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.</dc:rights>
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<distribution-code display="yes">IIB</distribution-code><congress display="yes">118th CONGRESS</congress><session display="yes">2d Session</session><legis-num display="yes">H. R. 7701</legis-num><current-chamber>IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES</current-chamber><action><action-date date="20240910">September 10, 2024</action-date><action-desc>Received; read twice and referred to the <committee-name committee-id="SSFR00">Committee on Foreign Relations</committee-name></action-desc></action><legis-type>AN ACT</legis-type><official-title display="yes">To require the imposition of sanctions with respect to any foreign person that knowingly participates in the construction, maintenance, or repair of a tunnel or bridge that connects the Russian mainland with the Crimean peninsula.</official-title></form><legis-body id="H690B0FBBD82243409743F574F61E5A1C" style="OLC"><pagebreak></pagebreak><section id="H2402BEF7020F4902A12DC739353E2D03" section-type="section-one"><enum>1.</enum><header>Short title</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">This Act may be cited as the <quote><short-title>No Russian Tunnel to Crimea Act</short-title></quote>.</text></section><section id="HC743C128D40843078ED68A90584561CB"><enum>2.</enum><header>Findings</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Congress makes the following findings:</text><paragraph id="HD4726A01A30442E492CACD48C75A4F9A"><enum>(1)</enum><text>In February and March 2014, the Russian Federation invaded the Crimean peninsula and annexed Crimea, international recognized as Ukrainian territory. </text></paragraph><paragraph id="H9B2BD52413D24FC690E884C78CFBB906"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Following its annexation of Crimea, the Russian Federation constructed the Kerch Strait Bridge to connect the Russian mainland with the Crimean peninsula. </text></paragraph><paragraph id="H7E4D318C7A774DBF833D29221E887FC2"><enum>(3)</enum><text>On February 24, 2022, the Government of the Russian Federation, led by Vladimir Putin, launched an unprovoked, full-scale invasion of Ukraine.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H80F2D057383347C1B114D404189F7C2B"><enum>(4)</enum><text>The Russian Federation has used Crimea as an integral part of its full scale invasion of Ukraine, including to house Russian troops, store ammunition and weapons, and host the Black Sea Fleet.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H5FE3820B52D64123BE000077FCADBF75"><enum>(5)</enum><text>In October 2023, it was publicly reported that Russian and Chinese business officials met and exchanged emails to discuss building a tunnel from the Russian mainland to illegally occupied Crimea.</text></paragraph></section><section id="H792C225854A24F798F8CEE773EDCE6DA"><enum>3.</enum><header>Sanctions</header><subsection id="H884964EE155640619D5992B78C235BE8"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The President shall impose sanctions described in subsection (b) with respect to any foreign person that knowingly participates in the construction, maintenance, or repair of a tunnel or bridge that connects the Russian mainland with the Crimean peninsula.</text></subsection><subsection id="H0E98ACB9F63D47C284F2296895C192D2"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Sanctions described</header><text>The sanctions described in this subsection are the following:</text><paragraph id="H56ECCF472E60460D98A74AB126AF4E34"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Asset blocking</header><text>Notwithstanding the requirements of section 202 of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/50/1701">50 U.S.C. 1701</external-xref>), the President may exercise of all powers granted to the President by that Act to the extent necessary to block and prohibit all transactions in all property and interests in property of the foreign person if such property and interests in property are in the United States, come within the United States, or are or come within the possession or control of a United States person.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HD1834186430C42BCA54E51D6C06252BF"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Visas, admission, or parole</header><subparagraph id="H6767D70D274A45BF81FF19F2B17A3A35"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>An alien who the Secretary of State or the Secretary of Homeland Security (or a designee of one of such Secretaries) knows, or has reason to believe, is described in subsection (a) is—</text><clause id="HD7C7439368104074ADF0CCF738AE34A4"><enum>(i)</enum><text>inadmissible to the United States;</text></clause><clause id="H96855AFFD9DA45F1B76F31271BF0D745"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>ineligible for a visa or other documentation to enter the United States; and</text></clause><clause id="HCAE15ED2148B4268BAE94A0A509BA951"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>otherwise ineligible to be admitted or paroled into the United States or to receive any other benefit under the Immigration and Nationality Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/8/1101">8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.</external-xref>).</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H2E5FDD3AD4A74A95A1BCEF159A12917F"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Current visas revoked</header><clause id="H0223BE5A12AD4EF48B0021CA69371B7B"><enum>(i)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The issuing consular officer, the Secretary of State, or the Secretary of Homeland Security (or a designee of one of such Secretaries) shall, in accordance with section 221(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/8/1201">8 U.S.C. 1201(i)</external-xref>), revoke any visa or other entry documentation issued to an alien described in subparagraph (A) regardless of when the visa or other entry documentation is issued.</text></clause><clause id="H8F53840C087D45F8AEC27BC0D459DBCB"><enum>(ii)</enum><header>Effect of revocation</header><text>A revocation under clause (i)—</text><subclause id="H706A325125C04AA2B2C7274ADF8EB0A0"><enum>(I)</enum><text>shall take effect immediately; and</text></subclause><subclause id="H1EA7512DAF5140779663772E1C570059"><enum>(II)</enum><text>shall automatically cancel any other valid visa or entry documentation that is in the alien’s possession.</text></subclause></clause></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HED0BF3F49D2D4A9BB8AC5846E09DC812"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Exceptions</header><paragraph id="H5467CC63C2F74EFFAB3C7FE752C643F9"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Exception to comply with international obligations</header><text>Sanctions under subsection (b)(2) shall not apply with respect to the admission of an alien if admitting or paroling the alien into the United States is necessary to permit the United States to comply with the Agreement regarding the Headquarters of the United Nations, signed at Lake Success June 26, 1947, and entered into force November 21, 1947, between the United Nations and the United States, or other applicable international obligations.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H09CBD943C604402BA1DE0CE84BAF2C70"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Exception relating to the provision of humanitarian assistance</header><text>Sanctions under this section may not be imposed with respect to transactions or the facilitation of transactions for—</text><subparagraph id="HB8D27B460F61465AAF92807361CB8D39"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the sale of agricultural commodities, food, medicine, or medical devices;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HCA0C4EFEDBDD4E48B5C02C4E5842FC73"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the provision of humanitarian assistance;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H309087AD99B94558AA783E4572154CE0"><enum>(C)</enum><text>financial transactions relating to humanitarian assistance; or</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H18EA30C669A04664B7BDA1037549F549"><enum>(D)</enum><text>transporting goods or services that are necessary to carry out operations relating to humanitarian assistance.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HEFF9A3FC685F490D915587EE3AB814A4"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Exception for intelligence, law enforcement, and national security activities</header><text>Sanctions under this section shall not apply to any authorized intelligence, law enforcement, or national security activities of the United States.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HEA049BAFF37A48C98077429A045B02DA"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Classified information</header><text>In any judicial review of a determination made under this section, if the determination was based on classified information (as defined in section 1(a) of the Classified Information Procedures Act) such information may be submitted to the reviewing court ex parte and in camera. This subsection does not confer or imply any right to judicial review.</text></subsection><subsection id="H8422B4A23EA040ECB51E5680D3F806F9"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Implementation; penalties</header><paragraph id="H7DE7F69284804D55B7A6AA46C233D001"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Implementation</header><text>The President may exercise all authorities provided to the President under sections 203 and 205 of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1702 and 1704) to carry out this section.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H72A00E0B53B54352B206D36DBDC86B8B"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Penalties</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The penalties provided for in subsections (b) and (c) of section 206 of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/50/1705">50 U.S.C. 1705</external-xref>) shall apply to a person that violates, attempts to violate, conspires to violate, or causes a violation of regulations promulgated to carry out this section to the same extent that such penalties apply to a person that commits an unlawful act described in section 206(a) of that Act.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H39456222ED0541FE98FECFF387C1F9B2"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Waiver</header><text>The President may waive the application of sanctions imposed with respect to a foreign person under this section if the President certifies to the appropriate congressional committees not later than 15 days before such waiver is to take effect that the waiver is important to the national security interests of the United States.</text></subsection><subsection id="H99BC10A0C77C48F888175C895E9E6416"><enum>(g)</enum><header>Definitions</header><text>In this section—</text><paragraph id="H90F72FA916114445A68769EC96BBC0D6"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the term <term>appropriate congressional committees</term> means the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HB4D04325A7EF4B7386F447DA4579A455"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the term <term>foreign person</term> means an individual or entity that is not a United States person; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HEE6FF354D96447C79C02EE108BD52A85"><enum>(3)</enum><text>the term <term>United States person</term> means—</text><subparagraph id="HB391B3C18EF4475FBE3AF1F123C1690F"><enum>(A)</enum><text>a United States citizen;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HF09B3CCF7AFD45AD9E0DB3423D728433"><enum>(B)</enum><text>a permanent resident alien of the United States;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H3F2C18D55ADA490AB81ED64A9D67B0F9"><enum>(C)</enum><text>an entity organized under the laws of the United States or of any jurisdiction within the United States, including a foreign branch of such an entity; or</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HF0E40668F39547DA9E79258DA66E1EB2"><enum>(D)</enum><text>a person in the United States.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection></section></legis-body><attestation><attestation-group><attestation-date date="20240909" chamber="House">Passed the House of Representatives September 9, 2024.</attestation-date><attestor display="yes">Kevin F. McCumber,</attestor><role>Clerk.</role></attestation-group></attestation></bill> 

