[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4591 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4591

 To impose sanctions with respect to Iranian persons that threaten the 
         peace or stability of Iraq or the Government of Iraq.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            December 7, 2017

 Mr. Kinzinger (for himself, Mr. Suozzi, Mrs. Wagner, Mr. Diaz-Balart, 
 Mr. Nunes, Mr. Weber of Texas, Mr. Zeldin, Mr. Olson, Mr. Hunter, Mr. 
     King of New York, Mr. Gallagher, Mr. Russell, Mr. Thompson of 
    Pennsylvania, Ms. Stefanik, and Mr. Gottheimer) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, 
 and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
  of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
                               concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To impose sanctions with respect to Iranian persons that threaten the 
         peace or stability of Iraq or the Government of Iraq.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Preventing Iranian Destabilization 
of Iraq Act of 2017''.

SEC. 2. STATEMENT OF POLICY.

    It shall be the policy of the United States to impose sanctions 
with respect to terrorist organizations and foreign countries, 
including the Government of Iran, that threaten the peace or stability 
and impede the democratic processes of Iraq or the Government of Iraq.

SEC. 3. IMPOSITION OF SANCTIONS WITH RESPECT TO IRANIAN PERSONS 
              THREATENING PEACE OR STABILITY IN IRAQ.

    (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the 
Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of State should continue to 
implement Executive Order 13438 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note; relating to 
blocking property of certain persons who threaten stabilization efforts 
in Iraq).
    (b) Imposition of Sanctions.--The President shall impose the 
sanctions described in subsection (c)(1)(A) and the Secretary of State 
or the Secretary of Homeland Security (or a designee of one of such 
Secretaries) shall impose the sanctions described in subsection 
(c)(1)(B) with respect to any Iranian person that the President, acting 
through the Secretary of State or the Secretary of Homeland Security 
(or a designee of one of such Secretaries), as the case may be, 
determines--
            (1) to have knowingly committed, or to pose a significant 
        risk of committing, an act or acts of violence that have the 
        purpose or effect of--
                    (A) threatening the peace or stability of Iraq or 
                the Government of Iraq;
                    (B) undermining or attempting to undermine, co-opt, 
                or confound the democratic process in Iraq; or
                    (C) undermining efforts to promote economic 
                reconstruction and political reform in Iraq or to 
                provide humanitarian assistance to the Iraqi people;
            (2) has knowingly materially assisted, sponsored, or 
        provided financial, material, or technological support for, or 
        goods or services to or in support of, any activity described 
        in subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) of paragraph (1); or
            (3) is owned or controlled by, or has acted or purported to 
        act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, a foreign 
        person that has carried out any activity described in 
        subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) of paragraph (1) or paragraph 
        (2).
    (c) Sanctions Described.--
            (1) In general.--The sanctions described in this subsection 
        are the following:
                    (A) Asset blocking.--The exercise of all powers 
                granted to the President by the International Emergency 
                Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) to the 
                extent necessary to block and prohibit all transactions 
                in all property and interests in property of an entity 
                determined by the President to be subject to subsection 
                (b) 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.
                    (B) Aliens ineligible for visas, admission, or 
                parole.--
                            (i) Visas, admission, or parole.--An alien 
                        who the Secretary of State or the Secretary of 
                        Homeland Security (or a designee of one of such 
                        Secretaries) knows or has reasonable grounds to 
                        believe meets any of the criteria described in 
                        subsection (b) is--
                                    (I) inadmissible to the United 
                                States;
                                    (II) ineligible to receive a visa 
                                or other documentation to enter the 
                                United States; and
                                    (III) otherwise ineligible to be 
                                admitted or paroled into the United 
                                States or to receive any other benefit 
                                under the Immigration and Nationality 
                                Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.).
                            (ii) Current visas revoked.--
                                    (I) In general.--Any visa or other 
                                documentation issued to an alien who is 
                                an Iranian person on the list required 
                                under subsection (b), regardless of 
                                when such visa or other documentation 
                                was issued, shall be revoked and such 
                                alien shall be denied admission to the 
                                United States.
                                    (II) Effect of revocation.--A 
                                revocation under subclause (I) shall 
                                take effect immediately and shall 
                                automatically cancel any other valid 
                                visa or entry documentation that is in 
                                the alien's possession.
            (2) Inapplicability of national emergency requirement.--The 
        requirements of section 202 of the International Emergency 
        Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701) shall not apply for 
        purposes of the imposition of sanctions under this section.
            (3) Penalties.--A person that is subject to sanctions 
        described in paragraph (1)(A) shall be subject to the penalties 
        set forth in subsections (b) and (c) of section 206 of the 
        International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1705) to 
        the same extent as a person that commits an unlawful act 
        described in subsection (a) of that section.
            (4) Exception to comply with united nations headquarters 
        agreement.--Sanctions under paragraph (1)(B) shall not apply to 
        an alien if admitting 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.
    (d) Waiver.--The President may, on a case-by-case basis and for 
periods not to exceed 90 days, waive the application of sanctions in 
this section with respect to an Iranian person if the President 
certifies to the appropriate congressional committees at least 15 days 
before such waiver is to take effect that such waiver is vital to the 
national security interests of the United States.
    (e) Implementation Authority.--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) 
for purposes of carrying out this section.
    (f) Regulatory Authority.--
            (1) In general.--The President shall, not later than 90 
        days after the date of the enactment of this Act, promulgate 
        regulations as necessary for the implementation of this 
        section.
            (2) Notification to congress.--Not less than 10 days before 
        the promulgation of regulations under paragraph (1), the 
        President shall notify and provide to the appropriate 
        congressional committees the proposed regulations and the 
        provisions of this section that the regulations are 
        implementing.
    (g) Definitions.--In this section--
            (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
        ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
                    (A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee 
                on the Judiciary, the Committee on Ways and Means, and 
                the Committee on Financial Services of the House of 
                Representatives; and
                    (B) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the 
                Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the 
                Senate.
            (2) Iranian person.--The term ``Iranian person'' means--
                    (A) an individual who is a citizen or national of 
                Iran; and
                    (B) an entity organized under the laws of Iran or 
                otherwise subject to the jurisdiction of the Government 
                of Iran.
            (3) United states person.--The term ``United States 
        person'' has the meaning given that term in section 576.317 of 
        title 31, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on June 22, 
        2016.
            (4) Admitted; alien.--The terms ``admitted'' and ``alien'' 
        have the meanings given those terms in section 101(3) of the 
        Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(3)).
            (5) Knowingly.--The term ``knowingly'', with respect to 
        conduct, a circumstance, or a result, means that a person has 
        actual knowledge, or should have known, of the conduct, the 
        circumstance, or the result.
            (6) Government of iraq.--The term ``Government of Iraq'' 
        has the meaning given that term in section 576.310 of title 31, 
        Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on June 22, 2016.
            (7) Person.--The term ``person'' has the meaning given that 
        term in section 576.311 of title 31, Code of Federal 
        Regulations, as in effect on June 22, 2016.
            (8) Property; property interest.--The terms ``property'' 
        and ``property interest'' have the meanings given those terms 
        in section 576.312 of title 31, Code of Federal Regulations, as 
        in effect on June 22, 2016.
    (h) Sunset.--This section shall cease to be effective beginning on 
January 1, 2022.

SEC. 4. REPORT ON ACTIVITIES OF THE GOVERNMENT OF IRAN IN IRAQ.

    (a) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, and every 180 days thereafter for a period not to exceed 5 
years, the President shall submit to the appropriate congressional 
committees a report on activities of the Government of Iran in Iraq.
    (b) Matters To Be Included.--The report required by subsection (a) 
shall include a description of the following:
            (1) The Government of Iran's support for Iraqi militias or 
        political parties, including weapons, financing, and other 
        forms of material support.
            (2) A list of referrals to the relevant United Nations 
        Security Council sanctions committees by the United States 
        Permanent Representative to the United Nations.
            (3) Iranian persons that are in Iraq despite the asset 
        freeze and visa ban sanctions imposed against such entities 
        pursuant to United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231.
            (4) Iraqi persons that have aided, abetted, or facilitated 
        the Government of Iran's transport of personnel, money, and 
        munitions into Syria to aid the regime of Bashar al-Assad.
            (5) Iraqi financial institutions that are providing credit, 
        loans, or other assistance to Government of Iran-backed 
        irregular or militia forces responsible for engaging in 
        activities described in section 3(b).
            (6) Actions taken by the Government of Iran to influence 
        Shia institutions in Najaf, Iraq.
    (c) Form.--The report required by subsection (a) shall be submitted 
in classified form if it is determined that it is necessary for the 
national security interests of the United States to do so.
    (d) Definition.--In this section, the term ``appropriate 
congressional committees'' means--
            (1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on 
        Armed Services, the Committee on Ways and Means, and the 
        Committee on Financial Services of the House of 
        Representatives; and
            (2) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on 
        Armed Services, the Committee on Finance, and the Committee on 
        Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate.
                                 <all>