[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2248 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2248

To require a pilot program on the use of big data analytics to identify 
 vessels evading sanctions and export controls and to require a report 
 on the availability in the United States of emerging and foundational 
                technologies subject to export controls.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 11, 2023

  Ms. Hassan (for herself and Mr. Lankford) introduced the following 
 bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland 
                   Security and Governmental Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To require a pilot program on the use of big data analytics to identify 
 vessels evading sanctions and export controls and to require a report 
 on the availability in the United States of emerging and foundational 
                technologies subject to export controls.

    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 ``Vessel Tracking for Sanctions 
Enforcement Act of 2023''.

SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM ON USE OF BIG DATA ANALYTICS TO IDENTIFY VESSELS 
              EVADING SANCTIONS AND EXPORT CONTROLS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 18 months after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting 
through the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, shall 
establish a pilot program at the National Targeting Center to assess 
the feasibility and advisability of using big data analytics to 
identify and predict instances in which disabling or manipulating the 
Automatic Identification System on a vessel is an indication that there 
is a high risk that the vessel is transporting goods in a manner that 
evades sanctions or export controls imposed by the United States.
    (b) Law Enforcement Use.--The Secretary, acting through the 
Commissioner, shall design the pilot program required by subsection (a) 
to provide actionable intelligence with respect to instances described 
in subsection (a) to--
            (1) operational components of the Department of Homeland 
        Security, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement 
        and the Coast Guard;
            (2) other Federal law enforcement agencies; and
            (3) such agencies of foreign countries that are partners of 
        the United States as the Secretary considers appropriate.
    (c) Data Elements.--
            (1) In general.--In developing the pilot program required 
        by subsection (a), the Secretary, acting through the 
        Commissioner, shall consider the inclusion of the following 
        data with respect to a vessel described in that subsection:
                    (A) The type of goods being transported on the 
                vessel.
                    (B) The destination of the vessel.
                    (C) The ownership and nationality of the vessel, 
                the shipper, and the importer.
                    (D) The ownership and nationality of vessels 
                located in close proximity to the vessel while the 
                Automatic Identification System was disabled or being 
                manipulated.
                    (E) The period of time for which the Automatic 
                Identification System on the vessel was disabled or 
                being manipulated.
                    (F) The frequency of issues with the Automatic 
                Identification System on that vessel.
            (2) Data models.--The pilot program required by subsection 
        (a) may include multiple data models to account for different 
        behavior patterns for different shippers and different types of 
        goods.
    (d) Interagency Coordination.--The Secretary, acting through the 
Commissioner, shall coordinate with the Secretary of Commerce and the 
Director of National Intelligence in developing and carrying out the 
pilot program required by subsection (a).
    (e) Termination.--The pilot program required by subsection (a) 
shall terminate on the date that is 4 years after the date of the 
enactment of this Act.
    (f) Report Required.--Not later than 4 years after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in 
consultation with the Secretary of Commerce and the Director of 
National Intelligence, shall submit to Congress a report--
            (1) assessing the usefulness of the pilot program required 
        by subsection (a) in identifying and predicting instances 
        described in that subsection;
            (2) with respect to each instance in which a vessel was 
        identified under the pilot program as posing a high risk of 
        transporting goods in a manner that evades sanctions or export 
        controls imposed by the United States and the vessel was 
        successfully interdicted by the United States or a country that 
        is a partner of the United States--
                    (A) specifying whether or not the vessel was 
                confirmed to be evading such sanctions or export 
                controls;
                    (B) if the vessel was confirmed to be evading such 
                sanctions or export controls, specifying the penalty 
                imposed; and
                    (C) if the vessel was not confirmed to be evading 
                such sanctions or export controls, specifying whether a 
                United States agency took action against the vessel 
                based on reasonable suspicion;
            (3) with respect to each instance in which a vessel was 
        identified under the pilot program as posing a high risk of 
        transporting goods in a manner that evades sanctions or export 
        controls imposed by the United States and the vessel was not 
        successfully interdicted by the United States or a country that 
        is a partner of the United States, specifying whether the 
        vessel traveled to--
                    (A) a country with respect to which the United 
                States has imposed sanctions or export controls with 
                respect to goods suspected of being transported on the 
                vessel;
                    (B) a country not described in subparagraph (A) but 
                that the Secretary of Homeland Security has identified 
                as a country posing a high risk of transshipment of 
                goods suspected of being transported on the vessel to a 
                country described in subparagraph (A); or
                    (C) a country not described in subparagraph (A) or 
                (B); and
            (4) making recommendations with respect to whether big data 
        analytics should be used to identify and predict instances 
        described in subsection (a) in the future.
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