[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2578 Reported in Senate (RS)]
<DOC>
Calendar No. 498
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 2578
To support United States investment opportunities, to strengthen
bilateral collaboration in addressing criminal elements operating in
the Brazilian Amazon, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 31, 2025
Mr. Kaine (for himself, Mr. Curtis, and Mr. Merkley) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Foreign Relations
July 27, 2026
Reported by Mr. Risch, with an amendment
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To support United States investment opportunities, to strengthen
bilateral collaboration in addressing criminal elements operating in
the Brazilian Amazon, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>
<DELETED> This Act may be cited as the ``Strengthening the Rule of
Law in the Brazilian Amazon Act''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.</DELETED>
<DELETED> In this Act:</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) Crimes.--The term ``crimes'' means--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) any crime related or contributing to
the illegal fishing and wildlife trade, illicit mining,
or illegal logging and land-clearing in the Brazilian
Amazon; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) associated corruption, financial
crimes, and violent crimes.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) International financial institutions.--The
term ``international financial institutions'' means--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) the World Bank Group;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) the Inter-American Development Bank
Group; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (C) the International Monetary
Fund.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) Relevant federal agencies.--The term
``relevant Federal agencies'' means--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) the Department of State;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) the United States Agency for
International Development;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (C) the Department of Justice;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (D) the Department of the
Treasury;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (E) the Department of Homeland
Security;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (F) the Department of
Agriculture;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (G) the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (H) the Department of the Interior;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (I) any other Federal agency that the
President determines is a relevant Federal agency for
purposes of this Act.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 3. IDENTIFYING INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN THE BRAZILIAN
AMAZON.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) Business Development.--The Chief Executive Officer of
the United States International Development Finance Corporation should
consider placing a staff member in Brazil with duties that include--
</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) identifying and implementing more sustainable
and viable economic opportunities in the Brazilian Amazon;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) identifying possible investment risks and
mitigation measures related to operations and actors that
contribute to criminal activity in the Brazilian
Amazon.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Chief Executive Officer of the United States
International Development Finance Corporation shall submit a report to
Congress that describes--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) the opportunities identified pursuant to
subsection (a)(1); and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) the most significant barriers to greater
investment in sustainable and viable economic opportunities in
the Brazilian Amazon.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 4. COMBATING CRIMINAL ELEMENTS OPERATING IN THE BRAZILIAN
AMAZON.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) In General.--The Secretary of State should direct the
Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law
Enforcement Affairs, in coordination with relevant Federal agencies and
the United States mission in Brazil, to promote supporting Brazil's
efforts to identify and disrupt the complex and transnational criminal
networks contributing to the destruction of communities and
deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon by providing capacity building
and technical assistance, including--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) information sharing, training, and capacity-
building for Brazilian agencies, including through United
States Government agencies;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) collaborating on tracing funds generated from
crimes;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) supporting investigations of crimes that are
associated with deforestation, environmental degradation, money
laundering, asset laundering, or corruption offenses;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) assisting with the identification of the
proceeds of such crimes to help facilitate asset recovery;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (5) providing appropriate United States assistance
to funding mechanisms consistent with the goals of this
Act.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Community Assistance.--The Administrator of the United
States Agency for International Development, in consultation with
relevant Federal agencies, should provide financial and technical
assistance to help prevent crimes by promoting--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) sustainable, lawful livelihoods in the
Brazilian Amazon;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) the protection of rights for Indigenous
Peoples and local communities;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) economic activities and natural resource
management, including mining, sustainable agriculture, and
sustainable forest-based activities; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) the management of protected areas, including
indigenous territories, buffer zones, water resources,
terrestrial and aquatic habitats of species deemed to be
threatened by extinction, and other spaces vulnerable to
conversion and deforestation.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (c) Annual Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date
of the enactment of this Act and annually thereafter for the following
5 years, the Secretary of State, in coordination with relevant Federal
agencies and nongovernmental organizations, shall submit a report to
Congress that describes the progress made in carrying out subsections
(a) and (b).</DELETED>
<DELETED> (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated to the Department of State up to $10,000,000 for
each of the fiscal years 2025 through 2028, which should be used to
help Brazilian authorities combat crimes in accordance with subsections
(a) and (b).</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 5. REPORT ON CERTAIN DRIVERS OF DEFORESTATION AND
ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION IN THE BRAZILIAN
AMAZON.</DELETED>
<DELETED> Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of
this Act, the Secretary of State, in coordination with relevant Federal
agencies, shall submit a report to Congress regarding certain drivers
of deforestation and environmental degradation in the Brazilian Amazon
that includes--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) a description of the agricultural commodities,
illegal timber, minerals, and wildlife entering the United
States market that are contributing to deforestation and
environmental degradation of the Brazilian Amazon;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) a description of the role of the People's
Republic of China's in facilitating illicit resource extraction
and environmental degradation, including deforestation, in the
Brazilian Amazon;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) the funding levels and efficacy of United
States foreign assistance programs in identifying and
disrupting the criminal elements operating in the Brazilian
Amazon; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) an assessment of the Government of Brazil's
contributions to countering criminal elements operating in the
Brazilian Amazon.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 6. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION.</DELETED>
<DELETED> Notwithstanding any other provision of law (including any
Executive order), the Secretary of the Treasury should direct the
United States executive director to each international financial
institution, in consultation with relevant Federal agencies, to use the
voice, vote, and influence of the United States--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) to prioritize promoting sustainable and broad-
based development in the Brazilian Amazon; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) to oppose any loans or programs at any such
institution that would facilitate or exacerbate deforestation
and environmental degradation in the Brazilian
Amazon.</DELETED>
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Strengthening the Rule of Law in the
Brazilian Amazon Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Crimes.--The term ``crimes'' means--
(A) any crime related or contributing to the
illegal fishing and wildlife trade, illicit mining, or
illegal logging and land-clearing in the Brazilian
Amazon; and
(B) associated corruption, financial crimes, and
violent crimes.
(2) Environmental degradation.--The term ``environmental
degradation'' means physical damage to land, water, or wildlife
resources that results from crimes described in paragraph (1).
(3) International financial institutions.--The term
``international financial institutions'' means--
(A) the World Bank Group;
(B) the Inter-American Development Bank Group; and
(C) the International Monetary Fund.
(4) Relevant federal agencies.--The term ``relevant Federal
agencies'' means--
(A) the Department of State; and
(B) other Federal departments and agencies the
President has designated as having significant domestic
or foreign affairs equities in identifying investment
opportunities in the Brazilian Amazon and combating
criminal elements in the Brazilian Amazon.
SEC. 3. IDENTIFYING INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN THE BRAZILIAN AMAZON.
(a) Business Development.--The Chief Executive Officer of the
United States International Development Finance Corporation should
consider placing a staff member in Brazil with duties that include--
(1) identifying and implementing more viable economic
opportunities in the Brazilian Amazon; and
(2) identifying possible investment risks and mitigation
measures related to operations and actors that contribute to
criminal activity in the Brazilian Amazon.
(b) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Chief Executive Officer of the United States
International Development Finance Corporation shall submit a report to
Congress that describes--
(1) the opportunities identified pursuant to subsection
(a)(1); and
(2) the most significant barriers to greater investment in
sustainable and viable economic opportunities in the Brazilian
Amazon.
SEC. 4. COMBATING CRIMINAL ELEMENTS OPERATING IN THE BRAZILIAN AMAZON.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of State may direct the Assistant
Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement
Affairs, in coordination with relevant Federal agencies and the United
States mission in Brazil, to support Brazil's efforts to identify and
disrupt the complex and transnational criminal networks contributing to
the destruction of communities and deforestation in the Brazilian
Amazon by providing capacity building and technical assistance,
including--
(1) information sharing, training, and capacity-building
for Brazilian agencies, including through United States
Government agencies;
(2) collaborating on tracing funds generated from crimes;
(3) supporting investigations of crimes that are associated
with deforestation, environmental degradation, money
laundering, asset laundering, or corruption offenses;
(4) assisting with the identification of the proceeds of
such crimes to help facilitate asset recovery; and
(5) providing appropriate United States assistance to
funding mechanisms consistent with the goals of this Act.
(b) Community Assistance.--The Secretary of State, in consultation
with relevant Federal agencies, should provide financial and technical
assistance to help prevent crimes by promoting--
(1) lawful livelihoods in the Brazilian Amazon;
(2) the economic, social, and political advancement of
local communities, including internationally recognized human
rights in Afro-descendent and indigenous communities;
(3) economic activities and natural resource management,
including mining, agriculture, and forest-based activities; and
(4) the management of protected areas, including indigenous
territories, buffer zones, water resources, terrestrial and
aquatic habitats of species deemed to be threatened by
extinction, and other spaces vulnerable to conversion and
deforestation.
(c) Annual Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act and annually thereafter for the following 5
years, the Secretary of State, in coordination with relevant Federal
agencies and nongovernmental organizations, shall submit a report to
Congress that describes the progress made in carrying out subsections
(a) and (b).
SEC. 5. REPORT ON CERTAIN DRIVERS OF DEFORESTATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL
DEGRADATION IN THE BRAZILIAN AMAZON.
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this
Act, the Secretary of State, in coordination with relevant Federal
agencies, shall submit a report to Congress regarding certain drivers
of deforestation and environmental degradation in the Brazilian Amazon
that includes--
(1) a description of the agricultural commodities, illegal
timber, minerals, and wildlife entering the United States
market that are contributing to deforestation and environmental
degradation of the Brazilian Amazon;
(2) a description of the role of the People's Republic of
China's in facilitating illicit resource extraction and
environmental degradation, including deforestation, in the
Brazilian Amazon;
(3) the funding levels and efficacy of United States
foreign assistance programs in identifying and disrupting the
criminal elements operating in the Brazilian Amazon; and
(4) an assessment of the Government of Brazil's
contributions to countering criminal elements operating in the
Brazilian Amazon.
SEC. 6. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION.
The Secretary of the Treasury should direct the United States
executive director to each international financial institution, in
consultation with relevant Federal agencies, to use the voice, vote,
and influence of the United States--
(1) to prioritize promoting broad-based development in the
Brazilian Amazon; and
(2) to oppose any loans or programs at any such institution
that would facilitate or exacerbate deforestation and
environmental degradation in the Brazilian Amazon.
Calendar No. 498
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 2578
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To support United States investment opportunities, to strengthen
bilateral collaboration in addressing criminal elements operating in
the Brazilian Amazon, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
July 27, 2026
Reported with an amendment