119 S2978 IS: Designating the Russian Federation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism Act
U.S. Senate
2025-10-07
text/xml
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II
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 2978
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
October 7, 2025
Mr. Graham (for himself, Mr. Blumenthal, Mrs. Britt, and Ms. Klobuchar) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
A BILL
To provide for the designation of the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism.
1.

Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Designating the Russian Federation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism Act”.
2.

Findings
Congress finds the following:
(1)
The Russian Federation's aggression in Ukraine has targeted innocent civilians, including children.
(2)
The Government of Ukraine estimates that at least 648 Ukrainian children have been killed and at least 2,047 Ukrainian children have been wounded since the start of President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
(3)
The Government of Ukraine estimates that the Russian Federation has kidnapped, deported, or displaced at least 19,546 Ukrainian children to the Russian Federation, Russian-occupied territories, and other locations since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and continues to practice such illegal and inhumane actions.
(4)
The Russian Federation has kidnapped, deported, or displaced Ukrainian children as young as a few months to 17 years of age according to reliable reports.
(5)
President Putin’s regime seeks the “Russification” of Ukrainian children through kidnapping, deportation, or displacement to destroy their Ukrainian identity.
(6)
Many of these Ukrainian children are forced into “re-education” camps or youth paramilitary organizations in the Russian Federation and other locations, with the intent of training them for future deployment as service members in the Russian Armed Forces.
(7)
In November 2024, the United Kingdom stated that the Government of the Russian Federation seeks to accomplish “Russification” by “expos[ing] Ukrainian children to a curriculum that rewrites Russian and Ukrainian history, glorifies Russian military actions, promotes allegiance to Russia, and in some cases involves military training”.
(8)
Ukraine has made efforts to repatriate these kidnapped and deported children, including during the peace talks that occurred in Istanbul, Turkey in June 2025, where Ukraine presented the Russian delegation with a list of 339 names of kidnapped children to return home.
(9)
In response to the proposal put forth by Ukraine in Istanbul, Turkey, the Russian delegation, led by Vladimir Medinsky, stated that these children were “rescued” by Russian soldiers and dismissed the request.
(10)
United States law authorizes the designation of countries as state sponsors of terrorism if they have repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism.
(11)
Section 2331(1) of title 18, United States Code, defines international terrorism as activities that—
“(A)
involve violent acts or acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State, or that would be a criminal violation if committed within the jurisdiction of the United States or of any State;
(B)
appear to be intended—
(i)
to intimidate or coerce a civilian population;
(ii)
to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or
(iii)
to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping; and
(C)
occur primarily outside the territorial jurisdiction of the United States, or transcend national boundaries in terms of the means by which they are accomplished, the persons they appear intended to intimidate or coerce, or the locale in which their perpetrators operate or seek asylum;”.
(12)
At the direction of President Putin, the Government of the Russian Federation has promoted, and continues to promote, these acts of international terrorism, including the kidnapping of Ukrainian children, which would constitute a criminal violation if committed within the jurisdiction of the United States.
(13)
During the 117th Congress, the Senate unanimously adopted—
(A)
Senate Resolution 623, which called for the Secretary of State to designate the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism; and
(B)
Senate Resolution 546, which condemned the actions of the Russian Federation, President Putin, members of the Russian Security Council, the Russian Armed Forces, and Russian military commanders for committing atrocities and alleged war crimes against the people of Ukraine.
(14)
The United States continues to have a range of tools available to hold the Russian Federation accountable for these egregious actions.
3.

Designation of the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism
(a)

Certification
Not later than 60 days after the effective date of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit a report to Congress that certifies whether—
(1)
the Ukrainian children who were kidnapped, deported, or forcibly removed from Ukrainian territory or temporarily occupied Ukrainian territory since the Russian Federation's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 have been reunited with their families or guardians in a secure environment; and
(2)
the process of full reintegration of such children into Ukrainian society is underway.
(b)

Designation
If the Secretary of State cannot certify the actions described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsections (a) have occurred, the Secretary shall immediately designate the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism pursuant to—
(1)
section 1754(c) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (50 U.S.C. 4813(c));
(2)
section 40 of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2780);
(3)
section 620A of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2371); and
(4)
any other relevant provision of law.
4.

Rescission of the designation of the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism
The Secretary of State may rescind the designation required under section 3(b) on or after the date that is 45 days after the date on which the Secretary certifies to Congress, pursuant to the provision of law under which such designation was made, that—
(1)
the Government of the Russian Federation—
(A)
has not provided support for international terrorism during the preceding 3-month period; and
(B)
has provided assurances that such government will not support acts of international terrorism in the future;
(2)
all of the children kidnapped, deported, or forcibly transferred from Ukrainian territory or temporarily occupied Ukrainian territory since the Russian Federation’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 have been reunited with their families and guardians in a secure environment; and
(3)
the process of full reintegration of such children into Ukrainian society is underway.
5.

Effective date
This Act shall take effect on the date that is 1 day after the date of the enactment of this Act.