[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 198 (Tuesday, December 5, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H9653-H9659]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




VENEZUELA HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE AND DEFENSE OF DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE 
                              ACT OF 2017

  Mr. ROYCE of California. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 2658) to provide humanitarian assistance for the 
Venezuelan people, to defend democratic governance and combat 
widespread public corruption in Venezuela, and for other purposes, as 
amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2658

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

       (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Venezuela 
     Humanitarian Assistance and Defense of Democratic Governance 
     Act of 2017''.
       (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act 
     is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings.
Sec. 3. Sense of Congress.
Sec. 4. Requirement for strategy to provide humanitarian assistance to 
              the people of Venezuela.
Sec. 5. Requirement for strategy to coordinate international 
              humanitarian assistance.
Sec. 6. Support for efforts at the United Nations on the humanitarian 
              and political crisis in Venezuela.
Sec. 7. Support for Organization of American States Inter-American 
              Democratic Charter.
Sec. 8. Concerns and report on the involvement of Venezuelan officials 
              in corruption and illicit narcotics trafficking.
Sec. 9. Sanctions on persons responsible for public corruption and 
              undermining democratic governance in Venezuela.
Sec. 10. Concerns over PDVSA transactions with Rosneft.

[[Page H9654]]

Sec. 11. Report on activities of certain governments in Venezuela.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) The deterioration of democratic governance and the 
     economic crisis in Venezuela have led to an unprecedented 
     humanitarian situation in which people are suffering from 
     severe shortages of essential medicines and basic food 
     products.
       (2) According to the World Health Organization, Venezuela 
     had a shortage of necessary medications and medical supplies 
     of--
       (A) 55 percent in 2014;
       (B) 67 percent in 2015; and
       (C) 75 percent in 2016.
       (3) According to a Human Rights Watch 2016 report, it is 
     increasingly difficult for many Venezuelans, particularly 
     those in lower- or middle-income families, to obtain adequate 
     nutrition and there are reports of symptoms of malnutrition, 
     particularly in children.
       (4) Maternal deaths in Venezuela increased by 66 percent 
     from 2015 to 2016 while infant deaths increased by 30 
     percent.
       (5) There were 240,000 confirmed malaria cases in Venezuela 
     in 2016--a 76 percent increase over 2015.
       (6) A survey--conducted jointly by the Central University 
     of Venezuela, the Andres Bello Catholic University, and the 
     Simon Bolivar University--found that almost 75 percent of 
     Venezuelans lost an average of at least 19 pounds in 2016 as 
     a result of a lack of proper nutrition amidst the country's 
     economic crisis.
       (7) Despite massive shortages of basic foodstuffs and 
     essential medicines, Nicolas Maduro has rejected repeated 
     requests from the Venezuelan National Assembly and civil 
     society organizations to bring humanitarian aid into the 
     country.
       (8) The International Monetary Fund has estimated that in 
     Venezuela in 2016 the country's gross domestic product 
     contracted by 12 percent and inflation rate reached 720 
     percent, and has stated that Venezuela had the worst growth 
     and inflation performance in the world.
       (9) The International Monetary Fund has not convened an 
     Article IV Executive Board consultation for Venezuela since 
     September 13, 2004, which greatly limits the extent of 
     information available to the international community about 
     the severity of the Venezuelan economic crisis.
       (10) Venezuela's political, economic, and humanitarian 
     crisis is fueling social tensions that are resulting in 
     growing incidents of public unrest, looting, violence among 
     citizens, and an exodus of Venezuelans abroad.
       (11) These social distortions are taking place amidst an 
     alarming climate of criminal violence. According to the 
     United Nations Office on Drug and Crime, Caracas, Venezuela 
     had the highest per capita homicide rate of any capital city 
     in the world in 2015 at 120 murders per 100,000 citizens.
       (12) In 2016, 18,155 Venezuelans submitted asylum requests 
     in the United States, which was the greatest number of 
     requests by any nationality, according to U.S. Citizenship 
     and Immigration Services.
       (13) International and domestic human rights groups, such 
     as Foro Penal Venezolano, recognize more than 600 political 
     prisoners in Venezuela, including opposition leader and 
     former Chacao mayor Leopoldo Lopez, Judge Maria Lourdes 
     Afiuni, Caracas Mayor Antonio Jose Ledezma Diaz, National 
     Assembly Deputy Gilber Caro, and former San Cristobal mayor 
     Daniel Ceballos.
       (14) According to media accounts, over 125 people lost 
     their lives as the result of public demonstrations and 
     protests in Venezuela since April 2017.

     SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

       It is the sense of Congress that--
       (1) Nicolas Maduro should permit the delivery of 
     international humanitarian assistance to address the 
     widespread and deeply concerning shortages of essential 
     medicines and basic food products faced by the people of 
     Venezuela;
       (2) it is in the best interest of the Venezuelan people for 
     the Government of Venezuela to engage with multilateral 
     institutions to ameliorate the effects of the country's 
     ongoing economic, social, and humanitarian crisis;
       (3) Nicolas Maduro should immediately release all political 
     prisoners and respect internationally recognized human rights 
     in order to facilitate the conditions for political 
     negotiations and dialogue in Venezuela;
       (4) Nicolas Maduro and the Supreme Tribunal of Justice of 
     Venezuela should take steps to reinstate the full powers and 
     authorities of the National Assembly of Venezuela in 
     accordance with the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic 
     of Venezuela;
       (5) Venezuela's National Electoral Council should establish 
     a specific timeline to hold national, regional, and municipal 
     elections in accordance with the Constitution of the 
     Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and allow supervision of 
     credible international electoral observers; and
       (6) the United States should support meaningful efforts 
     towards a substantive dialogue through which all parties 
     uphold their commitments and agree to specific deadlines to 
     restore respect for Venezuela's constitutional mechanisms and 
     resolve the country's political, economic, and humanitarian 
     crisis.

     SEC. 4. REQUIREMENT FOR STRATEGY TO PROVIDE HUMANITARIAN 
                   ASSISTANCE TO THE PEOPLE OF VENEZUELA.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in 
     coordination with the Administrator of the United States 
     Agency for International Development, shall submit to the 
     Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives, 
     the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate, the 
     Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives 
     and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate a strategy 
     to provide humanitarian assistance to the people of Venezuela 
     through credible and independent nongovernmental 
     organizations operating in Venezuela or in neighboring 
     countries to alleviate the suffering of the Venezuelan 
     people.
       (b) Matters to Be Included.--The strategy required under 
     subsection (a) shall include the following:
       (1) A description of how and to what extent the following 
     assistance will be provided:
       (A) Public health commodities for Venezuelan health 
     facilities and services, including medicines on the World 
     Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines and basic 
     medical supplies and equipment.
       (B) Basic food commodities and nutritional supplements 
     needed to address growing malnutrition and improve food 
     security for the people of Venezuela, with a specific 
     emphasis on the most vulnerable populations.
       (C) Technical assistance to ensure health and food 
     commodities are appropriately selected, procured, and 
     distributed, predominantly through local nongovernmental 
     organizations.
       (2) An identification of United States Agency for 
     International Development best practices in delivering 
     humanitarian assistance and how such best practices are being 
     utilized in providing humanitarian assistance to Venezuela.

     SEC. 5. REQUIREMENT FOR STRATEGY TO COORDINATE INTERNATIONAL 
                   HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE.

       (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that 
     the appropriate United Nations humanitarian agencies should 
     conduct and publish an independent assessment on--
       (1) the extent and impact of the shortages of food and 
     medicine in Venezuela; and
       (2) the efforts needed to resolve such shortages.
       (b) Strategy.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in 
     consultation with the Administrator of the United States 
     Agency for International Development, shall submit a multi-
     year strategy to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
     Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
     Representatives that--
       (1) describes how the United States will secure support 
     from international donors, including regional partners in 
     Latin America and the Caribbean, for the provision of 
     humanitarian assistance to the people of Venezuela; and
       (2) identifies governments that are willing to provide 
     financial and technical assistance for the provision of such 
     humanitarian assistance to the people of Venezuela and a 
     description of such assistance.

     SEC. 6. SUPPORT FOR EFFORTS AT THE UNITED NATIONS ON THE 
                   HUMANITARIAN AND POLITICAL CRISIS IN VENEZUELA.

       (a) Initial Efforts.--The President shall instruct the 
     Permanent Representative of the United States to the United 
     Nations to use the voice and vote of the United States to 
     secure the necessary votes--
       (1) to place the humanitarian and political crisis in 
     Venezuela on the agenda at the United Nations; and
       (2) to secure a Presidential Statement from the United 
     Nations urging the Government of Venezuela to allow the 
     delivery of humanitarian relief and to lift bureaucratic 
     impediments or any other obstacles so that independent 
     nongovernmental organizations can provide the proper 
     assistance to the people of Venezuela without any 
     interference by such government.
       (b) Additional Efforts.--
       (1) In general.--If the Government of Venezuela refuses to 
     allow the delivery of humanitarian relief and lift 
     bureaucratic impediments and any other obstacles described in 
     subsection (a)(2), then beginning not later than 30 days 
     after the conclusion of the efforts of the United Nations 
     described in such subsection, the President shall instruct 
     the Permanent Representative of the United States to the 
     United Nations to use the voice and vote of the United States 
     to secure the adoption of a resolution described in paragraph 
     (2).
       (2) Resolution described.--The resolution of the United 
     Nations described in paragraph (1) is a resolution--
       (A) directing the Government of Venezuela to promptly allow 
     safe and unhindered access for humanitarian agencies and 
     their implementing partners, including possible support from 
     neighboring countries; and
       (B) calling on the Government of Venezuela to--
       (i) allow the delivery of food and medicine;
       (ii) end human rights violations;
       (iii) agree to free, fair and transparent elections with 
     credible international observers;
       (iv) cease violence; and
       (v) release all political prisoners.

     SEC. 7. SUPPORT FOR ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES INTER-
                   AMERICAN DEMOCRATIC CHARTER.

       (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:

[[Page H9655]]

       (1) Article 1 of the Inter-American Democratic Charter, 
     adopted by the Organization of American States in Lima on 
     September 11, 2001, affirms, ``The peoples of the Americas 
     have a right to democracy and their governments have an 
     obligation to promote and defend it.''.
       (2) Article 19 of the Inter-American Democratic Charter 
     states ``an unconstitutional interruption of the democratic 
     order or an unconstitutional alteration of the constitutional 
     regime that seriously impairs the democratic order in a 
     member state, constitutes, while it persists, an 
     insurmountable obstacle to its government's participation in 
     sessions of the General Assembly . . . and other bodies of 
     the Organization.''.
       (3) Article 20 of the Inter-American Democratic Charter 
     provides--
       (A) ``In the event of an unconstitutional alteration of the 
     constitutional regime that seriously impairs the democratic 
     order in a member state, any member state or the Secretary 
     General may request the immediate convocation of the 
     Permanent Council to undertake a collective assessment of the 
     situation and to take such decisions as it deems 
     appropriate.''; and
       (B) ``The Permanent Council, depending on the situation, 
     may undertake the necessary diplomatic initiatives, including 
     good offices, to foster the restoration of democracy.''.
       (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
       (1) Nicolas Maduro, the National Electoral Council of 
     Venezuela, and the Supreme Tribunal of Justice of Venezuela 
     have carried out systematic efforts to undermine, block, and 
     circumvent the authorities and responsibilities of the 
     Venezuelan National Assembly as mandated in the Constitution 
     of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela;
       (2) such efforts by Nicolas Maduro and the Supreme Tribunal 
     of Justice of Venezuela amount to an unconstitutional 
     alternation of the constitutional regime that seriously 
     impairs the democratic order in Venezuela; and
       (3) the Secretary of State, working through the United 
     States Permanent Mission to the Organization of American 
     States, should take additional steps to support ongoing 
     efforts by the Secretary General of the Organization of 
     American States--
       (A) to invoke the Inter-American Democratic Charter;
       (B) to advance a collective assessment of the situation in 
     Venezuela; and
       (C) to promote diplomatic initiatives to foster the 
     restoration of Venezuelan democracy.

     SEC. 8. CONCERNS AND REPORT ON THE INVOLVEMENT OF VENEZUELAN 
                   OFFICIALS IN CORRUPTION AND ILLICIT NARCOTICS 
                   TRAFFICKING.

       (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) The deterioration of governance in Venezuela has been 
     exacerbated by the involvement of senior officials of the 
     Government of Venezuela, including members of the National 
     Electoral Council, the judicial system, and the Venezuelan 
     security forces, in acts of corruption and illicit narcotics 
     trafficking and related money laundering.
       (2) In March 2015, the Department of the Treasury's 
     Financial Crimes Enforcement Network determined that 
     approximately $2,000,000,000 had been siphoned from 
     Venezuela's public oil company, Petroleos de Venezuela S.A., 
     in conjunction with its designation of the Banca Privada 
     d'Andorra as a Foreign Financial Institution of Primary Money 
     Laundering Concern.
       (3) On August 1, 2016, General Nestor Reverol, Venezuela's 
     current Minister of Interior and former National Guard 
     commander, was indicted in a United States district court for 
     participating in an international cocaine trafficking 
     conspiracy.
       (4) On November 18, 2016, Franqui Francisco Flores de 
     Freitas and Efrain Antonio Campo Flores, nephews of Nicolas 
     Maduro and Venezuelan First Lady Cilia Flores, were convicted 
     in a United States district court on charges of conspiring to 
     import cocaine into the United States.
       (5) On February 13, 2017, the Department of the Treasury's 
     Office of Foreign Assets Control designated Tareck Zaidan El 
     Aissami Maddah for his involvement in illicit narcotics 
     trafficking, pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin 
     Designation Act (21 U.S.C. 1901 et seq.; title VIII of Public 
     Law 106-120).
       (6) The Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign 
     Assets Control has designated additional individuals and 
     senior Venezuelan officials for their involvement in illicit 
     narcotics trafficking, pursuant to such Act, including--
       (A) Venezuelan national Samark Jose Lopez Bello, who is the 
     primary front man and money launderer for Tareck Zaidan El 
     Aissami Maddah;
       (B) Hugo Armando Carvajal Barrios, who is the current 
     National Assembly Deputy and the former Director of 
     Venezuela's Military Intelligence Directorate;
       (C) Henry de Jesus Rangel Silva, who is the current 
     Governor of Trujillo State and the former Director of 
     Venezuela's Directorate of Intelligence and Prevention 
     Services;
       (D) Ramon Emilio Rodriguez Chacin, who previously served as 
     the Minister of Interior; and
       (E) Freddy Alirio Bernal Rosales, who previously served as 
     the Mayor of the Libertador municipality of Caracas.
       (7) On September 12, 2017, Ambassador William Brownfield 
     testified before the Senate Caucus on International Narcotics 
     Control that drug trafficking organizations in Venezuela have 
     ``completely penetrated virtually every security, law 
     enforcement, and justice-related institution'' and that 
     ``there will be no long-term, democratic, prosperous and 
     secure solution in Venezuela until there is a solution to the 
     drug trafficking organization presence''.
       (b) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Corruption.--The term ``corruption'' means the extent 
     to which public power is exercised for private gain, 
     including by bribery, nepotism, fraud, or embezzlement.
       (2) Grand corruption.--The term ``grand corruption'' means 
     corruption committed at a high level of government that--
       (A) distorts policies or the central functioning of the 
     country; and
       (B) enables leaders to benefit at the expense of the public 
     good.
       (c) Reporting Requirement.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, acting 
     through the Bureau of Intelligence and Research, and in 
     consultation with the intelligence community (as defined in 
     section 3(4) of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 
     3003(4))), shall submit a report to Congress that describes 
     the involvement of senior officials of the Government of 
     Venezuela, including members of the National Electoral 
     Council, the judicial system, and the Venezuelan security 
     forces, in acts of corruption in Venezuela, with a specific 
     emphasis on acts of grand corruption.
       (2) Additional elements.--The report submitted under 
     paragraph (1) shall--
       (A) describe how the acts of corruption described in the 
     report pose direct challenges for United States national 
     security and international security;
       (B) identify individuals that frustrate the ability of the 
     United States to combat illicit narcotics trafficking; and
       (C) include input from the Drug Enforcement Administration, 
     the Office of Foreign Assets Control, and the Financial 
     Crimes Enforcement Network.
       (3) Form.--The report under paragraph (1) shall be 
     submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified 
     annex. The unclassified portion of the report shall be made 
     available to the public.

     SEC. 9. SANCTIONS ON PERSONS RESPONSIBLE FOR PUBLIC 
                   CORRUPTION AND UNDERMINING DEMOCRATIC 
                   GOVERNANCE IN VENEZUELA.

       (a) Finding.--Executive Order 13692 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note), 
     which was signed on March 8, 2015, established sanctions 
     against individuals responsible for undermining democratic 
     processes and institutions and involved in acts of public 
     corruption that were not included in the Venezuela Defense of 
     Human Rights and Civil Society Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-
     278).
       (b) Sanctions.--Section 5 of the Venezuela Defense of Human 
     Rights and Civil Society Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-278) is 
     amended--
       (1) in subsection (a)--
       (A) in paragraph (2), by striking ``or'' at the end;
       (B) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (5);
       (C) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:
       ``(3) is responsible for, or complicit in, ordering, 
     controlling, or otherwise directing, significant actions or 
     policies that undermine democratic processes or institutions;
       ``(4) is a government official, or a senior associate of 
     such an official, that is responsible for, or complicit in, 
     ordering, controlling, or otherwise directing, acts of 
     significant corruption, including the expropriation of 
     private or public assets for personal gain, corruption 
     related to government contracts or the extraction of natural 
     resources, bribery, or the facilitation or transfer of the 
     proceeds of corruption to foreign jurisdictions; or''; and
       (D) in paragraph (5) (as redesignated), by striking 
     ``paragraph (1) or (2)'' and inserting ``paragraph (1), (2), 
     (3), or (4)''; and
       (2) in subsection (e), by striking ``December 31, 2019'' 
     and inserting ``December 31, 2022''.
       (c) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that 
     the President and Secretary of State should seek to encourage 
     partner countries of the Organization of American States, the 
     European Union, and the United Nations to impose sanctions 
     with respect to Venezuelan individuals that are similar to 
     sanctions imposed by the United States with respect to such 
     Venezuelan individuals.

     SEC. 10. CONCERNS OVER PDVSA TRANSACTIONS WITH ROSNEFT.

       (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) In late 2016, Venezuelan state-owned oil company 
     Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. (referred to in this section as 
     ``PDVSA''), through a no-compete transaction, secured a loan 
     from Russian government-controlled oil company Rosneft, using 
     49.9 percent of PDVSA's American subsidiary, CITGO Petroleum 
     Corporation, including its assets in the United States, as 
     collateral. As a result of this transaction, 100 percent of 
     CITGO is held as collateral by PDVSA's creditors.
       (2) CITGO, a wholly owned subsidiary of PDVSA, is engaged 
     in interstate commerce and owns and controls critical energy 
     infrastructure in 19 States in the United States, including 
     an extensive network of pipelines, 48 terminals, and 3 
     refineries, with a combined oil refining capacity of 749,000 
     barrels per day. CITGO's refinery in Lake Charles,

[[Page H9656]]

     Louisiana is the sixth largest refinery in the United States.
       (3) The Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions on 
     Rosneft, which is controlled by the Russian Government, and 
     its Executive Chairman, Igor Sechin, following Russia's 
     military invasion of Ukraine and its illegal annexation of 
     Crimea in 2014.
       (4) The Department of Homeland Security has designated the 
     energy sector as critical to United States infrastructure.
       (5) The growing economic crisis in Venezuela raises the 
     probability that the Government of Venezuela and PDVSA will 
     default on their international debt obligations, resulting in 
     a scenario in which Rosneft could come into control of 
     CITGO's United States energy infrastructure holdings.
       (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
       (1) control of critical United States energy infrastructure 
     by Rosneft, a Russian government-controlled entity currently 
     under United States sanctions, would pose a significant risk 
     to United States national security and energy security;
       (2) the President should take all necessary steps to 
     prevent Rosneft from gaining control of critical United 
     States interstate energy infrastructure;
       (3) a default by PDVSA on its loan from Rosneft, resulting 
     in Rosneft coming into possession of PDVSA's United States 
     CITGO assets, would warrant careful consideration by the 
     Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States;
       (4) if PDVSA defaults on its debt obligations, the 
     Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Asset Control 
     should review CITGO's transactions with United States persons 
     to assess and ensure compliance with United States sanctions 
     policies and regulations; and
       (5) the Department of Homeland Security should conduct an 
     assessment of the security risks posed by foreign control of 
     CITGO's United States energy infrastructure holdings and keep 
     the relevant committees of Congress fully informed of its 
     findings and any subsequent strategy to address 
     vulnerabilities to United States energy security as a result.

     SEC. 11. REPORT ON ACTIVITIES OF CERTAIN GOVERNMENTS IN 
                   VENEZUELA.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, acting 
     through the Bureau of Intelligence and Research of the 
     Department of State and in consultation with the intelligence 
     community, shall submit to Congress a report that describes 
     the full extent of cooperation by the Governments of the 
     Russian Federation, the People's Republic of China, Cuba, and 
     Iran with the Government of Venezuela and the Venezuelan 
     armed forces.
       (b) Form.--The report under subsection (a) shall be 
     submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified 
     annex. The unclassified portion of the report shall be made 
     available to the public.
       (c) Definition.--In this section, the term ``intelligence 
     community'' has the meaning given such term in section 3(4) 
     of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3003(4)).

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Royce) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. ROYCE of California. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their 
remarks and to include any extraneous material.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ROYCE of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill represents broad bipartisan concern here in 
the House for the worsening humanitarian crisis in Venezuela. It calls 
on the Secretary of State and the USAID Administrator to develop a 
humanitarian assistance strategy to help the people of Venezuela.
  As the authoritarian Venezuelan Government digs in its heels and 
consolidates its power, the people of that once wealthy nation, last 
year, experienced a 65 percent increase in maternal mortality, a 30 
percent increase in infant mortality, and a 76 percent increase in 
malaria cases.
  Severe shortages of basic medicine persists. They have right now 
about 5 percent of the basic medicines that they used to have. A 2016 
report shows that three out of every four Venezuelans had lost an 
average of 19 pounds due to lack of proper nutrition and due to lack of 
food.
  Despite all of this, President Maduro continues to deny the existence 
of a full-fledged humanitarian crisis while blaming any hardships on 
his opposition or the international community that seeks only to 
support the people of Venezuela in their pursuit of democracy and basic 
human rights.
  I applaud the administration for sanctioning those in the Maduro 
regime complicit--complicit--in the rampant corruption and anti-
democratic measures that have stifled the will of the people there. But 
we must address the specter of the complete collapse of the Venezuelan 
economy and the resulting humanitarian crisis.
  I encourage my colleagues to support this measure by Mr. DeSantis, 
which will require a strategy to address the crisis while signaling 
bipartisan support for the democratic and human rights aspirations of 
the people of Venezuela.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

                                Congress of the United States,

                                 Washington, DC, December 5, 2017.
     Hon. Edward R. Royce,
     Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Royce: I write with respect to H.R. 2658, the 
     ``Venezuela Humanitarian Assistance and Democratic 
     Governance.'' As a result of your having consulted with us on 
     provisions within H.R. 2658 that fall within the Rule X 
     jurisdiction of the Committee on the Judiciary, I forego any 
     further consideration of this bill so that it may proceed 
     expeditiously to the House floor for consideration.
       The Judiciary Committee takes this action with our mutual 
     understanding that by foregoing consideration of H.R. 2658 at 
     this time, we do not waive any jurisdiction over subject 
     matter contained in this or similar legislation and that our 
     committee will be appropriately consulted and involved as 
     this bill or similar legislation moves forward so that we may 
     address any remaining issues in our jurisdiction. Our 
     committee also reserves the right to seek appointment of an 
     appropriate number of conferees to any House-Senate 
     conference involving this or similar legislation and asks 
     that you support any such request.
       I would appreciate a response to this letter confirming 
     this understanding with respect to H.R. 2658 and would ask 
     that a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter be 
     included in the Congressional Record during floor 
     consideration of the bill.
           Sincerely,
                                                    Bob Goodlatte,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

                                         House of Representatives,


                                 Committee on Foreign Affairs,

                                 Washington, DC, December 4, 2017.
     Hon. Bob Goodlatte,
     Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Goodlatte: Thank you for consulting with the 
     Foreign Affairs Committee and agreeing to be discharged from 
     further consideration of H.R. 2658, the Venezuela 
     Humanitarian Assistance and Defense of Democratic Governance 
     Act of 2017, so that the bill may proceed expeditiously to 
     the House floor.
       I agree that your forgoing further action on this measure 
     does not in any way diminish or alter the jurisdiction of 
     your committee, or prejudice its jurisdictional prerogatives 
     on this bill or similar legislation in the future. I would 
     support your effort to seek appointment of an appropriate 
     number of conferees from your committee to any House-Senate 
     conference on this legislation.
       I will seek to place our letters on H.R. 2658 into the 
     Congressional Record during floor consideration of the bill. 
     I appreciate your cooperation regarding this legislation and 
     look forward to continuing to work together as this measure 
     moves through the legislative process.
           Sincerely,
                                                  Edward R. Royce,
                                                         Chairman.

  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, 
and I rise in support of this measure.
  Mr. Speaker, I authored this bill, the Venezuela Humanitarian 
Assistance and Defense of Democratic Governance Act, in the House with 
our chair emeritus of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Ileana Ros-
Lehtinen. I want to say that there is no Member of this body who has 
done more to champion democracy and human rights in Venezuela than the 
gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen).
  I also want to thank her longtime staff director, Eddy Acevedo, who 
is in his last week on Capitol Hill. Eddy has been such a positive 
force on Venezuela and the entire Latin American region in support of 
Ileana's work. He has been a consistent collaborator with my staff, and 
his work here will be sorely missed.
  I also want to say that I appreciate Chairman Royce's steadfast 
commitment to the Venezuelan people and his support for this 
legislation.
  I also want to thank Senator Cardin for authorizing this measure in 
the other body. I hope we will be able to work with the Senate, the 
other body, to get this bill on the President's desk.

[[Page H9657]]

  Mr. Speaker, with its massive energy resources, Venezuela should be 
one of the wealthiest countries in the world. Unfortunately, 
irresponsible policies put in place by President Maduro and his 
predecessor, Hugo Chavez, brought the country to near economic collapse 
and created a dangerous humanitarian crisis.
  The statistics tell a tragic story. Maternal deaths in the country 
increased by 66 percent from 2015 to 2016, while infant deaths 
increased by 30 percent. There were 240,000 confirmed malaria cases in 
Venezuela in 2016, which is a 76 percent increase over 2015.
  A survey carried out by three reputable Venezuelan universities found 
that nearly three-quarters of Venezuelans lost an average of at least 
19 pounds in 2016 as a result of lack of proper nutrition.
  Despite massive shortages of food and medicine, President Maduro 
continues to reject efforts to bring humanitarian assistance into the 
country. Last summer, Mr. Maduro handed control of the country's food 
supply over to the Venezuelan military, and while many Venezuelans 
starve, some of the military brass are making money hand over fist by 
selling the country's scarce food supplies on the black market. That is 
like letting the fox into the chicken coop.
  In short, President Maduro is running Venezuela into the ground. It 
is horrific for that country's people, and it is a concern for our own 
security as this country in our neighborhood becomes less and less 
stable. So I support targeted sanctions that hold corrupt and abusive 
Venezuelan officials accountable.
  But that must be only a part of our policy. We also must be focused 
on getting food and medicine to those in most need in the country. This 
bill calls on the USAID and the State Department to develop a strategy 
to provide humanitarian assistance to Venezuela while at the same time 
instructing our Ambassador of the United Nations to work with partners 
at the U.N. Security Council and throughout the U.N. system to 
multilaterally address the country's crisis.
  This is urgent business, Mr. Speaker. We need to put U.S. aid, the 
USAID, and the United Nations on a path toward providing much-needed 
humanitarian assistance to the Venezuelan people. We want to choke off 
the government. The government is a cancer on the Venezuelan people, 
but we don't want to hurt the Venezuelan people. That is what the 
legislation is all about. That is why I wrote it, that is why I 
authored it, and that is why we agree on a bipartisan basis.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen 
and myself. It is important legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROYCE of California. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Mr. Eliot Engel 
for authoring this bill along with Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. I also thank 
Albio Sires and Ron DeSantis, the cosponsors of this measure.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. 
Ros-Lehtinen), who is the chairman emeritus of the Committee on Foreign 
Affairs, the primary Republican cosponsor of this bill.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for the time, and 
I thank the ranking member for those very sweet words.
  Mr. Speaker, I echo what Ranking Member Engel said about my trusted 
staff director, Eddy Acevedo. This is his last week with us. He starts 
Monday with the USAID. He has got the whole weekend to party on. He has 
been my partner in all of these battles in favor of freedom and 
democracy and against autocratic regimes, which brings us to this bill 
before us, Mr. Speaker.
  I rise in strong support of this bill, H.R. 2658, the Venezuela 
Humanitarian Assistance and Defense of Democratic Governance Act of 
2017. I am proud to be, as the chairman said, the Republican lead on 
this important legislation.
  I have been proud to work side by side with the author of the bill, 
our ranking member on the Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr. Eliot Engel, 
in putting this bill together. Eliot has been a leading voice in this 
legislative body in support of freedom and democracy across the globe, 
as has our esteemed chairman. But Eliot has really focused in on this 
hemisphere, especially on Venezuela. I want to thank him for his 
leadership on this issue.
  I also want to thank his trusted adviser sitting two seats away from 
him on all Western Hemisphere-related items. Eric Jacobstein is my 
buddy from Haiti. We have enjoyed as much as one can enjoy going to an 
island nation that needs so much help. The people of Haiti are 
beautiful, and it has been a joy to travel with Eric and with Eddy. 
Throughout the years, Eric has worked closely with us and with our 
office. We work in a bipartisan manner. That is the tone that our 
esteemed chairman has set for the committee. Eric and Eliot work that 
way as well. Their knowledge and expertise on this topic has been 
instrumental to our committee.
  The bill before us, Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2658, is simple, it is 
straightforward, and it is important. Maduro, like Chavez before him--
two thugs--has turned Venezuela from a once vibrant and thriving nation 
into a country on the brink of utter collapse. The results have been 
disastrous for the people of Venezuela. There is food shortage, there 
is water shortage, and there is a severe lack of medicine and medical 
supplies. There is a lack of goods and services everywhere you turn.

  The people need to get proper nutrition. They need proper care, but 
they can't find it. It is a crisis that Maduro and his thugs have 
denied exists because he is eating very well. The other day he was 
making a televised public declaration. He opens up the drawer, takes an 
empanada, and he is stuffing his face. But the people are starving. But 
recognizing it would mean that Chavismo has utterly failed, so they 
refuse to recognize this.
  So what happens?
  The Venezuelan people suffer from severe malnutrition. They are 
subject to price controls. It is unbelievable the prices of items 
there. If they can ever get the food, if they can ever get the services 
they need, then the people can't afford them. They are subject to 
substandard and unhygienic conditions. This has led to a sharp rise in 
infant mortality, and really mortality rates across the board in 
Venezuela have gone up.
  In short, the majority of the people in Venezuela are living in 
misery. What was once the breadbasket of the whole hemisphere, now the 
people don't have food. They are living in misery. The Maduro regime is 
not only to blame, but it is ensuring that the humanitarian situation 
gets even worse. It was Maduro who ordered the supreme court to block a 
law from the opposition that would have helped facilitate humanitarian 
aid from NGOs and other international entities. As a result, it is ever 
so difficult to get the supplies needed to respond to this crisis into 
Venezuela to the people who so desperately need it. That is why, Mr. 
Speaker, this bill is so important.

                              {time}  1545

  It directs USAID, the institution Eddy will be a partner of in just a 
few days, and our great Department of State to develop a plan in order 
to determine if and how the U.S. can possibly help with some of the 
humanitarian assistance through credible and independent NGOs, or 
nongovernmental organizations, that are operating in Venezuela or 
neighboring countries to ensure that this assistance does get to the 
people who desperately need it.
  The bill also directs our Ambassador to the United Nations to use our 
full voice, full vote, and full influence of the United States to place 
the humanitarian and political crises in Venezuela on the agenda at the 
U.N.
  Mr. Speaker, this body, alongside our friends in New York at the 
U.N., has worked to hold rogue regimes accountable for failing to allow 
humanitarian assistance in their countries. Whether it is Syria or 
Yemen, this body has spoken in a unified manner that humanitarian 
assistance should not be prevented from reaching the people.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Kustoff of Tennessee). The time of the 
gentlewoman has expired.
  Mr. ROYCE of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentlewoman from 
Florida an additional 1 minute.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. But on Venezuela, Mr. Speaker, it seems as if we 
hold a different standard, and that is

[[Page H9658]]

unacceptable. For too long, Venezuela has been shielded from criticism 
and action at the U.N. by its cronies, like the equally corrupt and 
morally reprehensible Castro regime in Cuba.
  This is precisely the kind of situation for which the U.N. was 
created to respond; yet, to date, the response has been woefully 
inadequate and shamefully void of substance.
  We have got to lead on this effort, and this bill is what we need. 
There are millions of people suffering in Venezuela. We are in a 
situation to help.
  I would point out to our chairman and the ranking member that we had 
some excellent news in the minutes that we have been speaking. The 
Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved the nomination of our 
former committee chief of staff, Yleem Poblete, for Assistant Secretary 
of State for Verification and Compliance. It now goes to the full 
Senate. I know that she will be with us on these measures that attack 
atrocious regimes and will help alleviate the humanitarian crisis.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Sires), my good friend and a valued member of the Foreign 
Affairs Committee and the ranking member of the Western Hemisphere 
Subcommittee.
  Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2658, the 
Venezuela Humanitarian Assistance and Defense of Democratic Governance 
Act.
  I thank Ranking Member Eliot Engel and Chairman Royce for all their 
hard work and always being there for the people of Venezuela.
  Of course, I want to thank the dynamic duo of Eddy Acevedo and Ileana 
Ros-Lehtinen. Even though we are going miss Eddy, I am sure he will 
continue to fight in the defense of human rights wherever he is.
  The situation in Venezuela continues to deteriorate. A country with 
the world's largest known oil reserves is spiraling into a collapsed 
state. We have people struggling just to survive. Journalists and 
citizens risk their lives every day to report what is happening inside 
Caracas and around the country.
  We see that tensions are growing and government security forces shoot 
first and ask questions later. It is clear that the failed Chavismo 
policies and the authoritarian actions of Nicolas Maduro have brought 
all of this pain and suffering upon the Venezuelan people.
  Maduro and his cronies continue to get rich as they traffic money and 
drugs while doing nothing to help the millions of suffering people. 
Multiple news reports confirm a growing health crisis as people lack 
access to basic medicines, and reports of infant mortality rates and 
preventable diseases such as malaria are on the rise.
  To hold the Maduro regime accountable, both the Obama and Trump 
administrations have sanctioned senior officials in the Venezuelan 
Government for their actions with narcotrafficking, money laundering, 
and other illicit activities.
  There is consensus among the majority of the hemisphere--multilateral 
institutions such as the OAS, the United Nations, and the European 
Union--that Maduro is destroying democracy and violating human rights.
  These sanctions are not against the Venezuelan people but are 
carefully crafted and targeted toward the individuals who are committed 
to destroying the lives of millions of innocent civilians in exchange 
for money and power.
  That is why I am supporting this important and timely legislation 
that helps to address the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Venezuela 
and codifies President Obama's sanctions related to corrupt officials 
in the country. The United States needs to stand shoulder to shoulder 
with the Venezuelan people and be ready to assist them, while holding 
the corrupt regime officials accountable.
  Once again, I thank my colleagues for all their hard work on this 
issue, and I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2658.
  Before I yield back, I wish Eddy good luck. I thank him for all his 
hard work. He will be missed. I hate to see that dynamic duo split, but 
I am sure it will continue to work.
  Mr. ROYCE of California. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Sires is not alone.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Cook), chairman of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western 
Hemisphere and a cosponsor of this bill.
  Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise in strong support of Mr. 
DeSantis' resolution, H. Res. 259, and Mr. Engel's bill, H.R. 2658, 
which both speak to the ongoing political economic, social, and 
humanitarian crisis in Venezuela under the dictatorship of Nicolas 
Maduro.
  Once the richest country in South America, Venezuela now has a total 
unpaid bond debt of over $1 billion and is in default on multiple 
loans.

  The Maduro regime is responsible for widespread human rights abuses, 
including extrajudicial killings, mass arbitrary detentions, and 
torture of the political opposition. They have detained five Citgo 
executives who are dual U.S.-Venezuelan citizens, as well as U.S. 
citizen and religious missionary Joshua Holt, who remains unjustly 
imprisoned.
  American adversaries are among the main supporters of Venezuela. More 
than a dozen high-ranking Cuban officers as well as thousands of Cuban 
intelligence agents are reportedly in Venezuela.
  Venezuela continues to receive financial support from Russia and 
China. Venezuela also possesses 5,000 Russian-made, man-portable 
surface-to-air missiles and is the largest operator of Russian arms and 
military hardware in Latin America.
  The humanitarian crisis is not limited to Venezuela alone. The crisis 
in Venezuela has led to mass immigration. Last year, the U.S. received 
18,000 requests from Venezuelans seeking to escape the brutal regime. 
Waves of Venezuelan refugees have also fled to Chile, Argentina, 
Colombia, and Brazil, threatening to create a regionwide migration 
crisis.
  The regime refuses to accept humanitarian aid from the international 
community, preferring instead to use its citizens as political pawns at 
the expense of their health and safety.
  I commend the efforts of the Trump administration to take a 
principled stand to support the Venezuelan people and sanction the most 
dangerous actors in the Venezuelan Government. Just yesterday, the 
regime threatened that elections in Venezuela would only take place if 
these sanctions were lifted. I wholeheartedly reject this threat and 
remain committed to the sanctions and to continuing to put pressure on 
the Maduro regime.
  I express my strong support for these two bills. The U.S. supports a 
free, democratic, and independent Venezuela that is accountable to the 
people. We stand ready to assist the Venezuelan people and provide 
humanitarian assistance, and we urge more action from our partners in 
the region and the international community to resolve the crisis in 
Venezuela.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz), my good friend and a member of the 
Appropriations Committee.
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for 
yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I, too, rise to commend my sister in so many fights, Ms. 
Ros-Lehtinen, whom we will miss. But we are not letting her get away 
that quickly, because we have about a year together with many fights 
and fun to engage in.
  I am here this afternoon to talk about something not very pleasant, 
and that is the absolute necessity to adopt H.R. 2658, the Venezuela 
Humanitarian Assistance and Defense of Democratic Governance Act of 
2017.
  Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, Mr. Engel, and Mr. Sires have introduced this 
legislation, rightfully, because the Maduro regime has repeatedly 
demonstrated that they have no respect for political freedom, human 
rights, or even the basic needs of their own citizens. The consequences 
for the Venezuelan people are becoming more and more devastating every 
day.
  It is absolutely unconscionable that the Maduro regime is refusing to 
allow food, medicine, and other essential supplies to reach Venezuelans 
in need. This bill would be a valuable step to ensure that the 
Venezuelan people are helped, even if their government would prefer 
that people die rather than receive aid from the international 
community.
  The sanctions that have been imposed thus far against the 
perpetrators

[[Page H9659]]

in the Maduro regime have been steps in the right direction, but we 
must do more. The Venezuelan Government has demonstrated time and time 
again that they won't do the right thing on their own, so we must 
continue to apply stronger and stronger pressure. This legislation 
would strengthen the President's ability to tighten the screws on 
Maduro and his cronies.
  In order for Venezuela to return to peace and prosperity, its 
democracy must be restored and strengthened. Elections under the Maduro 
regime have been manipulated and undermined, and it is absolutely 
essential that next year's Presidential election proceeds freely and 
fairly.
  That is why it is so urgent that we pass this bill into law to 
empower the State Department to work with our allies and partners and 
the Venezuelan people to help them take their country back.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentlewoman from Florida an 
additional 1 minute.
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Many Venezuelans have fled the chaos in their 
country to freedom and safety in my congressional district. The 
significant infusion of our Venezuelan friends and neighbors has 
affectionately dubbed my hometown of Weston, Florida, as Westonzuela.

  We have welcomed them to our community, but we are committed to 
joining them in the fight for their country and for their friends and 
family members who remain there in the fight. This legislation is an 
important step in that battle, and I urge all of my colleagues to join 
me in supporting this important legislation.
  Mr. ROYCE of California. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  In closing, I emphasize again that Venezuela is in crisis and we 
cannot wait any longer to take action. By passing the Venezuela 
Humanitarian Assistance and Defense of Democratic Governance Act, we 
can begin to provide the Venezuelan people with the resources they so 
desperately need.
  But the United States, obviously, cannot do this alone. Sustained 
leadership is needed to address the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela 
from the U.N. Secretary General, members of the Security Council, and 
other international partners.
  It is easy to talk about another country in the abstract, but these 
are human beings who are dying and sick. They are human beings just 
like us, and it behooves us to make sure that, while we condemn the 
brutality of the regime that has a stranglehold on that country, we 
feel only sympathy for the people. That is what this bill tries to 
address.
  So I again urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
  I want to again commend my partner from Florida, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, 
who has done so much work with me through the years, and our chairman, 
Ed Royce, whom it has been a real pleasure to work with.
  This is another example of important bipartisan legislation that 
comes out of the Foreign Affairs Committee. I think that we set a 
dialogue and a blueprint for people coming together and working 
together. I think that is what the American people want to see.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1600

  Mr. ROYCE of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues--Mr. Engel, the author, and 
Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen, the cosponsor of this measure--for their 
leadership and for bringing the bill here to the floor.
  The world has watched with great sadness as President Maduro 
continues to run his country into the ground, denying his citizens 
access to basic food and denying them access to medicine. His obsession 
with consolidating power has resulted in Venezuela's economic collapse, 
and it is a collapse created by his wrongheaded populist and socialist 
mismanagement that has left his country in dire economic straits.
  Even more disturbing to me is that Maduro's lieutenants continue 
lining their pockets while Venezuelan citizens go without food and 
medicine. This bill reiterates this body's support for the people of 
Venezuela by instructing relevant U.S. agencies to develop a strategy 
to address their immediate humanitarian needs, while supporting 
democracy and human rights.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Royce) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 2658, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

                          ____________________