[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 44 (Tuesday, March 12, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H2664-H2665]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




KEEPING RUSSIAN ENTRAPMENTS MINIMAL AND LIMITING INTELLIGENCE NETWORKS 
                                  ACT

  Mr. KRISHNAMOORTHI. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 1617) to direct the Director of National 
Intelligence to submit intelligence assessments of the intentions of 
the political leadership of the Russian Federation, and for other 
purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 1617

       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 ``Keeping Russian Entrapments 
     Minimal and Limiting Intelligence Networks Act'' or the 
     ``KREMLIN Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds the following:
       (1) Russia continues to engage in information warfare and 
     political interference in the West, including by undermining 
     democratic systems and exploiting economic and ethnic 
     tensions within member countries of the North Atlantic Treaty 
     Organization.
       (2) Such activities constitute a threat to the United 
     States and to its allies.

     SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

       It is the sense of Congress that--
       (1) the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions 
     Act (Public Law 115-44) authorized the United States 
     Government to impose sanctions in response to actions by 
     countries, including Russia, that undermine the security of 
     the United States;
       (2) the United States should sustain its contribution to 
     the newly deployed enhanced forward presence of the North 
     Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Poland, Lithuania, 
     Latvia, and Estonia and encourage Canada, the United Kingdom, 
     and Germany to continue their important leadership roles in 
     the military presence of NATO in those countries;
       (3) the United States has defensive intentions in pursuing 
     such sanctions and such enhanced military posture in Europe, 
     and does not seek to threaten Russian territory;
       (4) the United States does not seek to be an enemy of the 
     Russian people;
       (5) the United States desires a peaceful, economically 
     prosperous relationship with Russia based on democratic 
     principles where freedom and the rule of law are upheld for 
     all; and
       (6) the United States is committed to defending these 
     fundamental beliefs against any Russian aggression.

     SEC. 4. REQUIREMENT FOR INTELLIGENCE ASSESSMENTS.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Director of National 
     Intelligence, in consultation with the Secretary of State and 
     the Secretary of Defense, shall submit to the appropriate 
     congressional committees each of the assessments described in 
     subsection (b).
       (b) Assessments Described.--The assessments described in 
     this section are the following with respect to the current 
     intentions of the political leadership of the Russian 
     Federation and based on intelligence obtained from all 
     sources:
       (1) Potential military action against members of the North 
     Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
       (2) Potential responses to an enlarged United States or 
     NATO military presence in eastern Europe or to increased 
     United States military support for allies and partners in the 
     region, such as the provision of additional lethal military 
     equipment to Ukraine or Georgia.
       (3) Potential areas where the Government of the Russian 
     Federation could exploit weaknesses and divisions among the 
     governments of its Western adversaries.
       (c) Form.--Each assessment required under subsection (a) 
     may be submitted in classified form but shall also include an 
     unclassified executive summary, consistent with the 
     protection of intelligence sources and methods.
       (d) Appropriate Congressional Committees.--In this section, 
     the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
       (1) the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, the 
     Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the Committee on Armed 
     Services of the House of Representatives; and

[[Page H2665]]

       (2) the Select Committee on Intelligence, the Committee on 
     Foreign Relations, and the Committee on Armed Services of the 
     Senate.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Krishnamoorthi) and the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Stewart) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.


                             General Leave

  Mr. KRISHNAMOORTHI. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on H.R. 1617.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Illinois?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. KRISHNAMOORTHI. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1617, the Keeping 
Russian Entrapments Minimal and Limiting Intelligence Networks Act, or 
the KREMLIN Act.
  The intelligence community is united in its assessment that Russia 
attempted to sabotage the 2016 U.S. election and that America is not 
alone in facing these dangers and attacks. In fact, recent reports 
indicate that Russia continues to engage in information warfare and 
political interference in the West that threatens the health of 
democratic institutions within member countries of the North Atlantic 
Treaty Organization, otherwise known as NATO.
  Among many examples, the Russian Federation is linked to cybercrimes 
in Ukraine and Germany, disinformation campaigns here in the United 
States, intelligence support for pro-Russian Bulgarian candidates, and 
financing for pro-Russian parties in France.
  The bipartisan KREMLIN Act which I introduced with my friend, 
Congressman Chris Stewart of Utah, acknowledges the active threat of 
foreign interference on the United States and our NATO allies.
  Specifically, this legislation would require the Director of National 
Intelligence to submit three intelligence assessments to Congress. 
These assessments must analyze:
  First, potential military action by Russia against members of NATO;
  Second, potential responses by Russia to an enlarged U.S. or NATO 
presence in Eastern Europe;
  Third, potential areas where the Russian Government could exploit 
weaknesses and divisions among the governments of NATO and her allies.
  Most importantly, the KREMLIN Act recognizes that Russian meddling 
with our allied NATO countries constitutes a direct threat to the 
United States.
  By providing the appropriate congressional committees with these 
comprehensive assessments, we will be better prepared to thwart efforts 
in the future that aim to weaken international democratic institutions.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

                                         House of Representatives,


                                 Committee on Foreign Affairs,

                                   Washington, DC, March 12, 2019.
     Hon. Adam Schiff,
     Chairman, House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, 
         Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: This is to advise you that the Committee 
     on Foreign Affairs has now had an opportunity to review H.R. 
     1617, the ``KREMLIN Act,'' which falls within our shared Rule 
     X jurisdiction. I appreciate that you have consulted with us 
     on this legislation. The Foreign Affairs Committee has no 
     objection to considering this bill on the House floor. To 
     expedite that consideration, the Foreign Affairs Committee is 
     willing to waive referral, with the understanding that we do 
     not thereby waive any future jurisdictional claim over the 
     legislation or its subject matter.
       In the event a House-Senate conference on this or similar 
     legislation is convened, the Foreign Affairs Committee 
     reserves the right to request an appropriate number of 
     conferees to address any concerns with this bill or related 
     provisions that may arise in conference.
       Please place this letter into the Congressional Record 
     during consideration of the measure on the House floor. Thank 
     you for the cooperation spirit in which you have worked 
     regarding this matter and others between our committees.
           Sincerely,

                                               Eliot L. Engel,

                                      Chairman, House Committee on
     Foreign Affairs.
                                  ____

         Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, House of 
           Representatives,
                                                    March 8, 2019.
     Hon. Eliot Engel,
     Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs,
     House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Engel: I write in reply to your letter 
     regarding H.R. 1617, the ``KREMLIN Act.'' I appreciate your 
     willingness to work cooperatively on this legislation.
       I acknowledge that provisions of the bill fall within the 
     jurisdiction of the Committee on Foreign Affairs; and that 
     the Committee on Foreign Affairs will not take up H.R. 1617 
     formally. I further agree that your Committee's inaction 
     regarding the bill will not waive any future jurisdictional 
     claims over matters addressed in H.R. 1617 which fall within 
     your Committee's jurisdiction under Rule X of the Rules of 
     Procedure for the House of Representatives for the 116th 
     Congress.
       At your request, I lastly will ensure that our exchange of 
     letters is included in the Congressional Record during floor 
     consideration of the bill. Thank you again for your 
     cooperation regarding the legislation. I look forward to 
     continuing to work with you as the measure moves through the 
     legislative process.
           Sincerely,
                                                   Adam B. Schiff,
                                                         Chairman.

  Mr. STEWART. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in favor of H.R. 1617, and I am proud to 
cosponsor this bill with my friend, Mr. Krishnamoorthi.
  The Keeping Russian Entrapments Minimal and Limiting Intelligence 
Networks Act, also known as the KREMLIN Act, is a commonsense bill that 
directs the intelligence community to conduct an assessment on the 
leadership of the Russian Government's plans and intentions, as my 
friend Raja has said, especially in regards to NATO.
  Madam Speaker, with some questioning Washington's commitment to the 
transatlantic alliance, this bill also serves as a reminder to our 
allies of the U.S. Congress' commitment to NATO.

                              {time}  1315

  NATO is indispensable. As a former military officer, I know firsthand 
how true that is. It is also as important today as it has ever been. 
Understanding the threats that the Kremlin continues to challenge to 
this important alliance is of utmost importance.
  In particular, the bill seeks assessments in three areas:
  First, any potential military action against NATO members;
  Second, potential reaction to the expansion of NATO; and,
  Third, potential weaknesses and areas of division against NATO 
allies.
  Learning the Russian Government's intentions in these areas will 
better enable the United States Government to counter any attempts to 
undermine this critical alliance that we call NATO.
  I thank the Speaker, urge passage of H.R. 1617, and reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. KRISHNAMOORTHI. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers and am 
prepared to close.
  Mr. STEWART. Madam Speaker, once again, very briefly, this is a 
commonsense piece of legislation. It is a bipartisan piece of 
legislation. Importantly, it improves our national security. It 
improves the ability of our intelligence agencies to do the critical 
work that they do.
  I urge my colleagues to vote in favor, and I yield back the balance 
of my time.
  Mr. KRISHNAMOORTHI. Madam Speaker, for the health of our democracy, I 
strongly urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan KREMLIN Act, and 
I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Krishnamoorthi) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1617.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________