[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 51 (Monday, March 25, 2019)] [House] [Pages H2781-H2784] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] RUSSIAN-VENEZUELAN THREAT MITIGATION ACT Mr. MALINOWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1477) to require a threat assessment and strategy to counter Russian influence in Venezuela, an assessment of foreign acquisition of CITGO assets in the United States, and for other purposes, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 1477 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 ``Russian-Venezuelan Threat Mitigation Act''. SEC. 2. FINDINGS. Congress finds the following: (1) The Russian Federation's increased presence in the Western Hemisphere is of concern to the United States and our allies in the region. (2) In December 2018, the Russian Federation sent two Tu- 160 nuclear-capable bombers to Venezuela for joint exercises with the Venezuelan military. The Tu-160 can carry conventional or nuclear-tipped cruise missiles with an estimated maximum range of around 3,000 miles. (3) Russian and Venezuelan forces took part in a joint 10- hour exercise across the [[Page H2782]] Caribbean in December 2018 with the Tu-160 nuclear-capable bombers. (4) Nicolas Maduro and his regime have turned to the Russian Federation, one of its strongest political allies, for financial support during its current economic crisis and to counter international support for Juan Guaido. (5) In January 2018, Russia sent contractors linked to the Wagner Group to provide security for Nicolas Maduro. (6) Nicolas Maduro secured loans from the Russian Federation to be repaid through future oil exports, but fell behind on those payments in 2017. News reports in December 2018 suggest that Russian State oil company Rosneft has lent Venezuelan state oil company Petroleos de Venezuela (PdVSA) $6.5 billion partly as prepayment for crude oil, $3.1 billion of which remained outstanding as of the end of September 2018. (7) In 2016, PdVSA secured a $1.5 billion loan from Rosneft, and PdVSA used 49.9 percent of its shares in United States-based and Venezuelan-owned company CITGO as collateral. A Venezuelan default could lead to potential Russian ownership of United States energy infrastructure. (8) At the conclusion of a 3-day visit to Moscow in December 2018, Maduro announced $6 billion worth of Russian investment pledges focused on the oil and mining sectors as well as the export of 600,000 tons of Russian wheat to Venezuela to cover its 2019 needs. SEC. 3. THREAT ASSESSMENT AND STRATEGY TO COUNTER RUSSIAN INFLUENCE IN VENEZUELA. (a) Threat Assessment.--Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees an assessment on Russian-Venezuelan security cooperation and the potential threat such cooperation poses to the United States and countries in the Western Hemisphere. (b) Strategy.--Not later than 30 days after the submission of the threat assessment required under subsection (a), the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a strategy to counter threats identified in such assessment from Russian-Venezuelan cooperation. (c) Form.--The threat assessment required under subsection (a) shall be submitted in unclassified form but may include a classified annex. (d) Definition.--In this section, the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate. SEC. 4. ASSESSMENT OF FOREIGN ACQUISITION OF CITGO ASSETS IN THE UNITED STATES. (a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall transmit to the appropriate congressional committees an assessment of the national security risks posed by potential Russian acquisition of CITGO's United States energy infrastructure holdings. (b) Definition.--In this section, the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on Appropriations, and the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on Appropriations, and the Committee on Banking of the Senate and the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Banking of the Senate. SEC. 5. ALIENS INELIGIBLE FOR VISAS, ADMISSION, OR PAROLE. (a) In General.--An alien who the Secretary of State or the Secretary of Homeland Security (or a designee of one of such Secretaries) knows, or has reason to believe, is an alien who is acting or has acted on behalf of the Russian Government in direct support of the Venezuelan security forces is-- (1) inadmissible to the United States; (2) ineligible to receive a visa or other documentation to enter the United States; and (3) otherwise ineligible to be admitted or paroled into the United States or to receive any other benefit under the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.). (b) Current Visas Revoked.-- (1) In general.--The issuing consular officer, the Secretary of State, or the Secretary of Homeland Security (or a designee of one of such Secretaries) shall, in accordance with section 221(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1201(i)), revoke any visa or other entry documentation issued to an alien described in subsection (a) regardless of when the visa or other entry documentation is issued. (2) Effect of revocation.--A revocation under paragraph (1) shall-- (A) take effect immediately; and (B) automatically cancel any other valid visa or entry documentation that is in the alien's possession. (c) Exception to Comply With United Nations Headquarters Agreement or for National Security Reasons.-- (1) International obligations.--This section shall not apply to an alien if admitting the alien into the United States is necessary to permit the United States to comply with-- (A) the Agreement regarding the Headquarters of the United Nations, signed at Lake Success June 26, 1947, and entered into force November 21, 1947, between the United Nations and the United States; or (B) other applicable international obligations of the United States. (2) National security.--The President may waive the application of this section to an alien if the President-- (A) determines that such a waiver is in the national interest of the United States; and (B) transmits to the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations a notice of and justification for such waiver. (d) Termination.--This section shall terminate on the earlier of-- (1) the date that is one year after the date of the enactment of this Act; or (2) the date on which the President certifies to the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate that the Government of Venezuela has returned to a democratic form of government with respect for the essential elements of representative democracy as set forth in Article 3 of the Inter-American Democratic Charter. (e) Definition.--In this subsection, the term ``Venezuelan security forces'' includes the following: (1) The Bolivarian National Armed Forces, including the Bolivarian National Guard. (2) The Bolivarian National Intelligence Service. (3) The Bolivarian National Police. (4) The Bureau for Scientific, Criminal and Forensic Investigations of the Ministry of Interior, Justice, and Peace. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Malinowski) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Rooney) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey. General Leave Mr. MALINOWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I ask that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on H.R. 1477, the Russian-Venezuelan Threat Mitigation Act, as amended. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from New Jersey? There was no objection. Mr. MALINOWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1477. I thank Ms. Wasserman Schultz for authoring this bipartisan bill, and I am proud to bring it to the floor. I appreciate the Congresswoman's tireless leadership on Venezuela day in and day out, particularly at such a difficult moment for that country. Ms. Wasserman Schultz has the largest Venezuelan American constituency in the country and works nonstop on behalf of her constituents in supporting the Venezuelan people. Russia's unwavering commitment to Nicolas Maduro should not come as a surprise to any of us. This is part of Putin's larger aspirations for global reach and influence and Putin knows the importance of having a loyal Russian ally in South America. In recent years, Russia has increased its support for the Venezuelan security forces. Just a few months ago, Russia sent two nuclear capable bombers to Venezuela for a training exercise. Just yesterday, two Russian military aircraft landed near Caracas reportedly carrying 100 Russian troops. This legislation responds to the increasing security relationship between the Maduro regime and the Kremlin. Specifically, it requires the State Department to provide a threat assessment of Russian influence in Venezuela and its impact on the United States and our allies in the region and a strategy for the United States to counter this threat. It also requires the President to monitor the risk of any foreign acquisition of CITGO assets in the United States. Finally, it puts into place visa bans on individuals working on behalf of the Russian Government in direct support of the Venezuelan security forces. In short, this legislation takes a crucial step in restricting Maduro's access to financial, political, and military support from Vladimir Putin. Congress must pass this legislation to continue to squeeze Nicolas Maduro and his repressive regime. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee on Foreign Affairs, Washington, DC, March 14, 2019. Hon. Jerrold Nadler, Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Chairman: I am writing to you concerning H.R. 1477, Russian-Venezuelan Threat Mitigation Act. [[Page H2783]] I appreciate your willingness to work cooperatively on this legislation. I recognize that the bill contains provisions that fall within the jurisdiction of the Committee on the Judiciary. I acknowledge that the Committee will not seek a referral of or formally consider H.R. 1477 and agree that the inaction of your Committee with respect to the bill does not waive any future jurisdictional claim over the matters contained in H.R. 1477 which fall within your Committee's Rule X jurisdiction. I will ensure that our exchange of letters is included in the Congressional Record during floor consideration of the bill. I appreciate your cooperation regarding this legislation and look forward to continuing to work with you as this measure moves through the legislative process. Sincerely, Eliot L. Engel, Chairman. ____ House of representatives, Committee on the Judiciary, Washington, DC, March 20, 2019. Hon. Eliot L. Engel, Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Chairman: This is to advise you that the Committee on the Judiciary has now had an opportunity to review the provisions in H.R. 1477, the ``Russian-Venezuelan Threat Mitigation Act of 2019,'' that fall within our Rule X jurisdiction. I appreciate your consulting with us on those provisions. The Judiciary Committee has no objection to your including them in the bill for consideration on the House floor, and to expedite that consideration is willing to waive sequential referral, with the understanding that we do not thereby waive any future jurisdictional claim over those provisions or their subject matters. In the event a House-Senate conference on this or similar legislation is convened, the Judiciary Committee reserves the right to request an appropriate number of conferees to address any concerns with these or similar 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 cooperative spirit in which you have worked regarding this matter and others between our committees. Sincerely, Jerrold Nadler, Chairman. Mr. ROONEY of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Russian-Venezuelan Threat Mitigation Act introduced by our colleagues from Florida, Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz and Congressman Diaz-Balart. I also want to thank Congressman Malinowski for his leadership in bringing this to the floor right now. I am also deeply concerned about Russia's continued support for the Socialist and criminal dictatorship of Nicolas Maduro and the threat that this relationship poses to the national security of the United States and the rest of the countries in the Western Hemisphere. Russia has invested over $16 billion in Venezuela and has provided billions in military equipment to that murderous regime. In December of last year Russia sent two nuclear-capable bombers to conduct joint exercises with the Venezuelan military. In January of this year, he sent mercenaries to help protect Maduro--this is Mr. Putin doing that. Just this last weekend, as Congressman Malinowski referred to, we saw a report of about 100 additional Russian troops landing in Venezuela. Russia continues to finance the regime through billions of dollars in investments and is directly aiding the Maduro regime's efforts to bypass U.S. sanctions. There is also a great concern over the potential acquisition of a U.S.-based oil company, CITGO, which has refineries in Corpus Christi and Lake Charles by the Russian oil company, Rosneft, which has a collateral position of about half of its equity. The bill requires that the State Department provide Congress with an assessment of the threat that the Russia-Venezuela relationship poses to U.S. national security and a strategy to combat that threat. The bill also requires the specific assessment of the threat posed by a potential acquisition of the oil infrastructure I referred to, CITGO, by their debtor, Russian state oil company Rosneft. Mr. Speaker, I support this bill, and I urge all of our colleagues to join us in standing against Russia's continued support for the Maduro regime and the threat it poses to U.S. national security. I reserve the balance of my time. {time} 1915 Mr. MALINOWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz), the author of this bill. Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New Jersey for yielding and for his leadership on the Foreign Affairs Committee. His expertise, having been elected to Congress in November, is welcomed. It is really wonderful to be able to join him on the floor of the House of Representatives to make sure that we continue to voice our support for democracy to be restored in Venezuela and mitigate the threat that Maduro's regime poses to all of us in the Western Hemisphere. I also extend my thanks to Mr. Engel, the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, and Mr. McCaul, the ranking member, both of whom have really come together with the bills that were adopted earlier, and with this one, to make sure that it is demonstrated very clearly that there is no daylight in the United States when it comes to the issue of making sure that we can restore democracy to Venezuela. Mr. Speaker, the people of Venezuela are suffering right now under the rule of a brutal despot, Nicolas Maduro. The widespread starvation, economic devastation, and public health crisis he has inflicted on his own people has been absolutely heartbreaking to witness. I saw this tragedy up close when my colleague, Representative Donna Shalala, and I traveled to the Colombian-Venezuelan border earlier this month. The stories we heard and what we saw was gut-wrenching: easily avoidable medical tragedies; blockaded humanitarian aid; and because of a lack of access to vaccines, the rampant spread of disease cured long ago. We witnessed these tragic realities firsthand. I also hear these horrific experiences from my own friends and neighbors when I return to my hometown of Weston, affectionately known in south Florida and around the world, quite frankly, as Westonzuela. It is no surprise that this cruel regime has very few friends. Not surprisingly, one of them is the Kremlin. That is why the Russia- Venezuelan Threat Mitigation Act is so urgently needed. This bill would require the State Department to provide a crucial threat assessment of Russia's influence in Venezuela. Just this weekend, we saw media reports that more Russian military officials continue to arrive in Venezuela. According to the latest reports, planes brought in Russian cargo, advisers, and officials to train the same Venezuelan military apparatus that is keeping Maduro in power. This is just the latest attempt in a long-running push by Vladimir Putin to prop up this brutal autocrat. In December, the Russian Federation sent two Tu-160 nuclear-capable bombers to Venezuela for joint exercises. The Tu-160 can carry conventional or nuclear-tipped cruise missiles with an estimated maximum range of around 3,000 miles. That same month, Russian and Venezuelan forces took part in a joint 10-hour exercise across the Caribbean with these Tu-160 nuclear-capable bombers. This menacing Kremlin influence creates not only a hurdle to restoring a functioning, legitimate democracy to the people of Venezuela, but it also poses an imminent military threat to the entire Western Hemisphere. We not only need a detailed assessment of what kind of threat this poses but a strategy for dealing with it. Under this bill, the State Department would be required to deliver both essential diplomatic tools to Congress. Our goal, regardless of party, is to allow for the peaceful transition to Venezuela's rightful leader, interim President Juan Guaido, and for the peaceful execution of free and fair elections. That will not happen soon enough, so long as Putin troops are helping prop up Maduro's bloody regime. Another invaluable crutch the Kremlin has handed Maduro is pipelined through the embattled nation's oil supply. As his people suffer and protest all around him, Maduro survives inside an oil-soaked cocoon that the Russian Federation provides to his regime. [[Page H2784]] Maduro secures these lifeline loans by promising to repay the Russians with future oil exports. But amid Venezuela's economic crisis, Maduro, not surprisingly, fell behind on those payments, reports indicate, beginning in 2017. News reports suggest that the Russian state oil company Rosneft lent the Venezuelan state oil company billions of dollars, partly as a prepayment for its crude oil. Those oily tentacles are another reason why the Russia-Venezuelan Threat Mitigation Act is so vital. This bill would also require the President to give Congress an assessment of the security risks posed by any potential Russian acquisition of the U.S. energy infrastructure holdings of CITGO, which is owned by Venezuela. By monitoring the CITGO acquisition risks, we monitor one of Maduro's vital veins of sustenance. Finally, what this bill would also do is allow the United States to use the diplomatic tools of travel to discourage further Russian- Venezuelan military entanglements. It would block travel to the United States by anyone who is acting or has acted on behalf of the Russian Government in direct support of the Venezuelan security forces. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired. Mr. MALINOWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida. Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, except in rare circumstances, this bill would allow for a ban and immediate revocation of visas from anyone working on behalf of the Russian Government to directly bolster the Venezuelan security forces. Right now, the people of Venezuela are enduring an unimaginable onslaught of hunger, preventable medical dangers, and dire escalating economic pain. We cannot stand idly by while Putin assists Maduro in carrying out this inhumane and barbaric tragedy. The Russian-Venezuelan Threat Mitigation Act will make it harder for the Kremlin to outfit Maduro with weapons of oppression. This bill will also allow the United States to monitor and minimize the threat that Russia poses to the entire region. Restoring democracy to Venezuela will not happen overnight. No single action alone could bring it about. But combined with the strong humanitarian aid and military export bills my colleagues have crafted that have passed on the floor tonight, the Russian-Venezuelan Threat Mitigation Act will provide part of the comprehensive solution this all-encompassing tragedy needs. The Venezuelan people, including my friends and neighbors back home, desperately need this relief. Mr. Speaker, I have heard real stories of neighbors and friends standing in front of me, describing the Maduro regime's confiscation of their businesses, just coming in one day and taking over everything. They have wrought devastation across that land. Venezuela was once a vibrant, rich, successful democracy that he has driven into the ground for his own enrichment. We can help bring this to an end through bills like the Russian- Venezuelan Threat Mitigation Act. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for their support of this critical legislation. Mr. ROONEY of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would once again like to thank my colleagues for the three bipartisan bills on Venezuela that have been considered by this House today. This is one issue where all Members of Congress, regardless of party or background, should stand together with the people of Venezuela and support interim President Guaido's efforts to bring free and fair elections to the country. The criminal socialist dictatorship of Nicolas Maduro has driven Venezuela to ruin. He is clinging to power by repressing the people of Venezuela while surrounding himself with foreign forces from Cuba and Russia. Millions of Venezuelans have fled the dangerous and deteriorating circumstances at home, as Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz mentioned about Weston. We also know about other places in west Miami where the Venezuelans, fortunately, are adding value to our economy now. They have created burdens and instability far beyond Venezuela's border. The average Venezuelan has lost 20 kilos in the last 2 years. These people are starving to death under a repression that hasn't been seen since Ceausescu's Romania or Stalin's Russia. Congress should support the administration's efforts to bring democracy and prosperity back to Venezuela, and these bills demonstrate our support for the values of freedom and liberty that the Venezuelan people desire and deserve. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support H.R. 1477, and I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. MALINOWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume for the purpose of closing. Mr. Speaker, I would once again like to thank Ms. Wasserman Schultz for authoring this important legislation and for her leadership on behalf of the Venezuelan people. As we all know, Vladimir Putin is seeking to expand Russia's nefarious influence in many parts of the world, always against democracy, always in opposition to the idea that ordinary people have the right to stand up for human rights and against corruption, including in Venezuela. This is the struggle of our time. This legislation makes it clear that we stand united with our allies in Latin America and across the world in rejecting the Kremlin's support for the corrupt Maduro regime. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Malinowski) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1477, as amended. The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table. ____________________