[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 17 (Thursday, January 26, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S123]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Ms. Hirono, and Mr. Sanders):
  S. 126. A bill to make individuals responsible for undermining free 
and fair democratic elections inadmissible to the United States; to the 
Committee on the Judiciary.
  Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, America must never become a safe haven 
for anyone who assaults the values for which this Nation stands--values 
like democracy, human rights, the rule of law, and the sanctity of free 
and fair elections.
  We already deny visas to those who are human traffickers, drug 
traffickers, money launderers, corrupt kleptocrats, and those who 
commit serious violations of religious freedom. I agree with that 
policy. We have passed laws to allow for the prosecution in U.S. courts 
of anyone who has committed war crimes or used children as soldiers in 
deadly conflict. I have written some of those policies, and I certainly 
agree with them.
  Today, I am introducing legislation to further align our immigration 
system with our values as a nation. The bill I am introducing would 
prevent foreign officials who interfere with democratic elections or 
prevent the democratic transfer of power of their country from taking 
refuge in the United States.
  In recent years, autocrats around the world have used a toxic brew of 
nationalism, authoritarianism, corruption, and social media to weaken 
and attack the very foundations of democracy. Fortunately, democracy is 
winning this battle. Much of the world is unified in support of 
Ukraine, for example, against Putin's attempt to seize the sovereign 
democratic nation of Ukraine, and we have the allies in the NATO 
alliance and others who stand with us with strength and formidable 
determination to stop Putin.
  In late October, the people of Brazil--the largest democracy in Latin 
America--chose a new President to replace the increasingly 
authoritarian Jair Bolsonaro. After years of baseless lies by Bolsonaro 
about the integrity of Brazil's elections, polls show that three-
fourths of his supporters no longer trust the electoral process in 
Brazil.
  Sound familiar?
  After Bolsonaro lost in October's Presidential election, his 
supporters turned to violence. They blocked highways throughout Brazil. 
Many called openly for the military to overturn the election.
  Sound familiar?
  And, on January 8, as Mr. Bolsonaro took selfies with his supporters 
in the State of Florida, thousands of his far-right supporters 
violently stormed Brazil's Presidential palace, Congress, and Supreme 
Court--breaking windows and injuring dozens of police officers.
  Sound familiar?
  It was a disgrace. It was an assault on democracy--not only in Brazil 
but an assault on democracy everywhere.
  Under the bill I am introducing, if the Secretary of State determines 
a foreign official has interfered with free and fair elections or has 
sought to prevent the peaceful, democratic transfer of power, that 
official cannot escape justice by fleeing to the United States.
  I ask my colleagues to join in supporting this important measure to 
hold those who interfere with democratic elections accountable. America 
should never be a safe haven for enemies of democracy.

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