[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 139 (Monday, September 9, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H5078-H5080]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    NO RUSSIAN TUNNEL TO CRIMEA ACT

  Mr. BARR. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 7701) to require the imposition of sanctions with respect to any 
foreign person that knowingly participates in the construction, 
maintenance, or repair of a tunnel or bridge that connects the Russian 
mainland with the Crimean peninsula.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 7701

       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 ``No Russian Tunnel to Crimea 
     Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) In February and March 2014, the Russian Federation 
     invaded the Crimean peninsula and annexed Crimea, 
     international recognized as Ukrainian territory.
       (2) Following its annexation of Crimea, the Russian 
     Federation constructed the Kerch Strait Bridge to connect the 
     Russian mainland with the Crimean peninsula.
       (3) On February 24, 2022, the Government of the Russian 
     Federation, led by Vladimir Putin, launched an unprovoked, 
     full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
       (4) The Russian Federation has used Crimea as an integral 
     part of its full scale invasion of Ukraine, including to 
     house Russian troops, store ammunition and weapons, and host 
     the Black Sea Fleet.
       (5) In October 2023, it was publicly reported that Russian 
     and Chinese business officials met and exchanged emails to 
     discuss building a tunnel from the Russian mainland to 
     illegally occupied Crimea.

     SEC. 3. SANCTIONS.

       (a) In General.--The President shall impose sanctions 
     described in subsection (b) with respect to any foreign 
     person that knowingly participates in the construction, 
     maintenance, or repair of a tunnel or bridge that connects 
     the Russian mainland with the Crimean peninsula.

[[Page H5079]]

       (b) Sanctions Described.--The sanctions described in this 
     subsection are the following:
       (1) Asset blocking.--Notwithstanding the requirements of 
     section 202 of the International Emergency Economic Powers 
     Act (50 U.S.C. 1701), the President may exercise of all 
     powers granted to the President by that Act to the extent 
     necessary to block and prohibit all transactions in all 
     property and interests in property of the foreign person if 
     such property and interests in property are in the United 
     States, come within the United States, or are or come within 
     the possession or control of a United States person.
       (2) 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 described in 
     subsection (a) is--
       (i) inadmissible to the United States;
       (ii) ineligible for a visa or other documentation to enter 
     the United States; and
       (iii) 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.--
       (i) 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 subparagraph (A) regardless 
     of when the visa or other entry documentation is issued.
       (ii) Effect of revocation.--A revocation under clause (i)--

       (I) shall take effect immediately; and
       (II) shall automatically cancel any other valid visa or 
     entry documentation that is in the alien's possession.

       (c) Exceptions.--
       (1) Exception to comply with international obligations.--
     Sanctions under subsection (b)(2) shall not apply with 
     respect to the admission of an alien if admitting or paroling 
     the alien into the United States is necessary to permit the 
     United States to comply with 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 other 
     applicable international obligations.
       (2) Exception relating to the provision of humanitarian 
     assistance.--Sanctions under this section may not be imposed 
     with respect to transactions or the facilitation of 
     transactions for--
       (A) the sale of agricultural commodities, food, medicine, 
     or medical devices;
       (B) the provision of humanitarian assistance;
       (C) financial transactions relating to humanitarian 
     assistance; or
       (D) transporting goods or services that are necessary to 
     carry out operations relating to humanitarian assistance.
       (3) Exception for intelligence, law enforcement, and 
     national security activities.--Sanctions under this section 
     shall not apply to any authorized intelligence, law 
     enforcement, or national security activities of the United 
     States.
       (d) Classified Information.--In any judicial review of a 
     determination made under this section, if the determination 
     was based on classified information (as defined in section 
     1(a) of the Classified Information Procedures Act) such 
     information may be submitted to the reviewing court ex parte 
     and in camera. This subsection does not confer or imply any 
     right to judicial review.
       (e) Implementation; Penalties.--
       (1) Implementation.--The President may exercise all 
     authorities provided to the President under sections 203 and 
     205 of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 
     U.S.C. 1702 and 1704) to carry out this section.
       (2) Penalties.--The penalties provided for in subsections 
     (b) and (c) of section 206 of the International Emergency 
     Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1705) shall apply to a person 
     that violates, attempts to violate, conspires to violate, or 
     causes a violation of regulations promulgated to carry out 
     this section to the same extent that such penalties apply to 
     a person that commits an unlawful act described in section 
     206(a) of that Act.
       (f) Waiver.--The President may waive the application of 
     sanctions imposed with respect to a foreign person under this 
     section if the President certifies to the appropriate 
     congressional committees not later than 15 days before such 
     waiver is to take effect that the waiver is important to the 
     national security interests of the United States.
       (g) Definitions.--In this section--
       (1) 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;
       (2) the term ``foreign person'' means an individual or 
     entity that is not a United States person; and
       (3) the term ``United States person'' means--
       (A) a United States citizen;
       (B) a permanent resident alien of the United States;
       (C) an entity organized under the laws of the United States 
     or of any jurisdiction within the United States, including a 
     foreign branch of such an entity; or
       (D) a person in the United States.

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. BARR. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on this measure.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Kentucky?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BARR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 7701, the No Russian Tunnel to 
Crimea Act, a bipartisan bill introduced by the gentleman from New 
York, Ranking Member Meeks, and the gentleman from South Carolina, Mr. 
Wilson.
  China has provided Russia with extensive dual-use goods that by the 
administration's own admission have helped Russia revitalize its 
defense industrial base, rebuild its military, and continue its 
genocidal campaign of aggression against Ukraine.
  Aiding in the construction of repair of any infrastructure connecting 
Russia and Crimea would be yet another example of Chairman Xi's ``no 
limits partnership'' with Putin.
  Mr. Speaker, for this reason, I urge my colleagues to support this 
bipartisan bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
                                         House of Representatives,


                                   Committee on the Judiciary,

                                Washington, DC, September 3, 2024.
     Hon. Michael McCaul,
     Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs,
     House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman McCaul: I write regarding H.R. 7701, the No 
     Russian Tunnel to Crimea Act. Provisions of this bill fall 
     within the Judiciary Committee's Rule X jurisdiction, and I 
     appreciate that you consulted with us on those provisions. 
     The Judiciary Committee agrees that it shall be discharged 
     from further consideration of the bill so that it may proceed 
     expeditiously to the House floor.
       The Committee takes this action with the understanding that 
     forgoing further consideration of this measure does not in 
     any way alter the Committee's jurisdiction or waive any 
     future jurisdictional claim over these provisions or their 
     subject matter. We also reserve the right to seek appointment 
     of an appropriate number of conferees in the event of a 
     conference with the Senate involving this measure or similar 
     legislation.
       I ask that you please include this letter in your 
     committee's report to accompany this legislation or insert 
     this letter in the Congressional Record during consideration 
     of H.R. 7701 on the House floor. I appreciate the cooperative 
     manner in which our committees have worked on this matter, 
     and I look forward to working collaboratively in the future 
     on matters of shared jurisdiction. Thank you for your 
     attention to this matter.
           Sincerely,
                                                       Jim Jordan,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

                                         House of Representatives,


                                 Committee on Foreign Affairs,

                                Washington, DC, September 6, 2024.
     Hon. Jim Jordan,
     Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Jordan: Thank you for consulting with the 
     Foreign Affairs Committee and agreeing to be discharged from 
     further consideration of H.R. 7701, the No Russian Tunnel to 
     Crimea Act, so that the measure 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 measure 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 this bill into the 
     Congressional Record during floor consideration. I appreciate 
     your cooperation regarding this legislation and look forward 
     to continuing to work together as this measure moves through 
     the legislative process.
           Sincerely,
                                                Michael T. McCaul,
                                                         Chairman.

  Mr. MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this legislation. 
This is the long-awaited proverbial ``China week'' on the House floor, 
so let me explain briefly why this legislation pertains to the PRC.
  In February 2022, as the world turned its attention to the winter 
Olympics in Beijing, Vladimir Putin visited China to meet with 
President Xi where the two publicly declared what they called

[[Page H5080]]

a ``no limits partnership'' between Russia and China.
  Just weeks after that declaration, Putin unleashed his devastating 
invasion of Ukraine, aimed at toppling the democratically elected 
government in Kyiv.
  Since that time, China has played a crucial role in keeping the 
Kremlin's war machine running. By purchasing Russian oil and gas in 
massive quantities, Beijing has funded the Kremlin coffers and the 
illegal invasion machine it operates. By exporting semiconductors, 
drones, telecommunications gear, and other strategic electronic 
equipment, the PRC companies have provided the technical know-how to 
backfill U.S. and European providers that have exited the Russian 
market.
  Though the PRC has deepened its economic trade with Russia, including 
in dual-use items, it has thus far avoided directly arming Russia's 
criminal war effort.
  Recent reports have emerged about Russian officials meeting with 
leaders of major Chinese state-owned construction firms to discuss 
building a tunnel from Russia to Crimea. Of course, Crimea is of 
enormous strategic importance. Ukrainian forces have rightfully 
targeted this bridge multiple times, demonstrating their resilience and 
their determination to disrupt Russia's illegal occupation. The 
construction of a tunnel linking Russia directly to Crimea would only 
further entrench Putin's control over the Crimean Peninsula and bolster 
his war efforts.
  Mr. Speaker, we have a duty to use every tool at our disposal to 
support Ukraine's struggle for sovereignty and freedom. I will thank my 
colleague, Representative Wilson, for his partnership on this important 
bill. I also extend my gratitude to Chairman McCaul for his leadership 
in advancing this legislation, both at markup and now on the floor, and 
I thank all Members who have shown their support by cosponsoring this 
measure.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BARR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support H.R. 7701, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1830

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Moran). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Barr) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 7701.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.

                          ____________________