[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3248 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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115th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3248
To restrict the provision by international financial institutions of
loans and financial and technical assistance to the Government of
Turkey, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 19, 2018
Mr. Corker (for himself, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Lankford, Mr. Tillis, Mrs.
Shaheen, and Mr. Nelson) introduced the following bill; which was read
twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To restrict the provision by international financial institutions of
loans and financial and technical assistance to the Government of
Turkey, and for other purposes.
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 ``Turkey International Financial
Institutions Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) In accordance with section 701 of the International
Financial Institutions Act (22 U.S.C. 262d), it is the policy
of the United States Government that the voice and vote of the
United States in international financial institutions ``shall
advance the cause of human rights, including by seeking to
channel assistance towards countries other than those whose
governments engage in . . . a pattern of gross violations of
internationally recognized human rights, such as torture or
cruel, inhumane, or degrading treatment or punishment,
prolonged detention without charges, or other flagrant denial
to life, liberty, and the security of person''.
(2) International and civil society organizations have
documented significant human rights abuses by the Government of
Turkey since the failed coup attempt in July 2016.
(3) The 2017 Country Report on Human Rights Practices of
the Department of State for Turkey highlights significant human
rights issues in Turkey, including the ``arbitrary arrest and
detention under the state of emergency of tens of thousands,
including members of parliament and two Turkish-national
employees of the U.S. Mission to Turkey''.
(4) United States citizens continue to be subjected to
unacceptable harassment and human rights violations by the
Government of Turkey, including prolonged detention on
unsubstantiated, politically motivated allegations, and
arbitrary restrictions on freedom of movement.
SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY.
It is the policy of the United States--
(1) to oppose any effort by a foreign government to detain
United States citizens for political leverage; and
(2) to contest the pattern of the Government of Turkey of
arbitrary detention of and denial of freedom of movement to
United States citizens (including dual citizens) and locally
employed staff of the United States mission to Turkey.
SEC. 4. RESTRICTIONS RELATING TO INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL INSTITUTION
ASSISTANCE TO THE GOVERNMENT OF TURKEY.
(a) Restrictions.--The Secretary of the Treasury shall--
(1) instruct the United States Executive Director of the
World Bank Group to use the voice and vote of the United States
to oppose the extension by the International Finance
Corporation of any loan or financial or technical assistance to
the Government of Turkey or to any entity for a project in
Turkey;
(2) instruct the United States Executive Director of the
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to use the
voice and vote of the United States to oppose the extension by
the Bank of any loan or financial or technical assistance to
the Government of Turkey or to any entity for a project in
Turkey; and
(3) instruct the United States Executive Director of all
other international financial institutions, including the
International Monetary Fund, to work with other key donor
countries to develop a coherent policy approach to future
engagements with and lending to the Government of Turkey, in a
manner that will advance human rights, including the full
restoration of the rights guaranteed to the people of Turkey
through that Government's commitments as a signatory of the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
(b) Exception for Humanitarian Purposes.--The restrictions under
paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a) shall not apply with respect
to loans or financial or technical assistance provided for humanitarian
purposes.
(c) Waiver for Energy Diversification Projects.--The Secretary of
the Treasury may waive the application of the restriction under
subsection (a)(1) only if the Secretary submits to the appropriate
congressional committees a written determination that the waiver will
be used to support projects to diversify energy resources in Turkey and
to lessen the dependence of Turkey on oil or gas from the Russian
Federation or the Islamic Republic of Iran.
(d) Termination.--Subsection (a) shall not apply on or after the
date that is 30 days after the President determines and certifies to
the appropriate congressional committees that the Government of Turkey
is no longer arbitrarily detaining or denying freedom of movement to
United States citizens (including dual citizens) or locally employed
staff members of the United States mission to Turkey.
(e) Briefing.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, and every 180 days thereafter until the
restrictions in subsection (a) are terminated pursuant to subsection
(d), the Secretary of the Treasury, in conjunction with the Secretary
of State, shall brief the appropriate congressional committees on--
(1) the efforts of the United States Executive Directors of
the international financial institutions under subsection (a);
and
(2) the status of all United States citizens (including
dual citizens) and locally employed staff members of the United
States mission to Turkey arbitrarily detained or denied freedom
of movement by the Government of Turkey, as appropriate.
SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the
Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Financial Services and the
Committee on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives.
(2) Dual citizen.--The term ``dual citizen'' means an
individual who is a citizen of the United States and another
country.
(3) International financial institution.--The term
``international finance institution'' means the International
Monetary Fund, the International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development, the European Bank for Reconstruction and
Development, the International Development Association, the
International Finance Corporation, the Multilateral Investment
Guarantee Agency, the African Development Bank, the African
Development Fund, the Asian Development Bank, the Inter-
American Development Bank, the Bank for Economic Cooperation
and Development in the Middle East and North Africa, and the
Inter-American Investment Corporation.
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