[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1461 Introduced in House (IH)]
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116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1461
To impose sanctions with respect to the Government of Georgia if the
President determines that the Government of Georgia is taking actions
to undermine commitments or contractual agreements with United States
persons engaging in business operations in the country of Georgia, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 28, 2019
Mr. Mullin (for himself and Mr. Flores) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition
to the Committees on Financial Services, and the Judiciary, for a
period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned
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A BILL
To impose sanctions with respect to the Government of Georgia if the
President determines that the Government of Georgia is taking actions
to undermine commitments or contractual agreements with United States
persons engaging in business operations in the country of Georgia, 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 ``Georgian Fair Business Practices
Sanctions Act of 2019''.
SEC. 2. REPORT ON ACTIONS OF THE GOVERNMENT OF GEORGIA TO UNDERMINE
COMMITMENTS OR CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENTS MADE WITH UNITED
STATES PERSONS ENGAGING IN BUSINESS OPERATIONS IN THE
COUNTRY OF GEORGIA.
(a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, and not less frequently than once every 180 days
thereafter, the President shall submit to the appropriate congressional
committees a report that--
(1) includes a determination of the President of whether or
not the Government of Georgia is taking actions to undermine
the commitments or contractual agreements made with United
States persons engaging in business operations in the country
of Georgia; and
(2) identifies foreign persons who are current or former
officials of the Government of Georgia who are responsible for
any actions described in paragraph (1).
(b) Information.--The report required under subsection (a) shall
include--
(1) a summary of United States Government and nongovernment
investment in Georgia; and
(2) an assessment of the impact of actions described in
subsection (a)(1) on the future of United States investment in
Georgia.
(c) Form.--The report required under subsection (a) shall be
submitted in unclassified form but may include a classified annex.
SEC. 3. IMPOSITION OF SANCTIONS WITH RESPECT TO THE GOVERNMENT OF
GEORGIA AND RESPONSIBLE OFFICIALS OF THE GOVERNMENT OF
GEORGIA.
(a) In General.--If the President submits to the appropriate
congressional committees a report under section 2 that contains an
affirmative determination of the President as described in subsection
(a)(1) of such section--
(1) the President shall impose the sanctions described in
subsection (b) with respect to the Government of Georgia; and
(2) the President shall impose the sanctions described in
subsection (c) with respect to current or former officials of
the Government of Georgia who are identified in subsection
(a)(2) of such section.
(b) Sanctions With Respect to Government of Georgia Described.--The
sanctions described in this subsection are the following:
(1) No loan, credit guarantee, insurance, financing, or
other similar financial assistance be extended by any agency of
the Government of the United States (including the Export-
Import Bank of the United States or the Overseas Private
Investment Corporation) to the Government of Georgia, except
with respect to the provision of humanitarian goods and
agricultural or medical products.
(2) No funds available to the Trade and Development Agency
should be available for activities of the Agency in or for
Georgia.
(c) Sanctions With Respect to Responsible Officials Described.--
(1) In general.--The sanctions described in this subsection
are the following:
(A) Asset blocking.--The exercise of all powers
granted to the President by the International Emergency
Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (except
that the requirements of section 202 of such Act (50
U.S.C. 1701) shall not apply) to the extent necessary
to block and prohibit all transactions in all property
and interests in property of an individual who is
subject to subsection (a)(2) 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.
(B) Aliens ineligible for visas, admission, or
parole.--
(i) Visas, admission, or parole.--An alien
who is subject to subsection (a)(2) is--
(I) inadmissible to the United
States;
(II) ineligible to receive 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.).
(ii) Current visas revoked.--
(I) In general.--The issuing
consular officer, the Secretary of
State, or the Secretary of Homeland
Security shall revoke any visa or other
entry documentation issued to an alien
who is subject to subsection (a)(2),
regardless of when issued.
(II) Effect of revocation.--A
revocation under subclause (I) shall
take effect immediately and shall
automatically cancel any other valid
visa or entry documentation that is in
the possession of the alien.
(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 prescribed under paragraph
(1)(A) to the same extent that such penalties apply to a person
that commits an unlawful act described in subsection (a) of
such section 206.
SEC. 4. TERMINATION OF SANCTIONS.
The sanctions described in section 3 shall cease to have effect
beginning on the day after the date on which the President submits to
the appropriate congressional committees a report under section 2 that
contains a negative determination of the President as described in
subsection (a)(1) of such section.
SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Admitted; alien.--The terms ``admitted'' and ``alien''
have meanings given those terms in section 101 of the
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101).
(2) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee
on Armed Services, the Committee on Homeland Security,
the Committee on Financial Services, and the Committee
on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives; and
(B) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the
Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Homeland
Security and Governmental Affairs, and the Committee on
Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate.
(3) Entity.--The term ``entity''--
(A) means a partnership, association, corporation,
or other organization, group, or subgroup; and
(B) includes a governmental entity.
(4) Person.--The term ``person'' means an individual or
entity.
(5) United states person.--The term ``United States
person'' means a United States citizen, permanent resident
alien, entity organized under the laws of the United States
(including foreign branches), or a person in the United States.
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