[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 475 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 475
To authorize the imposition of sanctions with respect to any foreign
person endangering the integrity or safety of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear
power plant.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 16, 2025
Mr. Meeks (for himself, Mr. Keating, Mr. Castro of Texas, Mr. Connolly,
Mr. Costa, Ms. Titus, Mr. Cohen, Mr. Amo, Mr. Foster, Mr. Veasey, Mr.
Bera, Mr. Krishnamoorthi, Mr. Quigley, and Mr. Boyle of Pennsylvania)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on 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
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize the imposition of sanctions with respect to any foreign
person endangering the integrity or safety of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear
power plant.
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 ``Sanction Russian Nuclear Safety
Violators Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) On February 24, 2022, the Government of the Russian
Federation, led by Vladimir Putin, launched an unprovoked,
full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
(2) Russian forces have illegally occupied the Zaporzhzhia
nuclear power plant, the largest nuclear power plant in Europe,
and have placed Russian military equipment within the power
plant.
(3) Officials from the Russian Federations State Atomic
Energy Corporation ``Rosatom'' have been present at the plant
since March 2022 and have requested information on confidential
issues regarding the plant's operations.
(4) The International Atomic Energy Association ``IAEA''
has stated that the presence of Rosatom officials is a
significant safety concern and could lead to technical
interference in the plant's operations, and has found that the
power plant has structural damage in places due to shelling
caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
(5) The Director General has stated that failing to
demilitarize the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is ``playing
with fire''.
(6) In May 2023, Russia evacuated citizens from the region
around Zaporizhzhia, including personnel who operate the plant,
further exacerbating concerns about the plant's stability and
safety.
SEC. 3. SANCTIONS.
(a) In General.--The President shall impose sanctions described in
subsection (b) with respect to any foreign person that has endangered
the integrity, safety, or undermined Ukrainian operational control of
the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station located in southeastern Ukraine
since the Russian Federation launched an unprovoked, full-scale
invasion of Ukraine.
(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 related to ukrainian operational control.--
Sanctions under this section shall not apply to any foreign
person seeking to reestablish Ukrainian operational control of
the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station or the surrounding
region.
(d) 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 subtitle.
(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 under section
403(b) to carry out paragraph (1)(A) to the same extent that
such penalties apply to a person who commits an unlawful act
described in section 206(a) of that Act.
(e) 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 vital to the national security interests of the United States.
(f) 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;
(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.
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