[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5101 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5101
To provide for the imposition of sanctions with respect to Tunisia, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 2, 2025
Mr. Wilson of South Carolina (for himself and Mr. Crow) 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 provide for the imposition of sanctions with respect to Tunisia, 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 ``Tunisia Democracy Restoration Act''.
SEC. 2. STATEMENT OF POLICY.
It is the policy of the United States to support the restoration of
democracy in Tunisia and to oppose the authoritarian takeover by the
illegitimate regime led by Kais Saied.
SEC. 3. SUSPENSION OF ASSISTANCE TO THE GOVERNMENT OF TUNISIA.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no funding may be
appropriated or otherwise made available to any security services or
units in Tunisia which are linked to human rights abuses, domestic
repression, or the undermining of democracy in Tunisia.
SEC. 4. SANCTIONS.
(a) List Required.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the President shall make publicly available on a
website of the Federal Government, a list of foreign persons that--
(1) the President determines to be engaged in--
(A) actions that undermine democratic processes or
institutions of Tunisia; or
(B) significant corruption in Tunisia; and
(2) the President determines to be knowingly responsible
for or complicit in serious human rights abuses committed
against the citizens of Tunisia, or their family members,
including the forced disappearance, arrest, detention, or
charging of political prisoners, activists, journalists, or
lawyers for opposing the regime led by Kais Saied.
(b) Persons To Be Included on List.--In developing the list
required by subsection (a), the President shall consider for inclusion
on the list officials of the Government of Tunisia, if they meet
criteria for inclusion under subparagraph (a)(1) and (a)(2).
(c) Updates to List.--The President shall update the list required
by subsection (a) every six months for a period of four years.
(d) Imposition of Sanctions.--
(1) In general.--The President shall impose the sanctions
described in paragraph (2) with respect to each foreign person
on the list required by subsection (a).
(2) Sanctions described.--The sanctions described in this
paragraph are the following:
(A) Property blocking.--The President shall
exercise all powers granted by the International
Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.)
to the extent necessary to block and prohibit all
transactions in all property and interests in property
of a person on the list required by subsection (a) 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 the Secretary of State or the Secretary of
Homeland Security (or a designee of one of such
Secretaries) identifies as on the list required
by subsection (a) 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 (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 who
the Secretary of State or the Secretary
of Homeland Security (or a designee of
one of such Secretaries) identifies as
on the list required by subsection (a),
regardless of when the visa or other
documentation is issued.
(II) Effect of revocation.--A
revocation under subclause (I)--
(aa) shall take effect
immediately; and
(bb) shall automatically
cancel any other valid visa or
entry documentation that is in
the alien's possession.
(3) Penalties.--A person that violates, attempts to
violate, conspires to violate, or causes a violation of
paragraph (1)(A) or any regulation, license, or order issued to
carry out paragraph (1)(A) shall be subject to the penalties
set forth in subsections (b) and (c) of section 206 of the
International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1705) to
the same extent as a person that commits an unlawful act
described in subsection (a) of that section.
(4) Exception to comply with united nations headquarters
agreement.--Sanctions under paragraph (1)(B) shall not apply
with respect to an alien if admitting 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 agreements.
(e) Suspension.--The President may suspend in whole or in part the
imposition of sanctions otherwise required under this section if the
President determines that the following criteria have been met in
Tunisia:
(1) Tunisia has restored the democratic constitution of
2014.
(2) Free and fair elections have been held in Tunisia,
pursuant to the 2014 constitution, under international
monitoring and supervision.
(3) All Tunisian political prisoners have been released
including activists, journalists, former members of Parliament,
and others who have been unjustly detained by the regime of
Kais Saied.
(f) Exemptions and Waiver.--
(1) Exemptions.--Activities and transactions shall be
exempt from sanctions authorized under this section that are
necessary to comply with United States obligations under--
(A) 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;
(B) the Convention on Consular Relations, done at
Vienna April 24, 1963, and entered into force March 19,
1967; or
(C) any other international agreement to which the
United States is a party.
(2) Waiver.--The President may, for periods not to exceed
180 days, waive the application of any provision of this
section with respect to a foreign person if the President
certifies to Congress that such a waiver is in the national
security interests of the United States.
SEC. 5. STRATEGY TO RESTORE DEMOCRACY IN TUNISIA.
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this
Act, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of the
Treasury, shall submit to Congress a strategy regarding steps that can
be taken to restore democracy to Tunisia, including restoring Tunisian
democratic institutions such as the Parliament and the independent
judiciary, as well as restoring the democratic constitution of 2014.
SEC. 6. SUNSET.
This Act shall cease to be effective beginning on the date that is
4 years after the date of the enactment of this Act.
<all>