March 12, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 44 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session
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KEEPING RUSSIAN ENTRAPMENTS MINIMAL AND LIMITING INTELLIGENCE NETWORKS ACT; Congressional Record Vol. 165, No. 44
(House of Representatives - March 12, 2019)
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[Pages H2664-H2665] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] KEEPING RUSSIAN ENTRAPMENTS MINIMAL AND LIMITING INTELLIGENCE NETWORKS ACT Mr. KRISHNAMOORTHI. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1617) to direct the Director of National Intelligence to submit intelligence assessments of the intentions of the political leadership of the Russian Federation, and for other purposes. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 1617 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 ``Keeping Russian Entrapments Minimal and Limiting Intelligence Networks Act'' or the ``KREMLIN Act''. SEC. 2. FINDINGS. Congress finds the following: (1) Russia continues to engage in information warfare and political interference in the West, including by undermining democratic systems and exploiting economic and ethnic tensions within member countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. (2) Such activities constitute a threat to the United States and to its allies. SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS. It is the sense of Congress that-- (1) the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (Public Law 115-44) authorized the United States Government to impose sanctions in response to actions by countries, including Russia, that undermine the security of the United States; (2) the United States should sustain its contribution to the newly deployed enhanced forward presence of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia and encourage Canada, the United Kingdom, and Germany to continue their important leadership roles in the military presence of NATO in those countries; (3) the United States has defensive intentions in pursuing such sanctions and such enhanced military posture in Europe, and does not seek to threaten Russian territory; (4) the United States does not seek to be an enemy of the Russian people; (5) the United States desires a peaceful, economically prosperous relationship with Russia based on democratic principles where freedom and the rule of law are upheld for all; and (6) the United States is committed to defending these fundamental beliefs against any Russian aggression. SEC. 4. REQUIREMENT FOR INTELLIGENCE ASSESSMENTS. (a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of National Intelligence, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees each of the assessments described in subsection (b). (b) Assessments Described.--The assessments described in this section are the following with respect to the current intentions of the political leadership of the Russian Federation and based on intelligence obtained from all sources: (1) Potential military action against members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). (2) Potential responses to an enlarged United States or NATO military presence in eastern Europe or to increased United States military support for allies and partners in the region, such as the provision of additional lethal military equipment to Ukraine or Georgia. (3) Potential areas where the Government of the Russian Federation could exploit weaknesses and divisions among the governments of its Western adversaries. (c) Form.--Each assessment required under subsection (a) may be submitted in classified form but shall also include an unclassified executive summary, consistent with the protection of intelligence sources and methods. (d) Appropriate Congressional Committees.--In this section, the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means-- (1) the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives; and [[Page H2665]] (2) the Select Committee on Intelligence, the Committee on Foreign Relations, and the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Krishnamoorthi) and the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Stewart) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois. General Leave Mr. KRISHNAMOORTHI. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 1617. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Illinois? There was no objection. Mr. KRISHNAMOORTHI. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1617, the Keeping Russian Entrapments Minimal and Limiting Intelligence Networks Act, or the KREMLIN Act. The intelligence community is united in its assessment that Russia attempted to sabotage the 2016 U.S. election and that America is not alone in facing these dangers and attacks. In fact, recent reports indicate that Russia continues to engage in information warfare and political interference in the West that threatens the health of democratic institutions within member countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, otherwise known as NATO. Among many examples, the Russian Federation is linked to cybercrimes in Ukraine and Germany, disinformation campaigns here in the United States, intelligence support for pro-Russian Bulgarian candidates, and financing for pro-Russian parties in France. The bipartisan KREMLIN Act which I introduced with my friend, Congressman Chris Stewart of Utah, acknowledges the active threat of foreign interference on the United States and our NATO allies. Specifically, this legislation would require the Director of National Intelligence to submit three intelligence assessments to Congress. These assessments must analyze: First, potential military action by Russia against members of NATO; Second, potential responses by Russia to an enlarged U.S. or NATO presence in Eastern Europe; Third, potential areas where the Russian Government could exploit weaknesses and divisions among the governments of NATO and her allies. Most importantly, the KREMLIN Act recognizes that Russian meddling with our allied NATO countries constitutes a direct threat to the United States. By providing the appropriate congressional committees with these comprehensive assessments, we will be better prepared to thwart efforts in the future that aim to weaken international democratic institutions. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee on Foreign Affairs, Washington, DC, March 12, 2019. Hon. Adam Schiff, Chairman, House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Chairman: This is to advise you that the Committee on Foreign Affairs has now had an opportunity to review H.R. 1617, the ``KREMLIN Act,'' which falls within our shared Rule X jurisdiction. I appreciate that you have consulted with us on this legislation. The Foreign Affairs Committee has no objection to considering this bill on the House floor. To expedite that consideration, the Foreign Affairs Committee is willing to waive referral, with the understanding that we do not thereby waive any future jurisdictional claim over the legislation or its subject matter. In the event a House-Senate conference on this or similar legislation is convened, the Foreign Affairs Committee reserves the right to request an appropriate number of conferees to address any concerns with this bill or related provisions that may arise in conference. Please place this letter into the Congressional Record during consideration of the measure on the House floor. Thank you for the cooperation spirit in which you have worked regarding this matter and others between our committees. Sincerely, Eliot L. Engel, Chairman, House Committee on Foreign Affairs. ____ Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, House of Representatives, March 8, 2019. Hon. Eliot Engel, Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Engel: I write in reply to your letter regarding H.R. 1617, the ``KREMLIN Act.'' I appreciate your willingness to work cooperatively on this legislation. I acknowledge that provisions of the bill fall within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Foreign Affairs; and that the Committee on Foreign Affairs will not take up H.R. 1617 formally. I further agree that your Committee's inaction regarding the bill will not waive any future jurisdictional claims over matters addressed in H.R. 1617 which fall within your Committee's jurisdiction under Rule X of the Rules of Procedure for the House of Representatives for the 116th Congress. At your request, I lastly will ensure that our exchange of letters is included in the Congressional Record during floor consideration of the bill. Thank you again for your cooperation regarding the legislation. I look forward to continuing to work with you as the measure moves through the legislative process. Sincerely, Adam B. Schiff, Chairman. Mr. STEWART. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in favor of H.R. 1617, and I am proud to cosponsor this bill with my friend, Mr. Krishnamoorthi. The Keeping Russian Entrapments Minimal and Limiting Intelligence Networks Act, also known as the KREMLIN Act, is a commonsense bill that directs the intelligence community to conduct an assessment on the leadership of the Russian Government's plans and intentions, as my friend Raja has said, especially in regards to NATO. Madam Speaker, with some questioning Washington's commitment to the transatlantic alliance, this bill also serves as a reminder to our allies of the U.S. Congress' commitment to NATO. {time} 1315 NATO is indispensable. As a former military officer, I know firsthand how true that is. It is also as important today as it has ever been. Understanding the threats that the Kremlin continues to challenge to this important alliance is of utmost importance. In particular, the bill seeks assessments in three areas: First, any potential military action against NATO members; Second, potential reaction to the expansion of NATO; and, Third, potential weaknesses and areas of division against NATO allies. Learning the Russian Government's intentions in these areas will better enable the United States Government to counter any attempts to undermine this critical alliance that we call NATO. I thank the Speaker, urge passage of H.R. 1617, and reserve the balance of my time. Mr. KRISHNAMOORTHI. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers and am prepared to close. Mr. STEWART. Madam Speaker, once again, very briefly, this is a commonsense piece of legislation. It is a bipartisan piece of legislation. Importantly, it improves our national security. It improves the ability of our intelligence agencies to do the critical work that they do. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor, and I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. KRISHNAMOORTHI. Madam Speaker, for the health of our democracy, I strongly urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan KREMLIN Act, and I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Krishnamoorthi) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1617. The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table. ____________________
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