No Russian Tunnel to Crimea Act
Floor Speech
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Mr. BARR. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7701) to require the imposition of sanctions with respect to any foreign person that knowingly participates in the construction, maintenance, or repair of a tunnel or bridge that connects the Russian mainland with the Crimean peninsula.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 7701
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 ``No Russian Tunnel to Crimea Act''. SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) In February and March 2014, the Russian Federation invaded the Crimean peninsula and annexed Crimea, international recognized as Ukrainian territory.
(2) Following its annexation of Crimea, the Russian Federation constructed the Kerch Strait Bridge to connect the Russian mainland with the Crimean peninsula.
(3) On February 24, 2022, the Government of the Russian Federation, led by Vladimir Putin, launched an unprovoked, full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
(4) The Russian Federation has used Crimea as an integral part of its full scale invasion of Ukraine, including to house Russian troops, store ammunition and weapons, and host the Black Sea Fleet.
(5) In October 2023, it was publicly reported that Russian and Chinese business officials met and exchanged emails to discuss building a tunnel from the Russian mainland to illegally occupied Crimea. SEC. 3. SANCTIONS.
(a) In General.--The President shall impose sanctions described in subsection (b) with respect to any foreign person that knowingly participates in the construction, maintenance, or repair of a tunnel or bridge that connects the Russian mainland with the Crimean peninsula.
(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 for intelligence, law enforcement, and national security activities.--Sanctions under this section shall not apply to any authorized intelligence, law enforcement, or national security activities of the United States.
(d) Classified Information.--In any judicial review of a determination made under this section, if the determination was based on classified information (as defined in section 1(a) of the Classified Information Procedures Act) such information may be submitted to the reviewing court ex parte and in camera. This subsection does not confer or imply any right to judicial review.
(e) 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 section.
(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 to carry out this section to the same extent that such penalties apply to a person that commits an unlawful act described in section 206(a) of that Act.
(f) 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 important to the national security interests of the United States.
(g) 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; and
(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.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 7701, the No Russian Tunnel to Crimea Act, a bipartisan bill introduced by the gentleman from New York, Ranking Member Meeks, and the gentleman from South Carolina, Mr. Wilson.
China has provided Russia with extensive dual-use goods that by the administration's own admission have helped Russia revitalize its defense industrial base, rebuild its military, and continue its genocidal campaign of aggression against Ukraine.
Aiding in the construction of repair of any infrastructure connecting Russia and Crimea would be yet another example of Chairman Xi's ``no limits partnership'' with Putin.
House of Representatives, Committee on the Judiciary, Washington, DC, September 3, 2024. Hon. Michael McCaul, Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman McCaul: I write regarding H.R. 7701, the No Russian Tunnel to Crimea Act. Provisions of this bill fall within the Judiciary Committee's Rule X jurisdiction, and I appreciate that you consulted with us on those provisions. The Judiciary Committee agrees that it shall be discharged from further consideration of the bill so that it may proceed expeditiously to the House floor.
The Committee takes this action with the understanding that forgoing further consideration of this measure does not in any way alter the Committee's jurisdiction or waive any future jurisdictional claim over these provisions or their subject matter. We also reserve the right to seek appointment of an appropriate number of conferees in the event of a conference with the Senate involving this measure or similar legislation.
I ask that you please include this letter in your committee's report to accompany this legislation or insert this letter in the Congressional Record during consideration of H.R. 7701 on the House floor. I appreciate the cooperative manner in which our committees have worked on this matter, and I look forward to working collaboratively in the future on matters of shared jurisdiction. Thank you for your attention to this matter. Sincerely, Jim Jordan, Chairman. ____ House of Representatives, Committee on Foreign Affairs, Washington, DC, September 6, 2024. Hon. Jim Jordan, Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Jordan: Thank you for consulting with the Foreign Affairs Committee and agreeing to be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 7701, the No Russian Tunnel to Crimea Act, so that the measure may proceed expeditiously to the House floor.
I agree that your forgoing further action on this measure does not in any way diminish or alter the jurisdiction of your committee, or prejudice its jurisdictional prerogatives on this measure or similar legislation in the future. I would support your effort to seek appointment of an appropriate number of conferees from your committee to any House-Senate conference on this legislation.
I will seek to place our letters on this bill into the Congressional Record during floor consideration. I appreciate your cooperation regarding this legislation and look forward to continuing to work together as this measure moves through the legislative process. Sincerely, Michael T. McCaul, Chairman.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support H.R. 7701, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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