Bill Summary
This legislation, known as the Venezuelan Contracting Restriction Act, prohibits the United States government from entering into contracts with individuals or entities that conduct business with the Maduro regime in Venezuela. This means that the government cannot procure goods or services from anyone who has business operations with the Venezuelan government that is not recognized by the United States. The terms "business operations" and "person" are defined in the legislation, and this law applies to contracts made after the date of its enactment.
Possible Impacts
1. Limitation of trade and business opportunities: This legislation could potentially limit the ability of individuals or companies to conduct business with Venezuela or those associated with the Maduro regime. This could affect people who rely on trade with Venezuela for their livelihoods or those who have existing business relationships with Venezuelan entities.
2. Impact on government contracts: The prohibition on contracts with persons who have business operations with the Maduro regime could affect government agencies and their ability to obtain goods or services from certain companies. This could impact the quality or cost of government services and potentially affect taxpayers.
3. Political implications: This legislation could have broader political implications, as it is specifically targeted at the Maduro regime and those associated with it. It could potentially strain diplomatic relations between the United States and Venezuela, and also affect how the United States is perceived by other nations. This could have a ripple effect on individuals or companies who have ties to both countries.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2204 Introduced in House (IH)]
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116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2204
To prohibit contracting with persons that have business operations with
the Maduro regime, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 10, 2019
Mr. Waltz (for himself and Mr. Diaz-Balart) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To prohibit contracting with persons that have business operations with
the Maduro regime, 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 ``Venezuelan Contracting Restriction
Act''.
SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON CONTRACTING WITH PERSONS THAT HAVE BUSINESS
OPERATIONS WITH THE MADURO REGIME.
(a) Prohibition.--The head of an executive agency may not enter
into a contract for the procurement of goods or services with any
person that has business operations with an authority of the government
of Venezuela that is not recognized as the legitimate government of
Venezuela by the United States Government.
(b) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Business operations.--The term ``business operations''
means engaging in commerce in any form, including acquiring,
developing, maintaining, owning, selling, possessing, leasing,
or operating equipment, facilities, personnel, products,
services, personal property, real property, or any other
apparatus of business or commerce.
(2) Executive agency.--The term ``executive agency'' has
the meaning given the term in section 133 of title 41, United
States Code.
(3) Person.--The term ``person'' means--
(A) a natural person, corporation, company,
business association, partnership, society, trust, or
any other nongovernmental entity, organization, or
group;
(B) any governmental entity or instrumentality of a
government, including a multilateral development
institution (as defined in section 1701(c)(3) of the
International Financial Institutions Act (22 U.S.C.
262r(c)(3))); and
(C) any successor, subunit, parent entity, or
subsidiary of, or any entity under common ownership or
control with, any entity described in subparagraph (A)
or (B).
(c) Applicability.--This section shall apply with respect to any
contract entered into on or after the date of the enactment of this
section.
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