Summary and Impacts
Original Text

Bill Summary



This legislation, known as the "Russia Prohibition Act," aims to prevent Russia's participation in the G7 (a group of seven major industrialized countries) and its potential reintegration into the Group of Eight (G8), which includes Russia. The act prohibits the use of federal funds to support or facilitate Russia's participation in G7 proceedings or the reconstitution of the G8 to include Russia. It also states that this prohibition will only be lifted once the Secretary of State, in consultation with other government officials, certifies that Russia has stopped interfering in the elections of the US and other G7 countries, ended its illegal occupation of Crimea, South Ossetia, and Abkhazia, and withdrawn its troops from Transnistria. The act also requires the Secretary of State to submit a report to Congress about Russia's threats and challenges to US and NATO efforts in Afghanistan, including its support for Taliban-linked militants and any diplomatic efforts to counter Russian influence. The term "appropriate congressional committees and leadership" refers to specific groups within the House of Representatives and Senate who will receive this report. This act was passed by the House of Representatives on November 18, 2020.

Possible Impacts



1. If a political figure or organization in Russia had plans to participate in a G7 meeting, this act could prohibit them from doing so and could affect their ability to engage in diplomatic discussions or negotiations with other countries.
2. The act also requires Russia to end its illegal occupation of certain territories and comply with certain agreements, which could impact the daily lives and rights of people living in those regions.
3. The report required by the act could shed light on Russian influence and interference in Afghan politics and potentially impact future relations between Russia, the US, and other NATO coalition allies.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8259 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8259


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           November 30, 2020

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
  To prohibit Russian participation in the G7, 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. PROHIBITION ON RUSSIAN PARTICIPATION IN THE G7.

    (a) Limitation.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no 
Federal funds are authorized to be appropriated to take any action to 
support or facilitate--
            (1) the participation of Russia in a Group of Seven 
        proceeding; or
            (2) the reconstitution of the Group of Eight to include 
        Russia.
    (b) Termination.--Subsection (a) shall cease to have any force or 
effect after the date on which--
            (1) the Secretary of State and the Director of National 
        Intelligence, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland 
        Security and the Director of the Federal Bureau of 
        Investigation, certify to the appropriate congressional 
        committees and leadership that the Government of Russia, and 
        all persons acting as an agent of or otherwise on behalf of 
        such government, has halted all interference in United States 
        elections or elections of the other members of the Group of 
        Seven, members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) 
        and the European Union, and other allies and partners; and
            (2) the Secretary of State, in consultation with the 
        Director of National Intelligence, determines and certifies to 
        the appropriate congressional committees and leadership that 
        the Government of Russia, and all persons acting as an agent of 
        or otherwise on behalf of such government, has--
                    (A) ended its illegal occupation of Crimea and is 
                fully complying with its commitments under the Minsk 
                agreement with respect to Eastern Ukraine;
                    (B) ended its illegal occupation of South Ossetia 
                and Abkhazia and will support efforts for the 
                reintegration of these regions with the Republic of 
                Georgia; and
                    (C) withdrawn its troops and armaments from 
                Transnistria and fully respects Moldova's sovereignty 
                and territorial integrity.
    (c) Report.--Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Director 
of National Intelligence and in consultation with the heads of other 
relevant Federal departments and agencies, shall submit to the 
appropriate congressional committees and leadership a report on the 
threats and challenges of Russia to NATO and the United States in 
Afghanistan and to United States efforts to counter such threats and 
challenges, including--
            (1) an assessment of support provided by the Government of 
        Russia, and all persons acting as an agent of or otherwise on 
        behalf of such government, for Taliban-linked militants, 
        including--
                    (A) the provision of defense articles, defense 
                services, or technology (as such terms are defined and 
                described in the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 
                2751 et seq.)) or financial assistance for purposes 
                that undermine or run counter to the principles agreed 
                upon in the Agreement for Bringing Peace to Afghanistan 
                entered into on February 29, 2020;
                    (B) financial transactions, including transactions 
                made through the hawala system, between the individuals 
                and entities of the Government of Russia, or 
                individuals or entities acting in connection with that 
                government, to Taliban-linked militants, other 
                militants with connections to Afghanistan, and their 
                intermediaries; and
                    (C) any alleged program to incentivize the killing 
                of United States or NATO coalition soldiers by the 
                Government of Russia or any other foreign government;
            (2) a description of United States Government efforts to 
        engage in diplomatic efforts with Russia and the governments of 
        NATO coalition allies and partners to counter Russian malign 
        influence in Afghanistan; and
            (3) a description of the views of the governments of other 
        NATO members, including heads of government, political leaders, 
        and military commanders in the region on Russian interference 
        and malign influence in Afghanistan.
    (d) Appropriate Congressional Committees and Leadership.--In this 
section, the term ``appropriate congressional committees and 
leadership'' means--
            (1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Permanent Select 
        Committee on Intelligence, the Committee on Homeland Security, 
        and the Speaker, the majority leader, and the minority leader 
        of the House of Representatives; and
            (2) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Select 
        Committee on Intelligence, the Committee on Homeland Security, 
        and the majority leader and the minority leader of the Senate.

            Passed the House of Representatives November 18, 2020.

            Attest:

                                             CHERYL L. JOHNSON,

                                                                 Clerk.