Bill Summary
The "Preventing Usurpation of Power and Privileges by Extralegal Territories' Sedition Act of 2022" (also known as the "PUPPETS Act of 2022") is a proposed bill in the United States that aims to designate certain unelected entities claiming to be governments as foreign terrorist organizations. This includes entities such as the Donetsk People's Republic, the Luhansk People's Republic, and other regions of Ukraine that were not elected through legitimate elections. The bill also imposes measures on countries that support these entities, such as prohibiting the recognition of their sovereignty and restricting foreign assistance to them. The bill also requires the Secretary of State to report on countries that support these unelected entities and designates them as state sponsors of terrorism. The bill is set to expire on December 31, 2023.
Possible Impacts
1. The designation of certain entities as foreign terrorist organizations could lead to increased surveillance and monitoring of individuals or groups associated with those entities, potentially limiting their rights to privacy and freedom of speech.
2. The prohibition on foreign assistance to countries that support these entities could have negative impacts on the economies and livelihoods of people in those countries, leading to economic instability and potentially affecting access to basic needs such as food and healthcare.
3. The designation of countries as state sponsors of terrorism could result in increased scrutiny and restrictions on travel and trade between those countries and the United States, disrupting personal and business relationships and potentially harming the economies of both countries.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6897 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6897
To designate certain unelected entities claiming to be governments as
foreign terrorist organizations, to impose certain measures with
respect to countries that support such entities, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 2, 2022
Mr. Gimenez introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on the
Judiciary, Armed Services, and Transportation and Infrastructure, 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 designate certain unelected entities claiming to be governments as
foreign terrorist organizations, to impose certain measures with
respect to countries that support such entities, 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 ``Preventing Usurpation of Power and
Privileges by Extralegal Territories' Sedition Act of 2022'' or the
``PUPPETS Act of 2022''.
SEC. 2. DESIGNATION AS FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS OF UNELECTED
ENTITIES CLAIMING TO BE GOVERNMENTS.
(a) In General.--Each entity described in subsection (b) is
designated as--
(1) a foreign terrorist organization pursuant to section
219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189); and
(2) a specially designated global terrorist organization
under Executive Order 13224 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note; relating to
blocking property and prohibiting transactions with persons who
commit, threaten to commit, or support terrorism), as amended
before, on, or after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(b) Entities Described.--An entity described in this subsection is
an entity holding itself out to be the Government of--
(1) the Donetsk People's Republic, the Luhansk People's
Republic, or any other region of Ukraine, that was not elected
through the presidential or parliamentary elections in 2019 or
local elections in 2020;
(2) the Pridnestrovian Moldovian Republic;
(3) the Republic of South Ossetia; or
(4) the Republic of Abkhazia.
SEC. 3. NON-RECOGNITION OF SOVEREIGNTY BY UNELECTED ENTITIES CLAIMING
TO BE GOVERNMENTS.
(a) United States Armed Forces.--The Secretary of Defense may not
take any action, including any movement of aircraft or vessels that
implies recognition of the sovereignty of any entity described in
section 2(b) over territory or airspace claimed by the Government of
Ukraine, Moldova, or Georgia.
(b) United States Flagged Vessels.--No vessel that is issued a
certificate of documentation under chapter 121 of title 46, United
States Code, may take any action that implies recognition of the
sovereignty of any entity described in section 2(b) over territory or
airspace claimed by the Government of Ukraine, Moldova, or Georgia.
(c) United States Aircraft.--No aircraft operated by an air carrier
that holds an air carrier certificate issued under chapter 411 of title
49, United States Code, may take any action that implies recognition of
the sovereignty of any entity described in section 2(b) over territory
or airspace claimed by the Government of Ukraine, Moldova, or Georgia.
SEC. 4. MEASURES WITH RESPECT TO COUNTRIES THAT SUPPORT UNELECTED
ENTITIES CLAIMING TO BE GOVERNMENTS.
(a) Identification of Countries That Assist Unelected Entities
Claiming To Be Governments.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 60 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, and every 180 days thereafter, the
Secretary of State shall submit to Congress a report
identifying each country the government of which the Secretary
determines, after February 23, 2022--
(A) recognizes the sovereignty of an entity
described in section 2(b) over territory or airspace
claimed by the Government of Ukraine, Moldova, or
Georgia; or
(B) provides material assistance or support to such
an entity.
(2) Form.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall be
submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified
annex if the Secretary determines it is necessary for the
national security interests of the United States to do so.
(3) Public availability.--The Secretary shall publish the
unclassified part of the report required by paragraph (1) on a
publicly available website of the Department of State.
(b) Prohibition on Foreign Assistance.--
(1) In general.--Except as provided by paragraph (2) or
(3), no amounts may be obligated or expended to provide foreign
assistance to the government of any country identified in a
report required by subsection (a).
(2) Exception.--This subsection shall not apply with
respect to Ukraine, Taiwan, humanitarian assistance, disaster
assistance, emergency food assistance, or the Peace Corps.
(3) Waiver.--The President may waive the application of
paragraph (1) with respect to the government of a country if
the President determines that the waiver is in the national
interests of the United States.
(c) Designation as State Sponsors of Terrorism.--
(1) In general.--The government of each country identified
in a report required by subsection (a) shall be designated as a
state sponsor of terrorism.
(2) State sponsor of terrorism defined.--In this
subsection, the term ``state sponsor of terrorism'' means a
country the government of which the Secretary of State has
determined has repeatedly provided support for acts of
international terrorism, for purposes of--
(A) section 1754(c)(1)(A)(i) of the Export Control
Reform Act of 2018 (50 U.S.C. 4813(c)(1)(A)(i));
(B) section 620A of the Foreign Assistance Act of
1961 (22 U.S.C. 2371);
(C) section 40(d) of the Arms Export Control Act
(22 U.S.C. 2780(d)); or
(D) any other provision of law.
SEC. 5. TERMINATION.
The requirements of this Act terminate on December 31, 2023.
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