January 21, 2017

Bipartisan group of senators introduces comprehensive Russia sanctions legislation

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WASHINGTON – Sens. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and John McCain (R-Ariz.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, led a bipartisan group of senators on January 10 to introduce comprehensive sanctions legislation on Russia for their cyber intrusions, aggression, and destabilizing activities here in the United States and around the world.

The original co-sponsors of the Countering Russian Hostilities Act of 2017 are: Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio).

“Russia has worked to insidiously interfere with and influence the presidential election in the United States, and Russian military aggression in Ukraine and Syria has violated international commitments and shown a clear disregard for sovereignty and humanitarian norms. Our comprehensive sanctions package being introduced today will send a clear message to Vladimir Putin that he has gone too far, and that there will be consequences for his actions,” said Sen. Cardin.

“Every American should be alarmed by Russia’s brazen attack on our democracy,” said Sen. McCain. “For eight years, the United States has had no policy to deter, respond to or retaliate against cyberattacks. As a nation, we must demonstrate that if you attack our country, you will pay a price. That’s why I’m proud to join with my Republican and Democratic colleagues in the Senate to introduce legislation that would impose new sanctions on Russia for its attack on our election and destabilizing activities in democracies around the world. Now is the time to put partisanship aside and send a signal that the United States will not stand for Russia’s aggressive actions.”

“As Russia continues its flagrant efforts to sabotage and subvert democratic norms and principles of freedom across the world, this is a significant step that sends an unequivocal response to President [Vladimir] Putin: The U.S. Congress remains united in our absolute rejection of their rule over Crimea, belligerent actions in Syria, and will hold them accountable for their interference in our democratic system,” said Sen. Menendez, author of the STAND for Ukraine Act, legislation that was incorporated into the Countering Russian Hostilities Act. “This comprehensive, bipartisan legislation creates a broad policy framework that combines new ways to proactively support our allies, bolster democratic institutions across Europe, and also expand and strengthen aggressive sanctions across Russian individuals and entities. At a pivotal time in world affairs in the face of Russian aggression, the Countering Russian Hostilities Act makes clear that the United States will not tolerate dictatorial actions, annexation or interventionism.”

“When it comes to Russia’s efforts to undermine democracy in our backyard and throughout the world, enough is enough. These bipartisan sanctions will be hard-hitting and go well-beyond what exists today. And, hopefully, these sanctions will deter other would-be bad actors from interfering with the democratic process in the future. Focusing on the financial services and energy sectors – and targeting Putin and his inner circle – is the best way to get Russia’s attention,” said Sen. Graham.

“The Russian government, directed by President Putin, launched a brazen attack on our elections that demands an aggressive response,” said Sen. Shaheen. “The facts are clear, and it’s time to act. America must stand united in sending a strong message to the Kremlin that this attack on the foundation of our democracy will not go unpunished. I’m very proud to say that this legislation is bipartisan and pulls no punches. President-elect Trump should face the facts and lend his support to our effort.”

“Vladimir Putin is not an ally of America, and he only understands strength, not weakness in the form of unilateral concessions. These two facts are important to remember as a new president takes office,” said Sen. Rubio. “I will continue working with our bipartisan coalition to pressure Putin and his corrupt regime until Russia changes its behavior.”

“Russia used cyberattacks and propaganda to try and undermine our democracy. We are not alone. Russia has a pattern of waging cyberattacks and military invasions against democracies across the world,” said Sen. Klobuchar. “On a recent trip to the Baltic states, Ukraine and Georgia with Sens. McCain and Graham, it became clear that this is not about one party, one election, or even one country. It’s about defending democracies. This bipartisan sanctions bill sends a message to the Kremlin that Russian aggression will not go unchecked.”

“Russia is no friend – by Putin’s choice, not ours. His Soviet-style aggressions toward the people of the United States, NATO and our other allies cannot be rewarded. This bipartisan effort works to upend Putin’s calculus and defend America from Russian cyberattacks and political meddling,” said Sen. Sasse.

“Russia struck at the heart of American democracy with its cyberattacks last year,” said Sen. Durbin. “While Moscow has been targeting us for a very long time, this most recent attack was a dramatic escalation that cannot be ignored or go unanswered. The Obama administration issued significant new sanctions on the Russian Federation – that sent a signal to the Kremlin that must now be amplified by Congress. There is bipartisan support for strong additional sanctions against Russia, and I will support that effort every step of the way. The American people should be absolutely outraged that some members of Congress continue to waffle and downplay this – but make no mistake: this was an attack on America, and it will not go unanswered.”

“Russia must be held accountable for its illegal annexation of Crimea, ongoing aggression inside Ukraine, extensive disinformation and propaganda campaigns against the United States and its allies,” said Sen. Portman. “This bipartisan legislation sends an important message that the United States Senate takes its obligation to act on behalf of American national security interests seriously, and is prepared to take proactive steps to ensure that we live up to our commitments to our allies and uphold longstanding American values and ideals.”

Among the provisions of the Countering Russian Hostilities Act of 2017 are these:

• The bill would impose mandatory visa bans and asset freezes those who undermine the cybersecurity of public or private infrastructure and democratic institutions; it would impose mandatory sanctions on those who materially assist, sponsor, or provide financial, material, or technological support for such activities.

• The bill would also impose mandatory sanctions on transactions with the Russian defense or intelligence sectors, including the FSB and GRU.

•The bill mandates that the Secretary of Homeland Security conduct a series of public service campaigns to educate the public on threats to cybersecurity and urging better online practices to ensure better protection of online information.

• The bill would codify the four Obama Administration executive orders with respect to sanctions on Russia for its actions in Ukraine.

• The bill would mandate sanctions on investments of $20 million or more in Russia’s ability to develop its petroleum and natural gas resources.

• The bill would impose mandatory sanctions on U.S. and third party investment in Russian privatization of state-owned assets and sales of sovereign debt.

• The bill would impose visa bans and asset freezes on those responsible for the commission of serious human rights abuses in any territory occupied or controlled by Russia.

• The bill would not recognize Russia’s territorial changes effected by force alone. It would also prohibit any action or extend any assistance that recognizes or implies any recognition of the de jure or de facto sovereignty of Russia over Crimea, its airspace, or its territorial waters or the independence of South Ossetia or Abkhazia in Georgia.

• The bill mandates a report by the secretary of state detailing media outlets controlled and funded by the Russian government as well as their advertisers with headquarters in the United States.

• The State Department, Global Engagement Center and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) are mandated to provide support for programming to: improve democratic governance, transparency, accountability, rule of law, and combat corruption, including by strengthening democratic civil society and political parties, and independent and nonpartisan think tanks; support the efforts of independent media outlets and public broadcasters to broadcast, distribute and share information in all regions; support objective, Russian-language, independent media, investigative journalism, and civil society watchdog groups working to combat corruption; support programs to counter “fake news.”

• The bill mandates that the secretary of the treasury establish a high-level task force within the department’s Financial Crimes and Enforcement Network that would focus on: tracing, mapping and prosecuting illicit financial flows linked to the Russian Federation if such flows interact with the United States financial system; and working with liaison officers in key U.S. embassies, especially in Europe, to work with local authorities to uncover and prosecute the networks responsible for the illicit Russian financial flows.

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