[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1422 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1422
To impose sanctions with respect to persons engaged in logistical
transactions and sanctions evasion relating to oil, gas, liquefied
natural gas, and related petrochemical products from the Islamic
Republic of Iran, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 18, 2025
Mr. Lawler (for himself and Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs,
and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 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 impose sanctions with respect to persons engaged in logistical
transactions and sanctions evasion relating to oil, gas, liquefied
natural gas, and related petrochemical products from the Islamic
Republic of Iran, 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 ``Enhanced Iran Sanctions Act of
2025''.
SEC. 2. STATEMENT OF POLICY.
It is the policy of the United States--
(1) that, in accordance with the Iran Nuclear 2 Weapons
Capability and Terrorism Monitoring Act of 2022 (22 U.S.C. 8701
note; Public Law 117-4263), the United States must--
(A) ensure that the Islamic Republic of Iran does
not acquire a nuclear weapons capability;
(B) protect against aggression from the Islamic
Republic of Iran manifested through its missiles and
drone programs; and
(C) counter regional and global terrorism of the
Islamic Republic of Iran in a manner that minimizes the
threat posed by state and non-state actors to the
interests of the United States;
(2) to fully enforce sanctions against all persons involved
in the international logistical chain that provide support to
the energy sector of the Islamic Republic of Iran;
(3) through such sanctions, to deny the Islamic Republic of
Iran the financial resources required--
(A) to fund and facilitate international terrorism;
(B) to finance the development of weapons of mass
destruction;
(C) to engage in destabilizing efforts abroad; and
(D) to repress the rights of Iranian citizens; and
(4) to strengthen coherence among members of the
international community in enforcing sanctions on the malign
activity of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Admitted; alien.--The terms ``admitted'' and ``alien''
have the meanings given those terms in section 101(a) of the
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)).
(2) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the
Committee on the Judiciary, and the Committee on
Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee
on the Judiciary, and the Committee on Financial
Services of the House of Representatives.
(3) Foreign person.--The term ``foreign person'' means a
person that is not a United States person, including the
government of a foreign country.
(4) Knowingly.--The term ``knowingly'', with respect to
conduct, a circumstance, or a result, means that a person has
actual knowledge, or should have known, of the conduct, the
circumstance, or the result.
(5) Property; interest in property.--The terms ``property''
and ``interest in property'' have the meanings given the terms
``property'' and ``property interest'', respectively, in
section 576.312 of title 31, Code of Federal Regulations, as in
effect on the day before the date of the enactment of this Act.
(6) United states person.--The term ``United States
person'' means--
(A) an individual who is a United States citizen or
an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence to
the United States;
(B) an entity organized under the laws of the
United States or any jurisdiction within the United
States, including a foreign branch of such an entity;
or
(C) any person in the United States.
SEC. 4. IMPOSITION OF SANCTIONS WITH RESPECT TO PERSONS ENGAGED IN
LOGISTICAL TRANSACTIONS OF OIL, GAS, LIQUEFIED NATURAL
GAS, AND PETROCHEMICAL PRODUCTS FROM THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC
OF IRAN.
(a) In General.--On and after the date of the enactment of this
Act, the President shall impose the sanctions described in subsection
(b) with respect to any foreign person, including any bank or foreign
financial institution, insurance provider, flagging registry, pipeline
construction or operation facility for liquefied natural gas, that--
(1) the President determines knowingly engaged in, on or
after such date of enactment, any transaction involved in,
relating or incident to the processing, export, or sale of oil,
condensates, gas, liquefied natural gas, or other petrochemical
products in whole or in part from the Islamic Republic of Iran;
(2) is a subsidiary, successor, or alias of a foreign
person described in paragraph (1);
(3)(A) directly or indirectly owns or controls a 50 percent
or greater interest in or is owned or controlled by a 50
percent or greater interest of a foreign person or foreign
persons subject to sanctions pursuant to paragraph (1) or (2);
and
(B) directly or indirectly conducts a significant
transaction with, for, or on behalf of a foreign person
described in paragraph (1), (2), or (3) of section 3(b) of the
Stop Harboring Iranian Petroleum Act (22 U.S.C. 8572);
(4) the President determines is a corporate officer of a
foreign person described paragraph (1), (2), or (3); or
(5) is an immediate family member of a foreign person
described in paragraph (1), (2), or (3).
(b) Sanctions Described.--The sanctions described in this
subsection are the following:
(1) Blocking of property.--The President shall, pursuant to
the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701
et seq.), block and prohibit all transactions in property and
interests in property of a foreign person subject to sanctions
pursuant to subsection (a)(1) 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) Aliens inadmissible for visas, admission, or parole.--
(A) Visas, admission, or parole.--In the case of an
alien subject to sanctions pursuant to subsection (a),
the alien is--
(i) inadmissible to the United States;
(ii) ineligible to receive 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 visa or other entry
documentation of an alien described in
subparagraph (A) shall be revoked, regardless
of when such visa or other entry documentation
was issued.
(ii) Immediate effect.--A revocation under
clause (i) shall--
(I) take effect immediately; and
(II) automatically cancel any other
valid visa or entry documentation that
is in the alien's possession.
(c) Exceptions.--
(1) Exception relating to importation of goods.--
(A) In general.--The requirement to impose
sanctions under this section shall not include the
authority or a requirement to impose sanctions on the
importation of goods.
(B) Good defined.--In this paragraph, the term
``good'' means any article, natural or manmade
substance, material, supply, or manufactured product,
including inspection and test equipment, and excluding
technical data.
(2) Exception to comply with international obligations and
law enforcement activities.--Sanctions under subsection (b)(2)
shall not apply with respect to an alien if admitting or
paroling the alien into the United States is necessary--
(A) 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; or
(B) to carry out or assist authorized law
enforcement activity in the United States.
(3) Exception for humanitarian assistance.--
(A) In general.--Sanctions under this section shall
not apply to--
(i) the conduct or facilitation of a
transaction for the provision of agricultural
commodities, food, medicine, medical devices,
or humanitarian assistance, or for humanitarian
purposes; or
(ii) transactions that are necessary for or
related to the activities described in clause
(i).
(B) Definitions.--In this paragraph--
(i) the term ``agricultural commodity'' has
the meaning given that term in section 102 of
the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 (7 U.S.C.
5602);
(ii) the term ``medical device'' has the
meaning given the term ``device'' in section
201 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act
(21 U.S.C. 321); and
(iii) the term ``medicine'' has the meaning
given the term ``drug'' in section 201 of the
Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C.
321).
(4) Exception for safety of vessels and crew.--Sanctions
under this section shall not apply with respect to a person
providing provisions to a vessel otherwise subject to sanctions
under this section if such provisions are intended for the
safety and care of the crew aboard the vessel, the protection
of human life aboard the vessel, or the maintenance of the
vessel to avoid any environmental or other significant damage.
(d) Waiver.--
(1) In general.--The President may, on a case-by-case basis
for a period of not more than 180 days, waive the application
of sanctions imposed with respect to a foreign person under
this section if the President--
(A) certifies to the appropriate congressional
committees that the waiver is vital to the national
interests of the United States; and
(B) submits with the certification required under
subparagraph (A) a detailed justification explaining
the reasons for the waiver.
(2) Renewal of waiver.--The President may, on a case-by-
case basis, renew a waiver issued under paragraph (1) for
additional periods of not more than 180 days if the President--
(A) determines that the renewal of the waiver is
vital to the national interests of the United States;
and
(B) not less than 15 days before the waiver
expires, submits to the appropriate congressional
committees a report on the renewal of the waiver that
includes--
(i) a justification for the renewal of the
waiver; and
(ii) a detailed plan to phase out the need
for any such waiver issued with respect to such
foreign person.
(e) Implementation; Penalties.--
(1) Implementation.--The President may exercise all
authorities provided under sections 203 and 205 of the
International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1702 and
1704) to carry out subsection (b)(1).
(2) Penalties.--A person that violates, attempts to
violate, conspires to violate, or causes a violation of
subsection (b)(1) or any regulation, license, or order issued
to carry out that subsection shall be subject to the penalties
set forth in subsections (b) and (c) of section 206 of the
International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1705) to
the same extent as a person that commits an unlawful act
described in subsection (a) of that section.
(f) Rules of Construction.--
(1) Subsection (a)(3)(A) shall be construed to be
consistent with Frequently Asked Questions 398 through 402,
published by the Office of Foreign Assets Control on August 11,
2020, and August 13, 2014, or any successors to such frequently
asked questions.
(2) For purposes of determinations under subsection (a)
that a foreign person engaged in activities described in such
subsection (a), a foreign person shall not be determined to
know that petroleum or petroleum products originated from Iran
if such person relied on a certificate of origin or other
documentation confirming that the origin of the petroleum or
petroleum products was a country other than Iran, unless such
person knew or had reason to know that such documentation was
falsified.
(3) Nothing in this section may be construed to affect the
availability of any existing authorities to issue waivers,
exceptions, exemptions, licenses, or other authorization.
SEC. 5. INTERAGENCY WORKING GROUP ON IRANIAN SANCTIONS.
(a) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall establish a working
group to be known as the ``Interagency Working Group on Iranian
Sanctions'' (referred to in this section as the ``Working Group'').
(b) Membership.--The Working Group shall be composed one or more
representatives from each of the following:
(1) The Department of State.
(2) The Department of the Treasury.
(3) The Department of Justice. Such other Federal
departments or agencies as the Secretary of State determines
appropriate.
(c) Chair.--The President shall designate a Chair of the Working
Group.
(d) Multilateral Contact Group.--
(1) Establishment.--The Working Group shall endeavor to
establish a multilateral contact group with like-minded nations
to coordinate international efforts to enforce sanctions
imposed with respect to the Islamic Republic of Iran.
(2) Duties.--The multilateral contact group shall--
(A) share information on evolving sanctions
frameworks to identify areas of difference or
enforcement gaps;
(B) share information on newly-designated entities;
(C) raise awareness of new sanctions evasion
practices; and
(D) coordinate on new measures to curb Iranian
malign activity, including uranium enrichment
activities, ballistic missile production, and support
for terrorism.
SEC. 6. PRIVATE SECTOR REPORTING ON PERSONS ENGAGED IN SANCTIONABLE
ACTIVITIES OR SANCTIONS EVASION.
Section 36(b) of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956
(22 U.S.C. 2708(b)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (13), by striking ``; or'' and inserting a
semicolon;
(2) in paragraph (14), by striking the period at the end
and inserting ``; or''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following paragraph:
``(15) the identification a person described in section
4(a) of the Enhanced Iran Sanctions Act of 2025 or any person
that has attempted or is attempting to evade sanctions imposed
under such Act with proceeds generated by the sale of
intercepted oil, gas, liquefied natural gas, petrochemical
products, or related products from the Islamic Republic of
Iran.''.
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