[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 2913 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2913 To authorize support for Ukraine, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 14, 2025 Mr. Meeks (for himself, Mr. Hoyer, Mr. Connolly, Mr. Doggett, and Mr. Keating) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, Intelligence (Permanent Select), Ways and Means, Rules, the Judiciary, Financial Services, Armed Services, and the Budget, 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 authorize support for Ukraine, 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; TABLE OF CONTENTS. (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Ukraine Support Act''. (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as follows: Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. TITLE I--DIPLOMACY AND SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE Sec. 101. Affirming support for Ukraine. Sec. 102. Reaffirming the importance of NATO. Sec. 103. Condemning the kidnapping of Ukrainian children. Sec. 104. Support for Ukraine under title II of the BUILD Act of 2018. Sec. 105. Vessel war risk insurance. Sec. 106. Insurance for Ukraine Initiative. Sec. 107. Codification of a Special Coordinator for Ukrainian Reconstruction. Sec. 108. Support for Radio Free Europe. Sec. 109. Authorizing programs to counter and combat Russian disinformation activities. Sec. 110. Establishment of Ukraine Reconstruction Trust Fund. Sec. 111. United States-European Nuclear Energy Cooperation. TITLE II--SECURITY ASSISTANCE Sec. 201. Lend-lease authority. Sec. 202. Direct loans and foreign military financing. Sec. 203. Support for Baltic countries. Sec. 204. Extension of Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. Sec. 205. Report on allied and partner military contributions. Sec. 206. Report on United States-Ukraine intelligence support and cooperation. TITLE III--SANCTIONS AND EXPORT CONTROLS Sec. 301. Sanctions trigger determination. Sec. 302. Imposition of sanctions with respect to Russian financial institutions. Sec. 303. Impositions of sanctions with respect to Russian oil and mining industry. Sec. 304. Imposition of sanctions on certain persons affiliated with or supporting the Government of the Russian Federation. Sec. 305. Crimea tunnel sanctions. Sec. 306. Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant sanctions. Sec. 307. Rosatom sanctions. Sec. 308. Imposition of price cap vessel sanctions. Sec. 309. SWIFT sanctions. Sec. 310. Russian sovereign debt sanctions. Sec. 311. Imposition of sanctions on Russia-North Korea cooperation. Sec. 312. Sanctions for kidnapping Ukrainian children. Sec. 313. Imposition of dual-use export controls. Sec. 314. Duties on the Russian Federation. Sec. 315. Ending Russian oil import loophole. Sec. 316. Taxing capital gains on Russian sovereign assets. Sec. 317. Sanctions described. Sec. 318. Implementation; regulations; penalties. Sec. 319. Exceptions; waiver. Sec. 320. Termination. Sec. 321. Congressional review of Russia sanctions. Sec. 322. Definitions. TITLE I--DIPLOMACY AND SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE SEC. 101. AFFIRMING SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE. (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following: (1) On February 24, 2022, the Russian Federation launched an unprovoked and brutal full-scale invasion of Ukraine, violating Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, subjecting the nation to acts of aggression that have threatened its independence and security. (2) For three years, the people of Ukraine have demonstrated extraordinary resilience, courage, and determination in the face of relentless attacks on their homes, communities, sovereignty, and fundamental freedoms. (3) Since the beginning of the invasion, Russia has engaged in widespread and systematic war crimes, including-- (A) deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure, including residential buildings, schools, hospitals, and evacuation corridors; (B) the forced deportation and kidnapping of at least 19,000 Ukrainian children to Russian-controlled territories in an attempt to erase Ukrainian identity; (C) the destruction of Ukraine's agricultural and energy infrastructure to create humanitarian crises and disrupt global food supply chains; and (D) the use of torture, extrajudicial killings, and mass graves in occupied Ukrainian territories, as documented by the United Nations, the International Criminal Court, and leading human rights organizations. (4) Despite these atrocities, the people of Ukraine remain unyielding, demonstrating that their spirit and commitment to self-determination cannot be extinguished. (5) The Russian Federation, despite its overwhelming use of force, has suffered catastrophic military losses, with estimates exceeding 800,000 casualties, illustrating that President Vladimir Putin's war of conquest has become both a strategic failure and a humanitarian disaster for Russia. (6) Ukraine, despite facing an adversary with a far larger population, army, and military arsenal, continues to fight courageously for its sovereignty, demonstrating its resilience and determination. (7) Russia's war has destabilized global security, undermining the principles of sovereignty and nonaggression and emboldening authoritarian regimes seeking to redraw international borders by force. (8) The United States, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the European Union, and allied nations have demonstrated historic unity in their support for Ukraine, reaffirming their commitment to upholding international law, territorial integrity, and democratic values. (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the United States-- (1) recognizes that discussions surrounding the future of Ukraine must include Ukraine; (2) condemns in the strongest possible terms the Russian Federation's ongoing war crimes, its targeted destruction of Ukrainian society, and its blatant violations of international law; (3) reaffirms its commitment to the people of Ukraine and the principles of sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity within internationally recognized borders; (4) urges the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of all Russian forces from Ukrainian territory, including Crimea and the Donbas, and affirms that any negotiations must be based on Ukraine's sovereignty, not dictated by Russian ultimatums; (5) demands international institutions take decisive action to ensure the safe return of at least 19,000 kidnapped Ukrainian children, recognizing that their forced deportation is a war crime and an act of genocide under international law; (6) supports the continued prosecution of Vladimir Putin and Russian political and military leaders for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, reinforcing that those who orchestrate such atrocities must be held accountable before the world; and (7) stresses that any sustainable peace deal must be built with Ukraine and our European allies at the table. SEC. 102. REAFFIRMING THE IMPORTANCE OF NATO. (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following: (1) The United States and its democratic allies and partners face unprecedented international challenges and evolving threats to global security. (2) The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was founded on April 4, 1949, to counter Soviet expansion, prevent further world wars in Europe, and strengthen transatlantic security, and is built on the democratic principles of freedom, security, and national sovereignty. (3) Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty underpins the principle of ``collective defense'' and has served as a guiding value of United States foreign policy for over 75 years. (4) The United States commitment to Article 5 enhances deterrence against adversaries such as Russia, China, and Iran that seek to spread their malign influence. (5) The unity of NATO allies strengthens collective security and the stability of democratic states. (6) NATO serves as a bulwark against the proliferation of malign influence, technologies, and destabilizing operations by adversaries. (7) Authoritarian regimes such as Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea have increased collaboration in political, economic, and security sectors to undermine democratic principles. (8) In the only invocation of Article 5, NATO allies provided military and intelligence support to the United States following the September 11, 2001, attacks, and many NATO allies incurred significant casualties in Afghanistan. (9) NATO has remained steadfast in its support for Ukraine, with member countries providing military and non-security assistance, strengthening Ukraine's defense capabilities, and imposing costs on Russia for its illegal invasion. (10) Finland and Sweden made the sovereign decision to accede to NATO following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. (11) NATO continues to address systemic challenges posed by China to Euro-Atlantic interests and security. (12) NATO member states have strengthened their defense and cyber capabilities, including through the Defense Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) program. (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that-- (1) the United States reaffirms its full and unwavering commitment to NATO; (2) NATO remains vital to United States national security interests and the United States remains fully committed to defending its allies under Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty; (3) NATO's open door policy is essential to European security, and every sovereign state has the right to determine its security arrangements, including Ukraine; (4) the United States remembers and honors the thousands of NATO coalition soldiers who sacrificed their lives following the invocation of Article 5 after the September 11, 2001, attacks; (5) all NATO allies should dedicate at least 2 percent of their gross domestic product to national defense or establish concrete plans to meet their 2 percent obligations by the Washington Summit; and (6) NATO allies must continue cooperation in advanced defense technologies, counterintelligence, and cybersecurity programs to counter evolving threats from adversaries such as Russia, China, and Iran. SEC. 103. CONDEMNING THE KIDNAPPING OF UKRAINIAN CHILDREN. (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following: (1) On January 12, 1951, the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (commonly known as the ``Genocide Convention'') entered into force. The Russian Federation is a party to the Convention and is therefore bound by its obligations. (2) On February 24, 2022, the Russian Federation escalated its 8-year occupation of sovereign Ukrainian territory by launching a full-scale, unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. (3) Russian armed forces have committed widespread and systematic atrocities against Ukrainian civilians, including the targeting of civilian infrastructure and protected sites. (4) On March 9, 2022, Russian forces attacked a maternity hospital in Mariupol, Ukraine, resulting in the deaths of 5 individuals and injuries to 17 others, in violation of international humanitarian law. (5) On March 22, 2022, the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that the Russian military had illegally abducted and forcibly transferred 2,389 Ukrainian children from temporarily occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation. (6) On June 2, 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that an estimated 200,000 Ukrainian children had been forcibly transferred to Russia. (7) Article II(e) of the Genocide Convention defines ``forcibly transferring children of the group to another group'' as an act of genocide. (8) Maria Lvova-Belova, Children's Rights Commissioner for the President of Russia, publicly admitted to overseeing the abduction and forced transfer of Ukrainian children and their adoption by Russian families. (9) Ukrainian authorities have stated that many abducted children have living family members in Ukraine but have been separated due to Russia's renewed invasion. (10) On June 16, 2022, Russian authorities announced that children born in occupied Ukrainian territories after the February 24, 2022, invasion would automatically be deemed Russian citizens, contributing to the erasure of Ukrainian identity. (11) On June 22, 2022, the United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner verified that at least 320 children had been killed as a result of Russia's renewed invasion of Ukraine. (12) On July 11, 2022, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres ordered an investigation into the deaths and injuries of Ukrainian children in the context of the conflict. (13) On July 13, 2022, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken called on the Russian Federation to ``immediately halt its systemic filtration operations in Ukraine'', which have resulted in the disappearance, detention, or forcible deportation of between 900,000 and 1,600,000 Ukrainians, including approximately 260,000 children. (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that-- (1) the abduction and forcible transfer of children and facilitation of illegal adoptions of Ukrainian children by the Russian Federation is contrary to Russia's obligations under the Genocide Convention and constitute acts of genocide; (2) the Russian Federation is deliberately seeking to wipe out a generation of Ukrainian children, thereby crippling Ukraine's ability to nurture the next generation of Ukrainian citizens and leaders and to rebuild their country after Russia's unprovoked war, with the purpose of demolishing Ukraine's unique language, culture, history, and identity; (3) the Russian Federation's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine has significantly increased the risks of children being exposed to human trafficking and exploitation, child labor, gender- based violence, hunger, injury, trauma, deprivation of education and shelter, and death; and (4) the Government of the Russian Federation, under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, bears full responsibility for the wrongful and illegal abduction and forcible transfer of children from Ukraine, and Congress condemns these actions in the strongest terms. SEC. 104. SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE UNDER TITLE II OF THE BUILD ACT OF 2018. Section 1412(c) of the Better Utilization of Investments Leading to Development Act of 2018 (22 U.S.C. 9612(c)) is amended-- (1) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``in Ukraine and'' after ``the provision of support under title II''; and (2) in paragraph (2)-- (A) by striking ``The Corporation'' and inserting the following: ``(A) In general.--The Corporation''; (B) by striking ``(A) the President'' and inserting the following: ``(i) the President''; (C) by striking ``(B) such support'' and inserting the following: ``(ii) such support''; and (D) by adding at the end the following: ``(B) Non-applicability to ukraine.--The provisions of subparagraph (A) shall not apply with respect to Ukraine.''. SEC. 105. VESSEL WAR RISK INSURANCE. (a) Eligibility.--Notwithstanding section 53902 of title 46, United States Code, for the period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, and ending 5 years after such date, a covered vessel shall be deemed to be eligible for insurance or reinsurance under chapter 539 of title 46, United States Code, if such vessel is engaged in transportation in waterborne commerce importing cargo to, or exporting cargo from, Ukraine. (b) Expansion of Cargo.--Subparagraphs (B) through (D) of section 53903(a)(3) of title 46, United States Code, shall not apply to cargo imported or exported to or from Ukraine. (c) Definitions.--In this section: (1) Covered vessel.--The term ``covered vessel'' means a vessel that is owned by a citizen of-- (A) a member country of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization; (B) Ukraine; or (C) any other country the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Transportation, determines, in the interest of national security, shall be considered eligible for insurance or reinsurance under chapter 539 of title 46, United States Code. (2) Owned by a citizen.--The term ``owned by a citizen'' means ownership by an entity that is considered to be a citizen of a country in the same manner as an entity is deemed to be a citizen of the United States under section 50501 of title 46, United States Code. SEC. 106. INSURANCE FOR UKRAINE INITIATIVE. (a) Establishment.--There is established in the Department of State an entity to be known as the ``Insurance for Ukraine I