HomeSection 231 of the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act of 2017...Sections 231 and 235

# 									Sections 231 and 235							

**SEC. 231. IMPOSITION OF SANCTIONS WITH RESPECT TO PERSONS ENGAGING IN TRANSACTIONS WITH THE INTELLIGENCE OR DEFENSE SECTORS OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION.**

**(a) In general**

On and after the date that is 180 days after August 2, 2017, the President shall impose five or more of the sanctions described in section 9529 of this title with respect to a person the President determines knowingly, on or after August 2, 2017, engages in a significant transaction with a person that is part of, or operates for or on behalf of, the defense or intelligence sectors of the Government of the Russian Federation, including the Main Intelligence Agency of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation or the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation.

**(b) Application of new sanctions**

The President may waive the initial application of sanctions under subsection (a) with respect to a person only if the President submits to the appropriate congressional committees—

(1) a written determination that the waiver—

(A) is in the vital national security interests of the United States; or

(B) will further the enforcement of this chapter; and

(2) a certification that the Government of the Russian Federation has made significant efforts to reduce the number and intensity of cyber intrusions conducted by that Government.

**(c) Delay of imposition of sanctions**

The President may delay the imposition of sanctions under subsection (a) with respect to a person if the President certifies to the appropriate congressional committees, not less frequently than every 180 days while the delay is in effect, that the person is substantially reducing the number of significant transactions described in subsection (a) in which that person engages.

**(d) Modified waiver authority for certain sanctionable transactions under this section**

**(1) In general**

The President may use the authority under section 9530(b) of this title to waive the application of sanctions with respect to a person under this section without regard to section 9511 of this title if, not later than 30 days prior to the waiver taking effect, the President certifies in writing to the appropriate congressional committees and the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives that—

(A) the waiver is in the national security interests of the United States;

(B) the significant transaction described in subsection (a) that the person engaged in with respect to which the waiver is being exercised—

(i) is not a significant transaction with—

(I) the Main Intelligence Agency of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation;

(II) the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation;

(III) the Foreign Intelligence Service of the Russian Federation;

(IV) Autonomous Noncommercial Professional Organization/Professional Association of Designers of Data Processing (ANO PO KSI);

(V) the Special Technology Center;

(VI) Zorsecurity; or

(VII) any person that the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Director of National Intelligence, determines—

(aa) to be part of, or operating for or on behalf of, the defense or intelligence sector of the Government of the Russian Federation; and

(bb) has directly participated in or facilitated cyber intrusions by the Government of the Russian Federation; and

(ii) would not—

(I) endanger the integrity of any multilateral alliance of which the United States is a part;

(II) adversely affect ongoing operations of the Armed Forces of the United States, including coalition operations in which the Armed Forces of the United States participate;

(III) result in a significant negative impact to defense cooperation between the United States and the country whose government has primary jurisdiction over the person; and

(IV) significantly increase the risk of compromising United States defense systems and operational capabilities; and

(C) the government with primary jurisdiction over the person—

(i) is taking or will take steps to reduce its inventory of major defense equipment and advanced conventional weapons produced by the defense sector of the Russian Federation as a share of its total inventory of major defense equipment and advanced conventional weapons over a specified period; or

(ii) is cooperating with the United States Government on other security matters that are critical to United States strategic interests.

**(2) Form**

The certification described in paragraph (1) shall be transmitted in an unclassified form, and may contain a classified annex.

**(3) Report**

**(A) In general**

Not later than 120 days after the date on which the President submits a certification described in paragraph (1) with respect to the waiver of the application of sanctions with respect to a person under this section, and annually thereafter for two years, the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense shall jointly submit to the appropriate congressional committees and the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives a report on the waiver.

**(B) Matters to be included**

The report required by subparagraph (A) shall include—

(i) the extent to which such waiver has or has not resulted in the compromise of United States systems and operational capabilities, including through the diversion of United States sensitive technology to a person that is part of, or operates for or on behalf of, the defense or intelligence sectors of the Government of the Russian Federation; and

(ii) the extent to which the government with primary jurisdiction over the person is taking specific actions to further the enforcement of this title.

**(e) Requirement to issue guidance**

Not later than 60 days after August 2, 2017, the President shall issue regulations or other guidance to specify the persons that are part of, or operate for or on behalf of, the defense and intelligence sectors of the Government of the Russian Federation.

**(f) Penalties**

A person that violates, attempts to violate, conspires to violate, or causes a violation of subsection (a) or any regulation, license, or order issued to carry out subsection (a) shall be subject to the penalties set forth in subsections (b) and (c) of section 1705 of title 50 to the same extent as a person that commits an unlawful act described in subsection (a) of that section.****

**SEC. 235. SANCTIONS DESCRIBED.**

(a) SANCTIONS DESCRIBED.—The sanctions to be imposed with respect to a person under section 224(a)(2), 231(b), 232(a), or 233(a) are the following:

(1) EXPORT-IMPORT BANK ASSISTANCE FOR EXPORTS TO SANCTIONED PERSONS.—The President may direct the Export-Import Bank of the United States not to give approval to the issuance of any guarantee, insurance, extension of credit, or participation in the extension of credit in connection with the export of any goods or services to the sanctioned person.

(2) EXPORT SANCTION.—The President may order the United States Government not to issue any specific license and not to grant any other specific permission or authority to export any goods or technology to the sanctioned person under—

(A) the Export Administration Act of 1979 (50 U.S.C. 4601 et seq.) (as continued in effect pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.));

(B) the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2751 et seq.);

(C) the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.); or

(D) any other statute that requires the prior review and approval of the United States Government as a condition for the export or reexport of goods or services.

(3) LOANS FROM UNITED STATES FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS.—The President may prohibit any United States financial institution from making loans or providing credits to the sanctioned person totaling more than $10,000,000 in any 12-month period unless the person is engaged in activities to relieve human suffering and the loans or credits are provided for such activities.

(4) LOANS FROM INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS.—The President may direct the United States executive director to each international financial institution to use the voice and vote of the United States to oppose any loan from the international financial institution that would benefit the sanctioned person.

(5) PROHIBITIONS ON FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS.—The following prohibitions may be imposed against the sanctioned person if that person is a financial institution:

(A) PROHIBITION ON DESIGNATION AS PRIMARY DEALER.—Neither the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System nor the Federal Reserve Bank of New York may designate, or permit the continuation of any prior designation of, the financial institution as a primary dealer in United States Government debt instruments.

(B) PROHIBITION ON SERVICE AS A REPOSITORY OF GOVERNMENT FUNDS.—The financial institution may not serve as agent of the United States Government or serve as repository for United States Government funds. The imposition of either sanction under subparagraph (A) or (B) shall be treated as 1 sanction for purposes of subsection (b), and the imposition of both such sanctions shall be treated as 2 sanctions for purposes of subsection (b).

(6) PROCUREMENT SANCTION.—The United States Government may not procure, or enter into any contract for the procurement of, any goods or services from the sanctioned person.

(7) FOREIGN EXCHANGE.—The President may, pursuant to such regulations as the President may prescribe, prohibit any transactions in foreign exchange that are subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and in which the sanctioned person has any interest.

(8) BANKING TRANSACTIONS.—The President may, pursuant to such regulations as the President may prescribe, prohibit any transfers of credit or payments between financial institutions or by, through, or to any financial institution, to the extent that such transfers or payments are subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and involve any interest of the sanctioned person.

(9) PROPERTY TRANSACTIONS.—The President may, pursuant to such regulations as the President may prescribe, prohibit any person from—

(A) acquiring, holding, withholding, using, transferring, withdrawing, transporting, importing, or exporting any property that is subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and with respect to which the sanctioned person has any interest;

(B) dealing in or exercising any right, power, or privilege with respect to such property; or

(C) conducting any transaction involving such property.

(10) BAN ON INVESTMENT IN EQUITY OR DEBT OF SANCTIONED PERSON.—The President may, pursuant to such regulations or guidelines as the President may prescribe, prohibit any United States per son from investing in or purchasing significant amounts of equity or debt instruments of the sanctioned person.

(11) EXCLUSION OF CORPORATE OFFICERS.— The President may direct the Secretary of State to deny a visa to, and the Secretary of Homeland Security to exclude from the United States, any alien that the President determines is a corporate officer or principal of, or a shareholder with a controlling interest in, the sanctioned person.

(12) SANCTIONS ON PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICERS.—The President may impose on the principal executive officer or officers of the sanctioned person, or on persons performing similar functions and with similar authorities as such officer or officers, any of the sanctions under this subsection.

(b) SANCTIONED PERSON DEFINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘sanctioned person’’ means a person subject to sanctions under section 224(a)(2), 231(b), 232(a), or 233(a).

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