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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 5116 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>

118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 5116

To support Russia's democratic forces in exile and to codify sanctions 
    imposed under certain Executive orders relating to the Russian 
                              Federation.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 19, 2024

  Mr. Cardin introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
             referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
To support Russia's democratic forces in exile and to codify sanctions 
    imposed under certain Executive orders relating to the Russian 
                              Federation.

    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 ``Belarus and Russia 
Investments in Democratic Governance during Exile Act'' or the ``BRIDGE 
Act''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Definitions.
Sec. 3. Findings.
Sec. 4. Sense of congress.
Sec. 5. Russians in Exile Affairs Unit.
Sec. 6. Supporting operations of independent media and civil society.
Sec. 7. Supporting USAGM Ukraine initiatives.
Sec. 8. Preventing wrongful detentions.
Sec. 9. Status of exiled Russian individuals in Europe.
Sec. 10. Diplomatic missions for consular services.
Sec. 11. Recognition of expired Russian Federation passports.
Sec. 12. Findings regarding Belarus.
Sec. 13. Status of exiled Belarusian individuals in Europe.
Sec. 14. Helping Belarusian individuals fleeing authoritarianism.
Sec. 15. Codification of certain sanctions with respect to the Russian 
                            Federation.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
        ``appropriate congressional committees'' means the Committee on 
        Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign 
        Affairs of the House of Representatives.
            (2) Belarusian individual in exile.--The term ``Belarusian 
        individual in exile'' means a Belarusian individual who has 
        been unable to return to Belarus because of a credible threat 
        of persecution.
            (3) Credible threat of persecution.--The term ``credible 
        threat of persecution'' means a threat that causes an 
        individual to have a reasonable fear of persecution as a result 
        of the pro-democracy activity of that individual.
            (4) Pro-democracy activist.--The term ``pro-democracy 
        activist'' means an individual who advocates for democratic 
        reform.
            (5) Pro-democracy activity.--The term ``pro-democracy 
        activity'' means activity taken to promote democracy.
            (6) Russian individual in exile.--The term ``Russian 
        individual in exile'' means a Russian individual who has been 
        unable to return to the Russian Federation since February 24, 
        2022, because of a credible threat of persecution.
            (7) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of State.
            (8) USAID.--The term ``USAID'' means the United States 
        Agency for International Development.

SEC. 3. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) The United States has sought to support democracy in 
        the Russian Federation and with Russian individuals since 1991, 
        including through programming by USAID valued at $3,000,000,000 
        between 1992 and 2012 to support democracy, economic growth, 
        health, women, and youth, including programming in the Russian 
        regions.
            (2) In May 1997, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization 
        (referred to in this section as ``NATO'') and the Russian 
        Federation signed the NATO-Russia Founding Act, which 
        established a NATO-Russia Permanent Joint Council to build 
        trust and communication between the two parties.
            (3) Numerous nongovernmental organizations in the United 
        States, including the National Endowment for Democracy, 
        American Councils, and the Institute of International Education 
        have worked to support Russian individuals and build ties 
        between the people of the United States and the Russian 
        Federation.
            (4) In 2012, the Russian Federation expelled the USAID, 
        rejecting assistance meant to support Russian individuals and 
        harming the United States-Russian Federation bilateral 
        relationship.
            (5) In May 2015, the Russian Federation enacted a law that 
        permits Russian authorities to extrajudicially shut down 
        foreign and international organizations operating in Russia by 
        declaring them to be ``undesirable''. Russian authorities have 
        since labeled as undesirable numerous nongovernmental 
        organizations that have worked to strengthen the relationship 
        between the United States and the Russian Federation, including 
        the National Endowment for Democracy, American Councils, and 
        the Institute of International Education.
            (6) The Russian Federation launched an illegal and 
        unprovoked invasion of Ukraine in 2014 and a brutal, full-scale 
        invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which caused NATO to suspend 
        cooperation with the Russian Federation.
            (7) Russian opposition leader, pro-democracy activist, and 
        anti-corruption campaigner Alexei Navalny died in a Russian 
        prison on February 16, 2024, the day after he appeared in court 
        in a healthy condition.
            (8) Recently released Russian opposition figure Vladimir 
        Kara-Murza was unjustly imprisoned for almost 2 \1/2\ years for 
        speaking out against the Russian war in Ukraine.
            (9) According to the Memorial Human Rights Center, hundreds 
        of political prisoners remain in Russian jails, including--
                    (A) Moscow municipal deputy Aleksei Gorinov;
                    (B) pensioner Igor Baryshnikov;
                    (C) the mother of a human rights lawyer, Zarema 
                Musaeva; and
                    (D) journalist Maria Ponomarenko.

SEC. 4. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) the efforts of the Russian Federation to isolate its 
        people from the world, commit horrific war crimes in Ukraine, 
        and violently crack down on dissent at home should be 
        universally condemned; and
            (2) the United States should continue its efforts to engage 
        with and support Russian individuals and organizations, many of 
        which are opposed to the unjust war by the Russian Federation 
        against Ukraine and believe in a democratic future for their 
        country.

SEC. 5. RUSSIANS IN EXILE AFFAIRS UNIT.

    (a) Report Required.--Not later than 120 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary and the Administrator of USAID, in 
coordination with the heads of other relevant agencies and departments, 
shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees on a 
plan to establish a ``Russians in Exile Affairs Unit'' (referred to in 
this subsection as the ``Unit'').
    (b) Required Elements.--The report required under subsection (a) 
shall include--
            (1) a plan for establishing and staffing the Unit;
            (2) a description of how the Department of State and USAID 
        will carry out the responsibilities described in subsection 
        (c);
            (3) the estimated annual appropriations required to carry 
        out such responsibilities;
            (4) 3 potential locations in Europe at which the 
        headquarters of the Unit could be located;
            (5) the advantages and disadvantages of establishing the 
        Unit;
            (6) an estimate of the number of Russian individuals in 
        exile; and
            (7) an assessment of Russian individuals in exile, 
        including--
                    (A) the reasons such individuals left the Russian 
                Federation, particularly in relation to--
                            (i) the invasion of Ukraine in 2022; and
                            (ii) increased political repression in the 
                        Russian Federation;
                    (B) how such individuals have been engaged since 
                leaving the Russian Federation; and
                    (C) how United States officials and intermediaries 
                have communicated with such individuals since the 
                invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
    (c) Duties.--The primary duties of the Unit shall be--
            (1) to facilitate communication and engagement with pro-
        democracy activists who are Russian individuals in exile;
            (2) to report on human rights issues that impact Russian 
        individuals in exile;
            (3) to coordinate interagency and international efforts to 
        combat Russian Federation-sponsored transnational repression;
            (4) to support Russian individuals in exile who remain 
        outside the Russian Federation because of fear for their 
        safety;
            (5) to lead engagement with European and Eurasian 
        governments and private sector companies to resolve issues 
        impacting Russian individuals in exile;
            (6) to assess challenges and develop solutions to problems 
        faced by Russian individuals in exile, including--
                    (A) access to bank accounts, credit cards, and 
                online payment platforms;
                    (B) issuance of travel documents, visas, and work 
                permits; and
                    (C) the ability to use technology platforms owned 
                by companies in the United States and Europe to 
                communicate with Russian individuals;
            (7) to evaluate the feasibility of developing a 
        ``whitelist''--
                    (A) to which a Russian pro-democracy activist can 
                apply to be recognized by the Department of State as a 
                credible Russian non-state actor; and
                    (B) that the Secretary shall provide to social 
                media companies, technology companies, financial 
                institutions, academic institutions, and other 
                stakeholders in the United States to encourage 
                institutional engagement with the Russian pro-democracy 
                activist community, including by--
                            (i) facilitating financial transactions;
                            (ii) monetizing media content produced by 
                        pro-democratic activists in the Russian 
                        Federation; and
                            (iii) purchasing political advertisements 
                        for distribution inside the Russian Federation; 
                        and
            (8) to collect and facilitate the consideration and 
        assessment of evidence, presented by members of the Russian 
        pro-democracy activist community, regarding significant human 
        rights violations and corruption perpetrated by individuals 
        connected to Vladimir Putin, including individuals who are 
        responsible for implementing and supporting war by the Russian 
        Federation against Ukraine and undermining democracy in the 
        Russian Federation.

SEC. 6. SUPPORTING OPERATIONS OF INDEPENDENT MEDIA AND CIVIL SOCIETY.

    (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) state-sponsored Russian-language propaganda and 
        disinformation in Eastern Europe and Central Asia sows discord 
        and instrumentalizes Russian-speaking individuals to further 
        disseminate propaganda and disinformation;
            (2) professional independent journalism informed by local 
        voices can provide Russian-speaking individuals with reliable, 
        accurate information that will mitigate the harmful influence 
        of Kremlin-aligned propaganda and disinformation; and
            (3) because there is no clear dividing line between Russian 
        individuals residing inside the Russian Federation and Russian 
        individuals in exile because they are part of the same 
        community of pro-democracy activists, assistance in the 
        interest of benefitting future democracy in the Russian 
        Federation may be channeled through Russian pro-democracy 
        activists in exile, including support for the development and 
        expansion of pro-democracy grassroots initiatives and a civic 
        infrastructure that is no longer legally possible within the 
        Russian Federation.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated $40,000,000, for each of the fiscal years 2025 through 
2028 to USAID and the Bureau for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor of 
the Department of State to support independent media and civil society 
in Russia, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia that are providing reliable 
and fact-based news to Russian-speaking populations and furthering the 
development of civic activity within the country.

SEC. 7. SUPPORTING USAGM UKRAINE INITIATIVES.

    There is authorized to be appropriated $40,000,000 for each of the 
fiscal years 2025 through 2028 to the United States Agency for Global 
Media (USAGM) to continue and expand USAGM Ukraine related initiatives, 
including those run through Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Technology 
Services and Innovation, Voice of America, Office of Policy and 
Research, the Middle East Broadcasting Network, Radio Free Asia, and 
the Office of Cuba Broadcasting.

SEC. 8. PREVENTING WRONGFUL DETENTIONS.

    (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for 
        Hostage Affairs, which was established by section 303 of the 
        Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking 
        Accountability Act (22 U.S.C. 1741a), conducts crucially 
        important work to bring home United States citizens who are 
        wrongfully detained, including successfully securing the 
        release from the Russian Federation of United States citizens 
        Trevor Reed, Brittney Griner, Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich, 
        and Alsu Kurmasheva;
            (2) due to the coordinated efforts of the United States, 
        Germany, Slovenia, Norway, Poland, and Turkiye, allied 
        governments successfully secured the release of American 
        citizens, American nationals, German citizens, and Russian 
        dissidents, including Vladimir Kara-Murza, Ilya Yashin, Andrei 
        Pivovarov, Oleg Orlov, Lilia Chanysheva, Ksenia Fadeyeva, and 
        Vadim Ostanin;
            (3) the United States should continue to advocate for the 
        release of Russian political prisoners, Belarusian political 
        prisoners, and Ukrainian hostages held in Russian and 
        Belarusian jails, including by working creatively with allies 
        and partners to expedite their release;
            (4) United States citizens should not travel to the Russian 
        Federation or other countries with a history of wrongfully 
        detaining United States citizens in an attempt to gain leverage 
        over the United States; and
            (5) the Russian Federation should meet the basic needs and 
        respect the human rights of all United States citizens in its 
        custody.
    (b) Disclosure and Acknowledgment of Risk by Air Transportation 
Passengers.--
            (1) In general.--Section 44907 of title 49, United States 
        Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(g) Disclosure and Acknowledgment of Risk of Wrongful Detention 
in the Russian Federation.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law 
and without regard to whether the Secretary of Transportation conducts 
an assessment pursuant to subsection (a), takes another action pursuant 
to this section, or provides other notice pursuant to this section, 
each air carrier and foreign air carrier that provides passenger air 
transportation between the United States and the Russian Federation, 
and any online marketplace selling such passenger air transportation, 
shall, when issuing a ticket to a passenger for any travel itinerary 
that begins in the United States and concludes in, has a connecting 
flight within, or passes through the Russian Federation--
            ``(1) provide a warning about the history of the Russian 
        Federation wrongfully detaining United States citizens and 
        citizens of other countries; and
            ``(2) obtain an acknowledgment from each such passenger 
        that the passenger understands the risk of possible wrongful 
        detention for any travel itinerary that concludes in, has a 
        connecting flight within, or passes through the Russian 
        Federation.''.
            (2) Report.--Section 44938(a) of title 49, United States 
        Code, is amended--
                    (A) in paragraph (9), by striking ``and'' at the 
                end;
                    (B) by redesignating paragraph (10) as paragraph 
                (11); and
                    (C) by inserting after paragraph (9) the following:
            ``(10) an assessment of the activities carried out under 
        section 44907(g) of this title; and''.
            (3) Effective date.--The amendments made by paragraphs (1) 
        and (2) shall take effect on the date that is 60 days after the 
        date of enactment of this Act.

SEC. 9. STATUS OF EXILED RUSSIAN INDIVIDUALS IN EUROPE.

    It is the sense of Congress that the Secretary should urge the 
European Commission of the European Union and other relevant European 
government agencies to provide legal documentation to enable 
international travel to appropriately vetted Russian individuals in 
exile who face a credible threat of persecution in the Russian 
Federation.

SEC. 10. DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS FOR CONSULAR SERVICES.

    Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary shall designate at least 3 additional diplomatic missions 
to provide consular services for citizens of the Russian Federation in 
countries--
            (1) that have direct flights from the Russian Federation or 
        in which land borders with the Russian Federation remain 
        passable; or
            (2) in which large numbers of citizens of the Russian 
        Federation who left the Russian Federation on or after February 
        24, 2022 reside.

SEC. 11. RECOGNITION OF EXPIRED RUSSIAN FEDERATION PASSPORTS.

    Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary of Homeland 
Security, shall develop a process for recognizing expired Russian 
Federation passports as valid for travel to and from the United States 
until the Secretary certifies to the appropriate congressional 
committees and to the Commissioner for U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection that it is safe for a Russian individual in exile to return 
to the Russian Federation for document renewal.

SEC. 12. FINDINGS REGARDING BELARUS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya was the apparent winner of the 
        2020 Belarusian presidential election, in which the people of 
        Belarus voted in record numbers, in an impressive display of 
        their commitment to democracy.
            (2) Alyaksandr Lukashenka brutally cracked down upon the 
        thousands of peaceful protestors that turned out in protest of 
        election fraud by the Lukashenka regime, arbitrarily detaining 
        more than 35,000 individuals and subjecting many of these 
        individuals to torture.
            (3) The Lukashenka regime continues to unjustly imprison 
        more than 1,500 people, including opposition leaders Viktar 
        Babaryka, Siarhei Tsikhanouski, Maria Kalesnikava, Radio Free 
        Europe/Radio Liberty journalists Andrey Kuznechyk and Ihar 
        Losik, and Ihar Losik's wife Darya Losik.
            (4) The Lukashenka regime has supported and facilitated the 
        Russian Federation's illegal war against Ukraine, including by 
        allowing the Russian Federation to fire ballistic missiles and 
        launch offensive strikes against Ukraine from the territory of 
        Belarus for the purpose of invading Ukraine and murdering 
        Ukrainian citizens.
            (5) The Lukashenka regime has a policy of forcing 
        Belarusian pro-democracy activists to return to Minsk for 
        renewal of documents vital to maintaining their residency 
        status in a safe third country, placing these Belarusians at 
        risk of detention and torture.

SEC. 13. STATUS OF EXILED BELARUSIAN INDIVIDUALS IN EUROPE.

    It is the sense of Congress that the Secretary should urge the 
European Commission of the European Union and other relevant European 
government agencies to provide legal documentation to enable 
international travel to appropriately vetted Belarusian individuals in 
exile who face a credible threat of persecution in Belarus.

SEC. 14. HELPING BELARUSIAN INDIVIDUALS FLEEING AUTHORITARIANISM.

    (a) Homeless Nationality Designation.--Not later than 90 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in coordination 
with the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall designate citizens of 
Belarus as a homeless nationality, in accordance with section 504.4-
8(E)(1) of volume 9 of the Foreign Affairs Manual (9 FAM 504.4-
8(E)(1)), for the purpose of processing visas for Belarusian citizens 
until the Secretary certifies to appropriate congressional committees 
that the United States has consular representation in Minsk.
    (b) Extended Documentation.--Not later than 90 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with the 
Secretary of Homeland Security shall develop a process for recognizing 
expired Belarusian passports as valid for travel to and from the United 
States until the Secretary certifies to the appropriate congressional 
committees and to the Commissioner for U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection that it is safe for a Belarusian individual in exile to 
return to Belarus for document renewal.
    (c) Report.--Not later than 60 days after enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Secretary, 
shall submit a report outlining--
            (1) whether Belarus meets the criteria for a designation of 
        temporary protected status under section 244 of the Immigration 
        Act of 1990 (8 U.S.C. 1254a); and
            (2) if Belarus does meet such criteria, whether the 
        Secretary of Homeland Security intends to make such a 
        designation.

SEC. 15. CODIFICATION OF CERTAIN SANCTIONS WITH RESPECT TO THE RUSSIAN 
              FEDERATION.

    (a) In General.--Each person listed or designated for the 
imposition of sanctions under an executive order described in 
subsection (b) as of the date of the enactment of this Act shall remain 
so designated, except as provided in subsections (c) and (d).
    (b) Executive Orders Specified.--Executive orders specified in this 
section are--
            (1) Executive Order 13849 (22 U.S.C. 9521 note; relating to 
        authorizing the implementation of certain sanctions set forth 
        in the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act 
        (22 U.S.C. 9401 et seq.));
            (2) Executive Order 13883 (22 U.S.C. 5605 note; relating to 
        administration of proliferation sanctions and amendment of 
        Executive Order 12851 (22 U.S.C. 2797 note; relating to the 
        administration of proliferation sanctions, Middle East arms 
        control, and related congressional reporting 
        responsibilities));
            (3) Executive Order 14024 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note; relating to 
        blocking property with respect to specified harmful foreign 
        activities of the Government of the Russian Federation);
            (4) Executive Order 14039 (22 U.S.C. 9526 note; relating to 
        blocking property with respect to certain Russian energy export 
        pipelines);
            (5) Executive Order 14065 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note; relating to 
        blocking property of certain persons and prohibiting certain 
        transactions with respect to continued Russian efforts to 
        undermine the sovereignty and territorial integrity of 
        Ukraine);
            (6) Executive Order 14066 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note; relating to 
        prohibiting certain imports and new investments with respect to 
        continued Russian Federation efforts to undermine the 
        sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine);
            (7) Executive Order 14068 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note; relating to 
        prohibiting certain imports, exports, and new investment with 
        respect to continued Russian Federation aggression);
            (8) Executive Order 14071 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note; relating to 
        prohibiting new investment in and certain services to the 
        Russian Federation in response to continued Russian Federation 
        aggression); and
            (9) Executive Order 14114 (88 Fed. Reg. 89271; relating to 
        taking additional steps with respect to the Russian 
        Federation's harmful activities).
    (c) Termination of Sanctions.--The President may terminate the 
application of sanctions under subsection (a) with respect to a person 
if the President certifies to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
Senate, the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the 
Senate, the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
Representatives, and the Committee on Financial Services of the House 
of Representatives that--
            (1) such person--
                    (A) is not engaging in the activity that was the 
                basis for such sanctions; or
                    (B) has taken significant, verifiable steps toward 
                stopping the activity that was the basis for such 
                sanctions; and
            (2) the President has received reliable assurances that 
        such person will not knowingly engage in any activity subject 
        to sanctions in the future.
    (d) Exceptions.--
            (1) Definitions.--In this subsection:
                    (A) Agricultural commodity.--The term 
                ``agricultural commodity'' has the meaning given such 
                term in section 102 of the Agricultural Trade Act of 
                1978 (7 U.S.C. 5602).
                    (B) Good.--The term ``good'' means any article, 
                natural or manmade substance, material, supply, or 
                manufactured product, including inspection and test 
                equipment, and excluding technical data.
                    (C) Medical device.--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).
                    (D) Medicine.--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).
            (2) Exception relating to importation of goods.--A 
        requirement to block and prohibit all transactions in all 
        property and interests in property referred to in subsection 
        (b) shall not include the authority or a requirement to impose 
        sanctions on the importation of goods.
            (3) Exception to comply with the united nations 
        headquarters agreement and law enforcement activities.--
        Sanctions specified in subsection (b) shall not apply with 
        respect to the admission of an alien to the United States 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 of the United 
                States; or
                    (B) to carry out or assist authorized law 
                enforcement activity in the United States.
            (4) Exception to comply with intelligence activities.--
        Sanctions specified in subsection (b) shall not apply to any 
        activity subject to the reporting requirements under title V of 
        the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3091 et seq.) or 
        any authorized intelligence activities of the United States.
            (5) Humanitarian assistance.--Sanctions specified in 
        subsection (b) shall not apply to--
                    (A) the conduct or facilitation of a transaction 
                for the provision of agricultural commodities, food, 
                medicine, medical devices, humanitarian assistance, or 
                for humanitarian purposes; or
                    (B) transactions that are necessary for, or related 
                to, the activities described in subparagraph (A).
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