I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8471 

To support United States investment opportunities, strengthen bilateral collaboration in addressing criminal elements operating in the Brazilian 

Amazon, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 21, 2024 

Mr. CONNOLLY (for himself, Ms. SALAZAR, and Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 

Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Financial Services, 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 support United States investment opportunities, strengthen bilateral collaboration in addressing criminal elements 

operating in the Brazilian Amazon, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS. 

4 In this Act: 

5 (1) CRIMES.—The term ‘‘crimes’’ means— 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 8471 IH

1 (A) any crime related or contributing to 

2 the illegal fishing and wildlife trade, illicit min3 ing, or illegal logging and land-clearing in the 

4 Brazilian Amazon; and 

5 (B) associated corruption, financial crimes, 

6 and violent crimes (as such terms are defined 

7 by the laws of Brazil). 

8 (2) INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL INSTITU9 TIONS.—The term ‘‘international financial institu10 tions’’ means— 

11 (A) the World Bank Group; 

12 (B) the Inter-American Development Bank 

13 Group; and 

14 (C) the International Monetary Fund. 

15 (3) RELEVANT FEDERAL AGENCIES.—The term 

16 ‘‘relevant Federal agencies’’ means— 

17 (A) the Department of State; 

18 (B) the United States Agency for Inter19 national Development; 

20 (C) the Department of Justice; 

21 (D) the Department of the Treasury; 

22 (E) the Department of Homeland Security; 

23 (F) the Department of Agriculture; 

24 (G) the National Aeronautics and Space 

25 Administration; 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 8471 IH

1 (H) the Department of the Interior; and 

2 (I) any other Federal agency that the 

3 President determines is a relevant Federal 

4 agency for purposes of this Act. 

5 SEC. 2. IDENTIFYING INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN THE 

6 BRAZILIAN AMAZON. 

7 (a) BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT.—The Chief Executive 

8 Officer of the United States International Development 

9 Finance Corporation should consider placing a staff mem10 ber in Brazil with duties that include— 

11 (1) identifying and implementing more sustain12 able and viable economic opportunities in the Bra13 zilian Amazon; and 

14 (2) identifying possible investment risks and 

15 mitigation measures related to operations and actors 

16 that contribute to criminal activity in the Brazilian 

17 Amazon. 

18 (b) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 

19 of the enactment of this Act, the Chief Executive Officer 

20 of the United States International Development Finance 

21 Corporation shall submit a report to Congress that de22 scribes— 

23 (1) the opportunities identified pursuant to sub24 section (a)(1); and 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 8471 IH

1 (2) the most significant barriers to greater in2 vestment in sustainable and viable economic oppor3 tunities in the Brazilian Amazon. 

4 SEC. 3. COMBATING CRIMINAL ELEMENTS OPERATING IN 

5 THE BRAZILIAN AMAZON. 

6 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of State should di7 rect the Assistant Secretary of State for International 

8 Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, in coordination 

9 with relevant Federal agencies and the United States mis10 sion in Brazil, to prioritize supporting Brazil’s efforts to 

11 identify and disrupt the complex and transnational crimi12 nal networks contributing to the destruction of commu13 nities and deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon by pro14 viding capacity building and technical assistance, includ15 ing— 

16 (1) information sharing, training, and capacity17 building for Brazilian agencies, including through 

18 United States Government agencies; 

19 (2) collaborating on tracing funds generated 

20 from crimes; 

21 (3) supporting investigations of crimes that are 

22 associated with deforestation, environmental deg23 radation, money laundering, asset laundering, or 

24 corruption offenses; 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
5 

•HR 8471 IH

1 (4) assisting with the identification of the pro2 ceeds of such crimes to help facilitate asset recovery; 

3 and 

4 (5) providing appropriate United States assist5 ance to funding mechanisms consistent with the 

6 goals of this Act. 

7 (b) COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE.—The Administrator of 

8 the United States Agency for International Development, 

9 in consultation with relevant Federal agencies, should pro10 vide financial and technical assistance to help prevent 

11 crimes by supporting— 

12 (1) sustainable, lawful livelihoods in the Bra13 zilian Amazon; 

14 (2) the protection of rights and authorities for 

15 Indigenous Peoples and local communities; 

16 (3) economic activities and natural resource 

17 management, including mining, sustainable agri18 culture, and sustainable forest-based activities; and 

19 (4) the management of protected areas, includ20 ing indigenous territories, buffer zones, water re21 sources, terrestrial and aquatic habitats of species 

22 deemed to be threatened by extinction, and other 

23 spaces vulnerable to conversion and deforestation. 

24 (c) ANNUAL REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after 

25 the date of the enactment of this Act and annually thereVerDate Sep 11 2014 16:12 Jul 07, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H8471.IH H8471

ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
6 

•HR 8471 IH

1 after for the following 5 years, the Secretary of State, in 

2 coordination with relevant Federal agencies and non3 governmental organizations, shall submit a report to Con4 gress that describes the progress made in carrying out 

5 subsections (a) and (b). 

6 (d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

7 authorized to be appropriated to the Department of State 

8 up to $10,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2025 

9 through 2028, which should be used to help Brazilian au10 thorities combat crimes in accordance with subsections (a) 

11 and (b). 

12 SEC. 4. REPORT ON CERTAIN DRIVERS OF DEFORESTATION 

13 AND ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION IN THE 

14 BRAZILIAN AMAZON. 

15 Not later than 180 days after the date of the enact16 ment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in coordination 

17 with relevant Federal agencies, shall submit a report to 

18 Congress regarding certain drivers of deforestation and 

19 environmental degradation in the Brazilian Amazon that 

20 includes— 

21 (1) a description of the agricultural commod22 ities, illegal timber, minerals, and wildlife entering 

23 the United States market that are contributing to 

24 deforestation and environmental degradation of the 

25 Brazilian Amazon; 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
7 

•HR 8471 IH

1 (2) a description of the role of the People’s Re2 public of China’s in facilitating illicit resource ex3 traction and environmental degradation, including 

4 deforestation, in the Brazilian Amazon; 

5 (3) the funding levels and efficacy of United 

6 States foreign assistance programs in identifying 

7 and disrupting the criminal elements operating in 

8 the Brazilian Amazon; and 

9 (4) an assessment of the Government of Bra10 zil’s contributions to countering criminal elements 

11 operating in the Brazilian Amazon. 

12 SEC. 5. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION. 

13 Notwithstanding any other provision of law (includ14 ing any Executive order), the Secretary of the Treasury 

15 should direct the United States executive director to each 

16 international financial institution, in consultation with rel17 evant Federal agencies, to use the voice, vote, and influ18 ence of the United States— 

19 (1) to prioritize promoting sustainable and 

20 broad-based development in the Brazilian Amazon; 

21 and 

22 (2) to oppose any loans or programs at any 

23 such institution that would facilitate or exacerbate 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
8 

•HR 8471 IH

1 deforestation and environmental degradation in the 

2 Brazilian Amazon. 

Æ 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS