II 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 3225 

To impose sanctions with respect to any foreign person that the President 

determines engages in or has engaged in a significant transaction or 

transactions, or any dealings with, or has provided material support 

to or for a military or intelligence facility of the People’s Republic 

of China in Cuba, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

NOVEMBER 2, 2023 

Mr. RISCH (for himself, Mr. BARRASSO, Mr. HAGERTY, and Mr. RICKETTS) 

introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 

Committee on Foreign Relations 

A BILL 

To impose sanctions with respect to any foreign person that 

the President determines engages in or has engaged in 

a significant transaction or transactions, or any dealings 

with, or has provided material support to or for a military or intelligence facility of the People’s Republic of 

China in Cuba, 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, 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Countering Espionage 

3 And Surveillance Entities in Cuba Act’’ or the ‘‘CEASE 

4 Act’’. 

5 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

6 Congress finds the following: 

7 (1) On January 11, 2021, the Department of 

8 State designated the Government of Cuba as a state 

9 sponsor of terrorism for repeatedly providing sup10 port for acts of international terrorism in granting 

11 safe harbor to terrorists, and Cuba remains a sig12 nificant national security threat to the United 

13 States. 

14 (2) The People’s Republic of China and Cuba 

15 have maintained close strategic relations since 1960, 

16 including through diplomatic, military, economic, 

17 and intelligence cooperation, reaffirmed by the Peo18 ple’s Republic of China designating Cuba as ‘‘good 

19 brother, good comrade, good friend’’, a title that is 

20 not shared by any other country in the world. 

21 (3) The relationship between the Government of 

22 Cuba and the Government of the People’s Republic 

23 of China heightens the national security threat to 

24 the United States. 

25 (4) A staff research report entitled ‘‘China’s 

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1 bean’’ published by the by the United States-China 

2 Economic and Security Review Commission in Octo3 ber 2018 asserts that the military relationship be4 tween the People’s Republic of China and Cuba ‘‘is 

5 characterized by frequent senior-level meetings and 

6 technical assistance provided by China’s military to 

7 Cuba’s military’’. 

8 (5) The report also asserts that the People’s 

9 Republic of China ‘‘has a physical presence at mul10 tiple Soviet-era intelligence facilities at Lourdes, 

11 Bejucal, and Santiago de Cuba to collect signals in12 telligence’’. 

13 (6) In April 2019, September 2020, and Janu14 ary 2021, the Department of State updated the List 

15 of Restricted Entities and Subentities Associated 

16 with Cuba (commonly known as the ‘‘Cuba Re17 stricted List’’) to include entities and subentities 

18 under the control of, or acting for or on behalf of, 

19 Cuban military, intelligence, or security services or 

20 personnel with which direct financial transactions 

21 would disproportionately benefit such services or 

22 personnel at the expense of the Cuban people or pri23 vate enterprise in Cuba. 

24 (7) Recommendations issued in 2022 by the 

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1 tion in the United States Telecommunications Serv2 ices Sector stated that the People’s Republic of 

3 China ‘‘remains the most sophisticated counterintel4 ligence and cyber threat to the United States’’. 

5 (8) According to the most recent report sub6 mitted to Congress by the Director of National In7 telligence pursuant to section 108B of the National 

8 Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3043b) (commonly 

9 referred to as the ‘‘Annual Threat Assessment’’), the 

10 People’s Republic of China is expanding its global 

11 intelligence and covert influence posture and ‘‘rep12 resents the broadest, most active, and persistent 

13 cyber espionage threat’’ to the United States. 

14 (9) On June 10, 2023, the White House con15 firmed reports that the People’s Republic of China 

16 has been operating and upgrading intelligence collec17 tion facilities in Cuba since at least 2019, and the 

18 People’s Republic of China ‘‘will keep trying to en19 hance its presence in Cuba’’. 

20 (10) The People’s Republic of China and Cuba 

21 have expanded defense relations in recent years, in22 cluding ‘‘military-to-military strategic mutual trust 

23 and practical cooperation’’, such as regular institu24 tional and senior leader visits between the two counVerDate Sep 11 2014 21:52 Nov 08, 2023 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S3225.IS S3225

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1 tries and the establishment of joint artificial intel2 ligence centers. 

3 SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 

4 It is the sense of Congress that— 

5 (1) the growing military and intelligence col6 laboration between the Government of People’s Re7 public of China and the Government of Cuba is a 

8 threat to the United States and the peace and sta9 bility of the Western Hemisphere; 

10 (2) the Secretary of State should ensure that 

11 United States diplomatic personnel abroad under12 stand, and are communicating with foreign officials, 

13 the reasons for concerns of the United States with 

14 respect to the military and intelligence partnership 

15 between the Government of Cuba and the Govern16 ment of the People’s Republic of China; and 

17 (3) the Secretary of State should ensure that 

18 United States diplomatic personnel abroad are urg19 ing foreign governments to cooperate more effec20 tively to address the threat from military and intel21 ligence cooperation between the Government of Cuba 

22 and the Government of the People’s Republic of 

23 China. 

24 SEC. 4. STATEMENT OF POLICY. 

25 It is the policy of the United States— 


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1 (1) to hold accountable any foreign person that 

2 engages in or has engaged in a significant trans3 action or transactions, or any significant dealings 

4 with, or has provided, directly or indirectly, material 

5 support to a military or intelligence facility of the 

6 People’s Republic of China in Cuba; 

7 (2) to seek the speedy termination of access by 

8 the Government of the People’s Republic of China to 

9 military and intelligence facilities in Cuba; and 

10 (3) to be prepared to reduce sanctions imposed 

11 under section 5 in response to the verifiable termi12 nation of access by the Government of the People’s 

13 Republic of China to and withdrawal of personnel, 

14 including advisers, technicians, and military per15 sonnel, from such facilities. 

16 SEC. 5. IMPOSITION OF SANCTIONS WITH RESPECT TO 

17 MILITARY AND INTELLIGENCE FACILITIES OF 

18 THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA IN CUBA. 

19 (a) IN GENERAL.—The President shall direct the 

20 Secretary of State to impose the sanctions described in 

21 subsection (b) with respect to any foreign person that the 

22 Secretary determines engages in or has engaged in a sig23 nificant transaction or transactions, or any significant 

24 dealings with, or has provided material support to or for 


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1 a military or intelligence facility of the People’s Republic 

2 of China in Cuba. 

3 (b) SANCTIONS DESCRIBED.—The sanctions de4 scribed in this subsection with respect to a foreign person 

5 are the following: 

6 (1) ASSET BLOCKING.—The exercise of all pow7 ers granted to the President by the International 

8 Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 

9 et seq.) to the extent necessary to block and prohibit 

10 all transactions in all property and interests in prop11 erty of the foreign person if such property and inter12 ests in property are in the United States, come with13 in the United States, or are or come within the pos14 session or control of a United States person. 

15 (2) EXCLUSION FROM THE UNITED STATES

16 AND REVOCATION OF VISA OR OTHER DOCUMENTA17 TION.—In the case of a foreign person who is an 

18 alien, denial of a visa to, and exclusion from the 

19 United States of, the alien, and revocation in accord20 ance with section 221(i) of the Immigration and Na21 tionality Act (8 U.S.C. 1201(i)), of any visa or other 

22 documentation of the alien. 

23 (c) IMPLEMENTATION; PENALTIES.— 

24 (1) IMPLEMENTATION.—The President shall ex25 ercise all authorities provided under sections 203 


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1 and 205 of the International Emergency Economic 

2 Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1702 and 1704) to carry out 

3 this section. 

4 (2) PENALTIES.—A person that knowingly vio5 lates, attempts to violate, conspires to violate, or 

6 causes a violation of subsection (b)(2) or any regula7 tion, license, or order issued to carry out that sub8 section shall be subject to the penalties set forth in 

9 subsections (b) and (c) of section 206 of the Inter10 national Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 

11 U.S.C. 1705) to the same extent as a person that 

12 commits an unlawful act described in subsection (a) 

13 of that section. 

14 (d) EXCEPTIONS.— 

15 (1) IMPORTATION OF GOODS.— 

16 (A) IN GENERAL.—The authorities and re17 quirements to impose sanctions authorized 

18 under this section shall not include the author19 ity or a requirement to impose sanctions on the 

20 importation of goods. 

21 (B) GOOD DEFINED.—In this paragraph, 

22 the term ‘‘good’’ means any article, natural or 

23 manmade substance, material, supply, or manu24 factured product, including inspection and test 

25 equipment, and excluding technical data. 


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1 (2) COMPLIANCE WITH UNITED NATIONS HEAD2 QUARTERS AGREEMENT.—Sanctions under sub3 section (b)(3) shall not apply to an alien if admitting 

4 the alien into the United States is necessary to per5 mit the United States to comply with the Agreement 

6 regarding the Headquarters of the United Nations, 

7 signed at Lake Success June 26, 1947, and entered 

8 into force November 21, 1947, between the United 

9 Nations and the United States, or other applicable 

10 international obligations. 

11 (e) TERMINATION OF SANCTIONS.—Notwithstanding 

12 any other provision of law, this section shall terminate on 

13 the date that is 30 days after the date on which the Presi14 dent determines and certifies to the appropriate congres15 sional committees (and Congress has not enacted legisla16 tion disapproving the determination within that 30-day pe17 riod) that Cuba has closed and dismantled all military or 

18 intelligence facilities of the People’s Republic of China in 

19 Cuba. 

20 (f) WAIVER.— 

21 (1) IN GENERAL.—The President may waive 

22 the application of sanctions under this section with 

23 respect to a foreign person if the President, not later 

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1 sional committees that the waiver is in the vital na2 tional security interest of the United States. 

3 (2) JUSTIFICATION.—The President shall in4 clude with a certification submitted under paragraph 

5 (1) with respect to a waiver a detailed justification 

6 explaining the reasons for the waiver. 

7 (g) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

8 (1) ALIEN.—The term ‘‘alien’’ has the meaning 

9 given that term in section 101 of the Immigration 

10 and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101). 

11 (2) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMIT12 TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com13 mittees’’ includes— 

14 (A) the Committee on Foreign Relations 

15 and the Select Committee on Intelligence of the 

16 Senate; and 

17 (B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and 

18 the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence 

19 of the House of Representatives. 

20 (3) FOREIGN PERSON.—The term ‘‘foreign per21 son’’ means a person that is not a United States 

22 person. 

23 (4) PERSON.—The term ‘‘person’’ means an in24 dividual or entity. 


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1 (5) UNITED STATES PERSON.—The term 

2 ‘‘United States person’’ means— 

3 (A) an individual who is a United States 

4 citizen or an alien lawfully admitted for perma5 nent residence to the United States; 

6 (B) an entity organized under the laws of 

7 the United States or any jurisdiction within the 

8 United States, including a foreign branch of 

9 such an entity; or 

10 (C) any person in the United States. 

11 SEC. 6. REPORT ON ASSISTANCE BY THE PEOPLE’S REPUB12 LIC OF CHINA FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF 

13 CUBA. 

14 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after the 

15 date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, 

16 the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate con17 gressional committees a report describing— 

18 (1) diplomatic engagement between the Govern19 ment of the People’s Republic of China and the Gov20 ernment of Cuba; 

21 (2) the military and intelligence activities of the 

22 Government of the People’s Republic of China in 

23 Cuba, including any military or intelligence facilities 

24 used by that government in Cuba; 


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1 (3) the purposes for which the Government of 

2 the People’s Republic of China conducts those activi3 ties and uses those facilities in Cuba; 

4 (4) the extent to which the Government of the 

5 People’s Republic of China provides payment or gov6 ernment credits to the Government of Cuba for the 

7 continued use of those facilities in Cuba; and 

8 (5) any progress toward the verifiable termi9 nation of access by the Government of the People’s 

10 Republic of China to those facilities and withdrawal 

11 of personnel, including advisers, technicians, and 

12 military personnel, from those facilities. 

13 (b) FORM.—The report required by subsection (a) 

14 shall be submitted in unclassified form and shall include 

15 a classified annex. 

16 (c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

17 (1) AGENCY OR INSTRUMENTALITY OF THE

18 GOVERNMENT OF CUBA.—The term ‘‘agency or in19 strumentality of the Government of Cuba’’ means an 

20 agency or instrumentality of a foreign state as de21 fined in section 1603(b) of title 28, United States 

22 Code, with each reference in that section to ‘‘a for23 eign state’’ deemed to be a reference to ‘‘Cuba’’. 


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1 (2) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMIT2 TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com3 mittees’’ includes— 

4 (A) the Committee on Foreign Relations 

5 and the Select Committee on Intelligence of the 

6 Senate; and 

7 (B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and 

8 the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence 

9 of the House of Representatives. 

10 (3) GOVERNMENT OF CUBA.—The term ‘‘Gov11 ernment of Cuba’’ includes the government of any 

12 political subdivision of Cuba and any agency or in13 strumentality of the Government of Cuba. 

14 SEC. 7. REPORT ON SPECIFIC LICENSES THAT AUTHORIZE 

15 TRANSACTIONS WITH SANCTIONED PERSONS. 

16 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 

17 date of the enactment of this Act, and every 90 days there18 after, the Secretary of the Treasury, in coordination with 

19 the Secretary of State, shall submit to the committees 

20 specified in subsection (c) a report that includes— 

21 (1) a list of specific licenses issued by the Sec22 retary of the Treasury during the period specified in 

23 subsection (b) that authorize any transaction with a 

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1 posed under section 5 or any relevant Executive 

2 order; and 

3 (2) a copy of each such license. 

4 (b) PERIOD SPECIFIED.—The period specified in this 

5 subsection is— 

6 (1) in the case of the first report required by 

7 paragraph (1), the 180-day period preceding submis8 sion of the report; and 

9 (2) in the case of any subsequent report re10 quired by that paragraph, the 90-day period pre11 ceding submission of the report. 

12 (c) COMMITTEES SPECIFIED.—The committees speci13 fied in this subsection are— 

14 (1) the Committee on Banking, Housing, and 

15 Urban Affairs and the Committee on Foreign Rela16 tions of the Senate; and 

17 (2) the Committee on Financial Services and 

18 the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 

19 Representatives. 

Æ 


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