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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6865 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 6865

  To provide for additional sanctions and other measures relating to 
                     Iran, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           December 19, 2023

Ms. Lee of California introduced the following bill; which was referred 
 to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee 
  on the Judiciary, 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 provide for additional sanctions and other measures relating to 
                     Iran, 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.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Allyship Act''.

SEC. 2. COMPREHENSIVE POLICY AND STRATEGY.

    Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the President shall issue a comprehensive policy and strategy with 
respect to Iran that includes the manner in which the United States 
will achieve the following:
            (1) Counter threats posed to regional and global security 
        posed by the Islamic Republic of Iran.
            (2) Support the human rights and humanitarian needs of the 
        people of Iran.
            (3) Increase the ability of Iranians to access free and 
        open information, particularly through the internet.
            (4) Employ frozen Iranian assets for the benefit of the 
        people of Iran.

SEC. 3. COMPTROLLER GENERAL EVALUATION OF STRATEGY.

    Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Comptroller General shall submit to Congress a report assessing the 
impact of United States efforts to achieve the goals described in 
section 2. Such report shall be submitted in unclassified form but may 
include a classified annex.

SEC. 4. IMPOSITION OF TARGETED SANCTIONS.

    Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
President shall determine whether any of the following persons meet the 
criteria for the imposition of sanctions pursuant to section 105 of the 
Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 
2010 (22 U.S.C. 8514):
            (1) Any Iranian person who had a role in establishing or 
        implementing the legal framework responsible for the detention, 
        prosecution, harassment, injury, or murder of peaceful 
        participants in Iranian protests beginning September 16, 2022.
            (2) Any Iranian person who had a role in establishing or 
        implementing the systems responsible for--
                    (A) denying Iranians access to free information;
                    (B) actively promoting misinformation or 
                disinformation; or
                    (C) engagement in cybercrime.

SEC. 5. MATERIAL SUPPORT FOR THE PEOPLE OF IRAN.

    (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the 
Secretary of the Treasury shall, subject to subsection (c), establish a 
mechanism to facilitate the ability of United States persons to 
transfer up to $6,000 per year to any citizen of the Islamic Republic 
of Iran, as well as promoting the availability of technology to help 
Iranians circumvent restrictions on free and open communication.
    (b) Eligible Technology.--Technologies eligible for promotion under 
the authority provided by subsection (a) may include virtual private 
networks, Bluetooth, satellite technology, and shortwave radio.
    (c) Preventing Material Support for Criminal Actions.--The 
Secretary shall ensure that the mechanism described in subsection (a) 
shall not directly benefit any citizen of the Islamic Republic of Iran 
who the Secretary determines is--
            (1) guilty of a gross violation of human rights;
            (2) subject to sanctions imposed pursuant to the authority 
        provided by the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability 
        Act (22 U.S.C. 10101 et seq.);
            (3) currently included in the List of Specially Designated 
        Nationals or Blocked Persons maintained by the Office of 
        Foreign Assets control of the Department of the Treasury; or
            (4) an employee of the Government of the Islamic Republic 
        of Iran, or of any security force of the Islamic Republic of 
        Iran.

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated for each of fiscal years 
2025 through 2029 $50,000,000, for programs, projects, and activities 
consistent with the goals described in section 2. Amounts appropriated 
pursuant to the authorization under this section are authorized to 
remain available for a period of 2 fiscal years.

SEC. 7. PAROLE FOR VICTIMS OF POLITICAL PERSECUTION.

    (a) Process Required.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall 
establish a process for determining eligibility for humanitarian parole 
subject to 212(d)(5) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
1182(d)(5)) for any eligible individual as defined in subsection (b). 
The Secretary shall not impose a fee for any such request.
    (b) Eligible Individuals.--For the purposes of this section, an 
eligible individual is any of the following:
            (1) An individual that the Secretary, in consultation with 
        the Secretary of State, determines was unjustly imprisoned by 
        the Islamic Republic of Iran.
            (2) A child or spouse of an individual that the Secretary, 
        in consultation with the Secretary of State, determines was 
        unjustly imprisoned by the Islamic Republic of Iran.
            (3) A child or spouse of an individual that the Secretary, 
        in consultation with the Secretary of State, determines was 
        killed by the Islamic Republic of Iran.

SEC. 8. SENIOR ADVISOR FOR POLITICAL PRISONERS IN IRAN.

    (a) Establishment.--The President, acting in coordination with the 
Secretary of State, shall designate an individual to serve as Senior 
Advisor for Political Prisoners in Iran.
    (b) Duties.--The Senior Advisor for Political Prisoners in Iran 
shall--
            (1) advise the Secretary of State, the relevant heads of 
        other Federal departments and independent agencies, and other 
        entities within the Executive Office of the President, 
        regarding the establishment of--
                    (A) policies, goals, objectives, and priorities for 
                supporting individuals unjustly imprisoned by the 
                Islamic Republic of Iran, and their family members; and
                    (B) mechanisms to improve the effectiveness, 
                coordination, impact, and outcomes of programs relating 
                to individuals unjustly imprisoned by the Islamic 
                Republic of Iran, and their family members; and
            (2) identify and assist in the resolution of any disputes 
        that arise between Federal agencies relating to policies and 
        programs to support individuals unjustly imprisoned by the 
        Islamic Republic of Iran, and their family members.
                                 <all>
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