I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 920 

To restrict the transfer of defense articles, defense services, and crime control 

articles to any element of the security forces of Venezuela that is under 

the authority of a government of Venezuela that is not recognized as 

the legitimate government of Venezuela by the Government of the United 

States, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 30, 2019 

Ms. SHALALA (for herself, Mr. DIAZ-BALART, Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, 

Miss GONZA ́LEZ-COLO ́N of Puerto Rico, Mr. SOTO, Mrs. MURPHY, Ms. 

MUCARSEL-POWELL, and Mr. SIRES) introduced the following bill; which 

was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

A BILL 

To restrict the transfer of defense articles, defense services, 

and crime control articles to any element of the security 

forces of Venezuela that is under the authority of a 

government of Venezuela that is not recognized as the 

legitimate government of Venezuela by the Government 

of the United States, 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. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Venezuela Arms Re5 striction Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. RESTRICTION ON EXPORT OF COVERED ARTICLES 

2 AND SERVICES TO CERTAIN SECURITY 

3 FORCES OF VENEZUELA. 

4 Notwithstanding any other provision of law, covered 

5 articles or services may not be exported from the United 

6 States to any element of the security forces of Venezuela 

7 that is under the authority of a government of Venezuela 

8 that is not recognized as the legitimate government of 

9 Venezuela by the Government of the United States. 

10 SEC. 3. REPORT. 

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

12 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, 

13 in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce as appro14 priate, shall submit to the appropriate congressional com15 mittees a report on the transfer by foreign persons of cov16 ered articles or services to elements of the security forces 

17 of Venezuela that are under the authority of a government 

18 of Venezuela that is not recognized as the legitimate gov19 ernment of Venezuela by the Government of the United 

20 States. 

21 (b) MATTERS TO BE INCLUDED.—The report re22 quired by subsection (a) shall include the following: 

23 (1) A list of all significant transfers by foreign 

24 persons of covered articles or services to such ele25 ments of the security forces of Venezuela since July 

26 2017. 


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1 (2) A list of all foreign persons who maintain 

2 an existing defense relationship with such elements 

3 of the security forces of Venezuela. 

4 (3) Any known use of covered articles or serv5 ices by such elements of the security forces of Ven6 ezuela or associated forces, including paramilitary 

7 groups, that have coordinated with such security 

8 forces to assault, intimidate, or murder political ac9 tivists, protesters, dissidents, and other civil society 

10 leaders. 

11 SEC. 4. TERMINATION. 

12 This Act shall expire on the earlier of— 

13 (1) the date that is 3 years after the date of the 

14 enactment of this Act; or 

15 (2) the date on which the President certifies to 

16 the appropriate congressional committees that the 

17 Government of Venezuela has returned to a demo18 cratic form of government with respect for the es19 sential elements of representative democracy as set 

20 forth in Article 3 of the Inter-American Democratic 

21 Charter. 

22 SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS. 

23 In this Act: 


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

4 (A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and 

5 the Committee on Financial Services of the 

6 House of Representatives; and 

7 (B) the Committee on Foreign Relations 

8 and the Committee on Banking, Housing, and 

9 Urban Affairs of the Senate. 

10 (2) COVERED ARTICLE OR SERVICE.—The term 

11 ‘‘covered article or service’’— 

12 (A) for purposes of section 2, means— 

13 (i) a defense article or defense service, 

14 as such terms are defined in section 47 of 

15 the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 

16 2794); and 

17 (ii) any article included on the Com18 merce Control List set forth in Supplement 

19 No. 1 to part 774 of the Export Adminis20 tration Regulations under subchapter C of 

21 chapter VII of title 15, Code of Federal 

22 Regulations, and controlled for crime con23 trol purposes, if it is determined that the 

24 end-user is likely to use the article to vioVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:16 Feb 11, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H920.IH H920

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1 late the human rights of the citizens of 

2 Venezuela; and 

3 (B) for purposes of section 3, means— 

4 (i) any defense article or defense serv5 ice of the type described in section 47 of 

6 the Arms Export Control Act; and 

7 (ii) any article of the type included on 

8 the Commerce Control List set forth in 

9 Supplement No. 1 to part 774 of the Ex10 port Administration Regulations and con11 trolled for crime control purposes. 

12 (3) FOREIGN PERSON.—The term ‘‘foreign per13 son’’ means a person that is not a United States 

14 person. 

15 (4) PERSON.—The term ‘‘person’’ means an in16 dividual or entity. 

17 (5) SECURITY FORCES OF VENEZUELA.—The 

18 term ‘‘security forces of Venezuela’’ includes— 

19 (A) the Bolivarian National Armed Forces, 

20 including the Bolivarian National Guard; 

21 (B) the Bolivarian National Intelligence 

22 Service; 

23 (C) the Bolivarian National Police; and 


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1 (D) the Bureau for Scientific, Criminal 

2 and Forensic Investigations of the Ministry of 

3 Interior, Justice, and Peace. 

4 (6) UNITED STATES PERSON.—The term 

5 ‘‘United States person’’ means— 

6 (A) a United States citizen or an alien law7 fully admitted for permanent residence to the 

8 United States; or 

9 (B) an entity organized under the laws of 

10 the United States or of any jurisdiction within 

11 the United States, including a foreign branch of 

12 such an entity. 

Æ 


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