I 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5910 

To strengthen the United States response to Russian interference, and for 

other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 22, 2018 

Mrs. DEMINGS (for herself, Mr. TED LIEU of California, and Ms. STEFANIK) 

introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 

Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Armed Services, 

Intelligence (Permanent Select), Oversight and Government Reform, and 

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 strengthen the United States response to Russian 

interference, 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 ‘‘Defend Against Rus5 sian Disinformation and Aggression Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 


dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 5910 IH

1 (1) According an Intelligence Community As2 sessment dated January 6, 2017, Russia engages in 

3 attacks of disinformation to advance its longstanding 

4 desire to undermine the United States-led demo5 cratic order, the promotion of which Putin and other 

6 senior Russian leaders view as a threat to Russia 

7 and to Putin’s administration. 

8 (2) According to the indictment issued by the 

9 Attorney General on February 16, 2018, Russia 

10 interfered in the United States presidential election 

11 in 2016 and continues to conduct disinformation ef12 forts designed to undermine the United States. 

13 (3) In addition to the allegations regarding 

14 Russian disinformation efforts in that indictment, 

15 according to Robert Blackwill and Phil Gordon of 

16 the Council on Foreign Relations, in 2016, Russia 

17 used its domestic media outlets, such as RT and 

18 Sputnik, extensively to publish and promote false 

19 and provocative stories designed to denigrate Hillary 

20 Clinton and stoke anger among potential Trump 

21 supporters as well as Clinton’s opponents on the left. 

22 Disinformation included in such videos was often 

23 picked up by Trump-supporting media outlets, such 

24 as Breitbart News, Infowars, and Fox News, vastly 

25 expanding the reach of the videos. 


dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 5910 IH

1 (4) Notwithstanding the enactment of the 

2 Countering Adversaries of America through Sanc3 tions Act of 2017 (Public Law 115–44), Russia con4 tinues to support efforts to sow and exacerbate divi5 sions among Americans, including by funding efforts 

6 to fuel racial, religious, and cultural resentments 

7 throughout American society and pitting Americans 

8 against each other and against many of their politi9 cians. 

10 (5) Russia has also significantly stepped up its 

11 efforts to confront the United States and its allies 

12 politically and militarily, and to counter American 

13 influence worldwide, including by the following: 

14 (A) Invading and illegally occupying Cri15 mea. 

16 (B) Intervening in and occupying parts of 

17 eastern Ukraine. 

18 (C) Deploying substantial military forces 

19 and undertaking a ruthless bombing campaign 

20 in Syria to prop up the regime of Bashar al21 Assad and defeat the American-supported oppo22 sition. 

23 (D) Significantly expanding its armed 

24 forces and deploying missiles in violation of 

25 treaty commitments. 


dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 5910 IH

1 (E) Undertaking large military exercises 

2 designed to intimidate East European states. 

3 (F) Interfering in the political systems of 

4 European countries in much the same way as 

5 in the United States. 

6 (G) Using the threat of cutting off gas 

7 supplies as leverage over the most energy-de8 pendent European countries. 

9 SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 

10 It is the sense of Congress that— 

11 (1) while the United States should seek oppor12 tunities for cooperation with Russia, particularly in 

13 the context of arms control and the conflict in Syria 

14 and maintain open dialogue with Russia, the United 

15 States should also confront Russia more robustly, in 

16 order to deter further Russian efforts to undermine 

17 United States society, the United States political 

18 system, or the societies or political systems of 

19 United States allies; and 

20 (2) such robust confrontation should include— 

21 (A) responding strongly to ongoing Rus22 sian interference in Ukraine; 

23 (B) exposing the corruption of Vladimir 

24 Putin; 


dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
5 

•HR 5910 IH

1 (C) strengthening military ties with other 

2 countries in the North Atlantic Treaty Organi3 zation; and 

4 (D) ensuring a coordinated and effective 

5 Federal response to Russian aggression. 

6 SEC. 4. OFFICE OF SANCTIONS POLICY. 

7 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Section 1 of the State De8 partment Basic Authorities Act (22 U.S.C. 2651a) is 

9 amended by adding at the end the following new sub10 section: 

11 ‘‘(h) COORDINATOR OF SANCTIONS POLICY.— 

12 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—There shall be established 

13 within the Department of State a Coordinator for 

14 Sanctions Policy, who shall be appointed by the 

15 President, by and with the advice and consent of the 

16 Senate and shall report directly to the Secretary of 

17 State. 

18 ‘‘(2) DUTIES.—The Coordinator for Sanctions 

19 Policy shall be responsible for the following: 

20 ‘‘(A) Overseeing the diplomatic aspects of 

21 the enforcement of United States and United 

22 Nations sanctions, including sanctions with re23 spect to Russia, Iran, North Korea, and other 

24 countries. 


dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
6 

•HR 5910 IH

1 ‘‘(B) Coordinating with allies regarding the 

2 enforcement of such sanctions. 

3 ‘‘(C) Coordinating determinations with re4 spect to such sanctions by the heads of other 

5 Federal departments and agencies, including 

6 the Secretary of the Treasury and the United 

7 States intelligence community. 

8 ‘‘(3) RANK AND STATUS OF AMBASSADOR.— 

9 The Coordinator for Sanctions Policy shall have the 

10 rank and status of Ambassador at Large.’’. 

11 (b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con12 gress that the Coordinator for Sanctions Policy estab13 lished pursuant to subsection (a) should be provided suffi14 cient office space and support staff to ensure its successful 

15 establishment. 

16 SEC. 5. CYBER COUNTERMEASURES. 

17 (a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con18 gress that the President should promptly and fully imple19 ment Executive Order No. 13800 (82 Fed. Reg. 22391; 

20 relating to strengthening the cybersecurity of Federal net21 works and critical infrastructure) so that Federal depart22 ments and agencies can better detect, monitor, and miti23 gate cyber attacks as quickly as possible. 

24 (b) REPORT.—Not later than 60 days after the date 

25 of the enactment of this Act, the President shall submit 


dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
7 

•HR 5910 IH

1 to Congress a report describing each step taken to meet 

2 the objectives described in subsection (a) relating to cyber 

3 attack response. 

4 SEC. 6. REPORT ON KREMLIN-LINKED CORRUPTION. 

5 (a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con6 gress that— 

7 (1) the intelligence community should dedicate 

8 resources to further expose key networks which the 

9 corrupt political class in Russia uses to hide the 

10 money it steals; and 

11 (2) the President should pursue efforts to stifle 

12 Russian use of hidden financial channels, including 

13 anonymous shell companies and real estate invest14 ments, in a manner similar to the efforts undertaken 

15 to tighten banking regulations after the terrorist at16 tacks on September 11, 2001. 

17 (b) REPORT.—Not later than 60 days after the date 

18 of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Treas19 ury, in coordination with the Secretary of State, shall sub20 mit a report to Congress on assets owned by Vladimir 

21 Putin, Russian oligarchs, and senior officials of the Rus22 sian Government, including— 

23 (1) with respect to bank accounts, real estate 

24 holdings, and other financial assets, including those 


dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
8 

•HR 5910 IH

1 outside of Russia, that are owned by or accessible to 

2 Putin— 

3 (A) the location of such accounts, holdings, 

4 or assets; and 

5 (B) the contents of such accounts or the 

6 amount held through such holdings or assets; 

7 (2) the location, size, and contents of any assets 

8 of any oligarch listed pursuant to section 241 of the 

9 Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanc10 tions Act (Public Law 115–44; 131 Stat. 922); and 

11 (3) any ‘‘front’’ or shell companies, or other 

12 intermediaries, used by senior officials of the Rus13 sian Government to hide assets from public disclo14 sure. 

15 (c) FORM.—The report required under subsection (b) 

16 shall be submitted in classified form. 

17 (d) REASONABLE ATTEMPT TO ISSUE UNCLASSIFIED

18 REPORT.—Not later than 60 days after the date of the 

19 submission of the report required under subsection (b), the 

20 Secretary of the Treasury shall— 

21 (1) publish an unclassified version of such re22 port on a publicly available website of the Depart23 ment of the Treasury; or 


dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
9 

•HR 5910 IH

1 (2) submit a notification to Congress describing 

2 the reasons for which the Secretary has determined 

3 that such release is not possible. 

4 SEC. 7. ENHANCED MILITARY ACTIVITIES. 

5 (a) NATO EXERCISES.—The Secretary of Defense, 

6 in consultation with other countries in the North Atlantic 

7 Treaty Organization, shall seek opportunities to conduct 

8 more NATO naval exercises in the Baltic and Black Seas, 

9 as well as in the northern Atlantic Ocean, to defend the 

10 seas around Europe and deter Russian aggression in those 

11 regions. 

12 (b) JOINT RESEARCH PROJECTS.—The Secretary of 

13 Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of State, may 

14 conduct joint research projects with NATO allies pursuant 

15 to the authorities under chapter 138 of title 10, United 

16 States Code, including projects through NATO Centers of 

17 Excellence, to— 

18 (1) improve NATO reconnaissance capabilities 

19 to track Russian military exercises; 

20 (2) enhance NATO anti-submarine warfare ca21 pabilities against Russia; 

22 (3) increase the numbers of modern sensors 

23 placed on NATO aircraft, submarines, and surface 

24 ships; or 


dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
10 

•HR 5910 IH

1 (4) enhance NATO capabilities to detect and 

2 deter Russian information operations. 

Æ 


dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS