I 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 5670 

To require certain actions relating to the protection of free, fair, and 

transparent elections in Venezuela, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 21, 2023 

Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (for herself and Ms. SALAZAR) 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 require certain actions relating to the protection of free, 

fair, and transparent elections in Venezuela, 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 ‘‘Venezuelans Over5 coming Interference and Corruption in Elections Act’’ or 

6 the ‘‘VOICE Act’’. 

7 SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 

8 It is the sense of Congress that— 


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1 (1) the arbitrary and unconstitutional actions of 

2 the Maduro regime to undermine Venezuelan democ3 racy, including attempts to disqualify opposition can4 didates from participating in the 2024 presidential 

5 election, demonstrate flagrant disregard for the 

6 basic political rights of Venezuelans and merit con7 demnation in the strongest terms from the United 

8 States and other Western Hemisphere democracies; 

9 (2) the disqualification of political opponents il10 lustrates the Maduro regime’s intent to continue to 

11 remove checks and balances on the executive, politi12 cize the judiciary, undermine the independence of 

13 the legislature through use of executive decree pow14 ers, persecute and prosecute its political opponents, 

15 curtail freedom of the press, and limit the free ex16 pression of its citizens; 

17 (3) the United States supports the people of 

18 Venezuela in their efforts to advance representative 

19 democracy, human rights, and the rule of law within 

20 their country; and 

21 (4) the United States should make every pos22 sible effort to promote international recognition of 

23 the legitimacy of the presidential primary organized 

24 by the democratic Unitary Platform, and to support 

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1 grants and refugees residing in the United States in 

2 the election. 

3 SEC. 3. SANCTIONS FOR CERTAIN ACTIONS RELATING TO 

4 DISQUALIFICATION OF VENEZUELAN PRESI5 DENTIAL CANDIDATES. 

6 (a) IN GENERAL.—The President shall impose the 

7 sanctions described in subsection (b) with respect to any 

8 foreign person, including any current or former official of 

9 the Government of Venezuela or any person acting on be10 half of that Government, that the President determines— 

11 (1) has prevented, or is responsible for ordering 

12 or otherwise directing the prevention of, any indi13 vidual that the President determines to be an oppo14 nent candidate, or prospective opponent candidate, 

15 seeking presidential election (including Marı ́a Corina 

16 Machado, Henrique Capriles, and Freddy Superlano) 

17 from participating in the 2024 Venezuelan presi18 dential election; or 

19 (2) has knowingly materially assisted, spon20 sored, or provided significant financial, material, or 

21 technological support for, or goods or services in 

22 support of, the commission of the acts described in 

23 paragraph (1). 

24 (b) SANCTIONS DESCRIBED.— 


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1 (1) IN GENERAL.—The sanctions described in 

2 this subsection are the following: 

3 (A) ASSET BLOCKING.—The exercise of all 

4 powers granted to the President by the Inter5 national Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 

6 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) to the extent necessary to 

7 block and prohibit all transactions in all prop8 erty and interests in property of a person deter9 mined by the President to be subject to sub10 section (a) if such property and interests in 

11 property are in the United States, come within 

12 the United States, or are or come within the 

13 possession or control of a United States person. 

14 (B) EXCLUSION FROM THE UNITED

15 STATES AND REVOCATION OF VISA OR OTHER

16 DOCUMENTATION.—In the case of an alien de17 termined by the President to be subject to sub18 section (a), denial of a visa to, and exclusion 

19 from the United States of, the alien, and rev20 ocation in accordance with section 221(i) of the 

21 Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 

22 1201(i)), of any visa or other documentation of 

23 the alien. 

24 (2) PENALTIES.—A person that violates, at25 tempts to violate, conspires to violate, or causes a 


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1 violation of paragraph (1)(A) or any regulation, li2 cense, or order issued to carry out paragraph (1)(A) 

3 shall be subject to the penalties set forth in sub4 sections (b) and (c) of section 206 of the Inter5 national Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 

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

7 commits an unlawful act described in subsection (a) 

8 of that section. 

9 (3) EXCEPTIONS.—The sanctions described in 

10 paragraph (1) shall not apply with respect to a for11 eign person— 

12 (A) that the President determines is the 

13 subject of other sanctions equivalent to those 

14 described in paragraph (1); or 

15 (B) that is an alien, if admitting the alien 

16 into the United States is necessary to permit 

17 the United States to comply with the Agree18 ment regarding the Headquarters of the United 

19 Nations, signed at Lake Success June 26, 

20 1947, and entered into force November 21, 

21 1947, between the United Nations and the 

22 United States, or other applicable international 

23 obligations. 


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1 (c) WAIVER.—The President may waive the applica2 tion of sanctions under subsection (b) with respect to a 

3 foreign person if the President— 

4 (1) determines that such a waiver is in the na5 tional interest of the United States; and 

6 (2) on or before the date on which the waiver 

7 takes effect, submits to the Committee on Foreign 

8 Relations and the Committee on Appropriations of 

9 the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

10 and the Committee on Appropriations of the House 

11 of Representatives a notice of and justification for 

12 the waiver. 

13 (d) REGULATORY AUTHORITY.—The President shall 

14 issue such regulations, licenses, and orders as are nec15 essary to carry out this section. 

16 (e) DEFINITION.—In this section: 

17 (1) ADMITTED; ALIEN.—The terms ‘‘admitted’’ 

18 and ‘‘alien’’ have the meanings given those terms in 

19 section 101 of the Immigration and Nationality Act 

20 (8 U.S.C. 1101). 

21 (2) FOREIGN PERSON.—The term ‘‘foreign per22 son’’ means a person that is not a United States 

23 person. 

24 (3) GOOD.—The term ‘‘good’’ has the meaning 

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1 tration Act of 1979 (50 U.S.C. App. 2415) (as con2 tinued in effect pursuant to the International Emer3 gency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et 

4 seq.)). 

5 (4) KNOWINGLY.—The term ‘‘knowingly’’, with 

6 respect to conduct, a circumstance, or a result, 

7 means that a person has actual knowledge, or should 

8 have known, of the conduct, the circumstance, or the 

9 result. 

10 (5) MATERIALLY ASSISTED.—The term ‘‘mate11 rially assisted’’ means the provision of assistance 

12 that is significant and of a kind directly relevant to 

13 acts described in paragraphs (1) through (3) of sub14 section (a). 

15 (6) UNITED STATES PERSON.—The term 

16 ‘‘United States person’’ means— 

17 (A) a United States citizen or an alien law18 fully admitted for permanent residence to the 

19 United States; or 

20 (B) an entity organized under the laws of 

21 the United States or of any jurisdiction within 

22 the United States, including a foreign branch of 

23 such an entity. 


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1 SEC. 4. INTERNATIONAL COORDINATION ON BEHALF OF 

2 VENEZUELAN DEMOCRACY. 

3 (a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con4 gress that the United States should engage with the Gov5 ernment of Canada, the European Union, the governments 

6 of other European countries, and the democratically elect7 ed governments of countries in Latin America and the 

8 Caribbean to enhance diplomatic cooperation and policy 

9 coordination toward the shared objective of restoring de10 mocracy for the Venezuelan people. 

11 (b) INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS.—The Presi12 dent, in consultation with the Secretary of State, shall di13 rect the appropriate officials of the United States Govern14 ment to use the voice, vote, and influence of the United 

15 States at international organizations to— 

16 (1) urge the Organization of American States 

17 and the United Nations, as well as any subordinate 

18 entities of either organization responsible for pro19 moting democracy, to support the mission of the 

20 independent Venezuelan primary organizing commis21 sion by— 

22 (A) assisting efforts to register eligible 

23 Venezuelan nationals residing in third countries 

24 to vote in future elections in Venezuela; 

25 (B) ensuring the integrity and security of 

26 personal identifying information collected from 


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1 Venezuelan nationals residing in other coun2 tries; 

3 (C) facilitating the delivery by nongovern4 mental organizations of humanitarian assist5 ance and other critical services to the Ven6 ezuelan people, who may be subject to increas7 ingly restrictive policies in advance of the 2024 

8 election; 

9 (D) dispatching independent election ob10 servers to conduct oversight of the handling of 

11 the 2024 Venezuelan presidential election by 

12 the Maduro regime; and 

13 (E) documenting and reporting on at14 tempts by the Maduro regime to suppress the 

15 vote through threats, intimidation, violence, 

16 blackmail, or extortion; 

17 (2) encourage international organizations to 

18 condemn the practice of the Maduro regime of dis19 qualifying political opponents; and 

20 (3) commend the efforts of the Venezuelan 

21 democratic opposition to organize a free, fair, and 

22 transparent election in 2024 and provide an electoral 

23 alternative to the Maduro regime, which has com24 mitted crimes against humanity as evidenced by the 

25 Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on 


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1 the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela established by 

2 the United Nations Human Rights Council, in the 

3 report of such mission published in October 2022. 

4 SEC. 5. ADDITIONAL ACTIONS IN SUPPORT OF DEMOCRACY 

5 IN VENEZUELA. 

6 (a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con7 gress that a solution of the political and humanitarian cri8 sis in Venezuela must include— 

9 (1) a new presidential election in Venezuela 

10 that complies with international standards for a free, 

11 fair, and transparent electoral process; 

12 (2) an end to the usurpation of presidential au13 thorities by Nicola ́s Maduro; 

14 (3) the restoration of democracy and the rule of 

15 law in Venezuela; 

16 (4) freeing political prisoners in Venezuela; 

17 (5) consistent and unhindered delivery of hu18 manitarian aid to Venezuelans; and 

19 (6) accountability for the perpetrators of acts 

20 determined to be crimes against humanity by the 

21 Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on 

22 the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela established by 

23 the United Nations Human Rights Council. 

24 (b) SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE.—Not later than 90 

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1 dent, in consultation with the Secretary of State, shall ap2 point a Special Representative for Venezuela from among 

3 the officers and employees of the Department of State, 

4 who shall assume primary responsibility for the following: 

5 (1) Coordinating initiatives across the United 

6 States Government to assist in streamlining United 

7 States policy toward Venezuela and ensuring prompt 

8 response to any changing political, economic, and 

9 humanitarian dynamics in Venezuela. 

10 (2) Supporting the Venezuela Affairs Unit in 

11 delivering information to Federal departments and 

12 agencies responsible for developing and imple13 menting United States policy toward Venezuela. 

14 (3) Assisting the Venezuela Affairs Unit, the 

15 United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, 

16 and other Federal departments and agencies respon17 sible for the administration of consular affairs in 

18 providing consular services to United States citizens 

19 in Venezuela and Venezuelans residing in the United 

20 States or in third countries. 

21 (4) Facilitating the participation of members of 

22 the Venezuelan diaspora residing in the United 

23 States in Venezuelan elections determined by the 

24 President to be free and fair with the uninhibited 

25 participation of opposition candidates. 


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1 (5) Providing the appropriate congressional 

2 committees with briefs on the status of democracy 

3 and human rights in Venezuela. 

4 (c) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than 90 days 

5 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 

6 of State, the Administrator for the United States Agency 

7 for International Development, and the Chief Executive 

8 Officer of the United States Agency for Global Media, 

9 shall jointly submit to the appropriate congressional com10 mittees a report on obstacles to promoting independent 

11 news media and free access to information in Venezuela. 

12 Such report shall include— 

13 (1) an evaluation of the governmental, political, 

14 and technological obstacles faced by the people of 

15 Venezuela in their efforts to obtain accurate, objec16 tive, and comprehensive news and information about 

17 domestic and international affairs; 

18 (2) a list of all television channels, radio sta19 tions, online news sites, and other media platforms 

20 operating in Venezuela that are directly or indirectly 

21 owned or beneficially controlled by Nicola ́s Maduro, 

22 members of the Maduro family, or individuals associ23 ated with his regime, and the extent of the oper24 ational scale and reach of any such platforms; 


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1 (3) a list of all television channels, radio sta2 tions, online news sites, and other media platforms 

3 operating in Venezuela that are directly or indirectly 

4 owned or beneficially controlled by individuals or en5 tities associated with the Russian Federation, the 

6 Chinese Communist Party, the Islamic Republic of 

7 Iran, the Ortega regime in Nicaragua, or the Com8 munist government of Cuba, and the operational 

9 scale and reach of any such platforms; 

10 (4) a list of any independent press organization, 

11 or person affiliated with such an organization, that 

12 has experienced intimidation, harassment, physical 

13 assault, theft of property, or fatal injury by agents 

14 of the Maduro regime or pro-government supporters 

15 in direct relation to their journalistic activities since 

16 April 2013; 

17 (5) an assessment of the extent to which the 

18 current level and type of news and related program19 ming and content provided by the Voice of America 

20 and other sources is addressing the informational 

21 needs of the people of Venezuela; 

22 (6) a description of existing United States ef23 forts to strengthen freedom of the press and freedom 

24 of expression in Venezuela, including recommenda25 tions to expand upon those efforts; and 


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1 (7) a proposed strategy for strengthening inde2 pendent broadcasting, information distribution, and 

3 media platforms in Venezuela. 

4 (d) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES

5 DEFINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate con6 gressional committees’’ means— 

7 (1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the 

8 Committee on Appropriations of the House of Rep9 resentatives; and 

10 (2) the Committee on Foreign Relations and 

11 the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate. 

Æ 


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