I 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2404 

To prohibit the availability of funds to provide assistance to foreign countries 

that criminalize or discriminate based on gender, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 30, 2023 

Mr. SANTOS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Foreign Affairs 

A BILL 

To prohibit the availability of funds to provide assistance 

to foreign countries that criminalize or discriminate 

based on gender, 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 ‘‘Women’s Rights and 

5 Protection Act of 2023’’. 

6 SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS FOR 

7 FOREIGN COUNTRIES THAT CRIMINALIZE OR 

8 DISCRIMINATE BASED ON GENDER. 

9 (a) PROHIBITION.—Except as provided in subsection 

10 (b), no Federal funds may be obligated or expended to 


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1 provide assistance, directly or indirectly, to a country de2 scribed in subsection (c). 

3 (b) EXCEPTION.— 

4 (1) IN GENERAL.—The President may author5 ize an obligation or expenditure of Federal funds to 

6 assist a country described in subsection (c) only if 

7 the President determines, on a case-by-case basis, 

8 that such proposed obligation or expenditure is vital 

9 to the national security interests of the United 

10 States. 

11 (2) BRIEFING.—Upon making a determination 

12 under paragraph (1), the President, acting through 

13 the Secretary of State, shall provide to the appro14 priate congressional committees and congressional 

15 leadership a briefing on such determination. 

16 (c) COUNTRIES DESCRIBED.—A country described in 

17 this subsection is a foreign country the government of 

18 which the President determines has enacted or established 

19 and is implementing any provision of law, or provision 

20 which has the force and effect of law, that criminalizes 

21 or discriminates on the basis of gender, including through 

22 such provisions that, on the basis of gender— 

23 (1) limit or prohibit women from— 

24 (A) enrolling in or attending any edu25 cational institution, school, or other program of 


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1 instruction, or otherwise seeking or receiving 

2 education activities; 

3 (B) operating a vehicle; 

4 (C) freely exercising any religion; or 

5 (D) walking or otherwise traveling without 

6 a male escort; or 

7 (2) authorize (including as a form of punish8 ment) female genital mutilation, sexual abuse, be9 heading, or any other practice that targets the lives 

10 of women. 

11 (d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

12 (1) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMIT13 TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com14 mittees’’ means the following: 

15 (A) The Committee on Foreign Affairs and 

16 the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence 

17 of the House of Representatives. 

18 (B) The Committee on Foreign Relations 

19 and the Select Committee on Intelligence of the 

20 Senate. 

21 (2) CONGRESSIONAL LEADERSHIP.—The term 

22 ‘‘congressional leadership’’ means the following: 

23 (A) The Speaker of the House of Rep24 resentatives. 


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1 (B) The minority leader of the House of 

2 Representatives. 

3 (C) The majority leader of the Senate. 

4 (D) The minority leader of the Senate. 

5 (e) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This Act shall take effect on 

6 the date that is 180 days after the date of the enactment 

7 of this Act. 

Æ 


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