‘‘(vii) Venezuela under the regime of 
Nicola´s Maduro. 
‘‘(B) The steps taken by the Secretary of 
State and the heads of other relevant Federal 
agencies to deter the unlawful and wrongful de-
tention of United States nationals and to re-
spond to such detentions, including— 
‘‘(i) any engagement with private sec-
tor search engine companies to optimize 
the distribution of travel advisories; and 
‘‘(ii) any engagement with private 
tourism companies responsible for pro-
moting travel to foreign countries engaged 
in the unlawful or wrongful detention of 
United States nationals. 
‘‘(C) An assessment of a possible expan-
sion of chapter 97 of title 28, United States 
Code (commonly known as the ‘Foreign Sov-
ereign Immunities Act of 1976’) to include an 
exception from asset seizure immunity for State 
Sponsors of Unlawful or Wrongful Detention. 
‘‘(D) A detailed plan on the manner by 
which a geographic travel restriction could be 
instituted against State Sponsors of Unlawful 
or Wrongful Detention. 
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‘‘(E) The progress made in multilateral 
fora, including the United Nations and other 
international organizations, to address the un-
lawful and wrongful detention of United States 
nationals, in addition to nationals of partners 
and allies of the United States in foreign coun-
tries. 
‘‘(3) BRIEFING.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually 
thereafter for 5 years, the Assistant Secretary of 
State for Consular Affairs and the Special Presi-
dential Envoy for Hostage Affairs shall brief the ap-
propriate congressional committees on the countries 
listed under paragraph (2)(A) and actions taken by 
the Secretary of State and the heads of other rel-
evant Federal agencies to deter the wrongful deten-
tion of United States nationals, including any steps 
taken in accordance with paragraph (2)(B). 
‘‘(4) PUBLICATION.—The Secretary shall make 
available on a publicly accessible website of the De-
partment of State, and regularly update, a list of 
foreign countries designated as State Sponsors of 
Unlawful or Wrongful Detention under subsection 
(a). 
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‘‘(d) REVIEW OF AVAILABLE RESPONSES TO STATE 
SPONSORS OF UNLAWFUL OR WRONGFUL DETENTION.— 
Upon designation of a foreign country as a State Sponsor 
of Unlawful or Wrongful Detention under subsection (a), 
the Secretary, in consultation with the heads of other rel-
evant Federal agencies, shall conduct a comprehensive re-
view of the use of existing authorities to respond to and 
deter the unlawful or wrongful detention of United States 
nationals in the foreign country, including— 
‘‘(1) sanctions available under the International 
Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 
et seq.); 
‘‘(2) visa restrictions available under section 
7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Oper-
ations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 
2024 (division F of Public Law 118–47; 8 U.S.C. 
1182 note) or any other provision of Federal law; 
‘‘(3) sanctions available under the Immigration 
and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.); 
‘‘(4) imposition of a geographic travel restric-
tion on citizens of the United States; 
‘‘(5) restrictions on assistance provided to the 
government of the country under the Foreign Assist-
ance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151 et seq.) or any 
other provision of Federal law; 
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‘‘(6) restrictions on the export of certain goods 
to the country under the Arms Export Control Act 
(22 U.S.C. 2751 et seq.), the Export Control Re-
form Act of 2018 ( 50 U.S.C. 4801 et seq.), or any 
other Federal law; and 
‘‘(7) designating the government of the country 
as a government that has repeatedly provided sup-
port for acts of international terrorism pursuant 
to— 
‘‘(A) section 1754(c)(1)(A)(i) of the Ex-
port Control Reform Act of 2018 (50 U.S.C. 
4813(c)(1)(A)(i)); 
‘‘(B) section 620A of the Foreign Assist-
ance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2371); 
‘‘(C) section 40(d) of the Arms Export 
Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2780(d)); or 
‘‘(D) any other provision of law. 
‘‘(e) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec-
tion shall be construed to imply that the United States 
Government formally recognizes any particular country or 
the government of such country as legitimate.’’. 
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SEC. 102. OPTIONS AND STRATEGIES FOR REDUCING LIKE-
LIHOOD 
OF 
UNITED 
STATES 
NATIONALS 
BEING UNLAWFULLY OR WRONGFULLY DE-
TAINED OR TAKEN HOSTAGE. 
The Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage- 
Taking Accountability Act (22 U.S.C. 1741 et seq.) is 
amended by inserting after section 305 the following: 
‘‘SEC. 305A. REPORT ON STRATEGIES FOR REDUCING LIKE-
LIHOOD 
OF 
UNITED 
STATES 
NATIONALS 
BEING UNLAWFULLY OR WRONGFULLY DE-
TAINED OR TAKEN HOSTAGE. 
‘‘Not later than 60 days after the date of the enact-
ment of the Countering Wrongful Detention Act of 2024, 
the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, in co-
ordination with the Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell, the 
Hostage Response Group, and relevant agencies, as appro-
priate, shall submit to the President and the appropriate 
congressional committees a report that identifies and rec-
ommends options and strategies to reduce the likelihood 
of United States nationals being unlawfully or wrongfully 
detained abroad or taken hostage.’’. 
SEC. 103. ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR SANCTIONS IMPLE-
MENTATION. 
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Sec-
retary of State and the Secretary of the Treasury for fiscal 
year 2026 $2,000,000 to implement the sanctions authori-
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