I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3225 
To reauthorize and modify the Belarus Democracy Act of 2004. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 7, 2025 
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey (for himself, Mr. KEATING, and Mr. WILSON of 
South Carolina) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Fi-
nancial Services, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently deter-
mined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To reauthorize and modify the Belarus Democracy Act of 
2004. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Belarus Democracy, 
Human Rights, and Sovereignty Act of 2025’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Section 2 of the Belarus Democracy Act of 2004 
(Public Law 108–347; 22 U.S.C. 5811 note) is amended 
to read as follows: 
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‘‘SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
‘‘Congress finds the following: 
‘‘(1) The International Covenant on Civil and 
Political Rights, done in New York December 19, 
1966, was ratified by Belarus in 1973, guaranteeing 
Belarusians the freedom of expression and the free-
dom of association. 
‘‘(2) Alyaksandr Lukashenka has ruled Belarus 
as an undemocratic dictatorship since the first presi-
dential election in Belarus in 1994, and subsequent 
presidential elections have been neither free nor fair, 
failing to meet minimal international electoral stand-
ards. 
‘‘(3) In response to the repression and violence 
during the 2006 presidential election, Congress 
passed the Belarus Democracy Reauthorization Act 
of 2006 (Public Law 109–480). 
‘‘(4) In 2006, President George W. Bush issued 
Executive Order 13405, titled ‘Blocking Property of 
Certain Persons Undermining Democratic Processes 
or Institutions in Belarus’, which authorized the im-
position of sanctions against persons responsible 
for— 
‘‘(A) undermining democratic processes in 
Belarus; or 
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‘‘(B) participating in human rights abuses 
related to political repression in Belarus. 
‘‘(5) In March 2011, the Senate unanimously 
passed Senate Resolution 105, which— 
‘‘(A) condemned the December 2010 elec-
tion in Belarus as ‘illegitimate, fraudulent, and 
not representative of the will or the aspirations 
of the voters in Belarus’; and 
‘‘(B) called on the Lukashenka regime ‘to 
immediately and unconditionally release all po-
litical prisoners in Belarus who were arrested in 
association with the December 19, 2010, elec-
tion’. 
‘‘(6) The Government of Belarus continues to 
engage in a pattern of clear and persistent gross vio-
lations of internationally recognized human rights, 
and basic principles of democratic governance. 
‘‘(7) The Government of Belarus continues to 
subject thousands of pro-democracy political activists 
and peaceful protesters to harassment, beatings, and 
imprisonment, particularly as a result of their at-
tempts to peacefully exercise their right to freedom 
of assembly and association. 
‘‘(8) The Government of Belarus continues to 
suppress independent media and journalists and to 
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restrict access to the internet, including social media 
and other digital communication platforms, in viola-
tion of the right to freedom of speech and expression 
of those dissenting from the dictatorship of 
Alyaksandr Lukashenka. 
‘‘(9) The Government of Belarus continues a 
systematic campaign of harassment, repression, and 
closure of nongovernmental organizations, including 
independent trade unions and entrepreneurs, cre-
ating a climate of fear that inhibits the development 
of civil society and social solidarity. 
‘‘(10) The Government of Belarus has pursued 
a policy undermining the country’s sovereignty and 
independence by making Belarus’ political, economic, 
cultural, and societal interests subservient to those 
of Russia. 
‘‘(11) The Government of Belarus continues to 
reduce the independence of Belarus through integra-
tion into a so-called ‘Union State’ that is under the 
control of Russia. 
‘‘(12) In advance of the August 2020 presi-
dential elections in Belarus, authorities acting on be-
half of President Lukashenka arrested journalists, 
bloggers, political activists, and the leading political 
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opposition candidates, leading to demonstrations in 
support of democracy. 
‘‘(13) On August 9, 2020, the Government of 
Belarus conducted a presidential election that was 
held under undemocratic conditions, did not meet 
international standards, involved government malfea-
sance and serious irregularities with ballot counting 
and the reporting of election results, and included 
restrictive measures that impeded the work of local 
independent observers and did not provide sufficient 
notice to the Organization for Security and Coopera-
tion in Europe (OSCE) to allow for the OSCE to 
monitor the elections, as is customary. 
‘‘(14) 
Illegitimate 
president 
Alyaksandr 
Lukashenka declared a landslide victory in the elec-
tion and claimed to have received more than 80 per-
cent of the votes cast in the election. 
‘‘(15) 
The 
leading 
opposition 
candidate, 
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, formally disputed the re-
ported results and was detained by government au-
thorities before being forced into exile in Lithuania. 
‘‘(16) Later in August, 2020, the United States 
Deputy Secretary of State, Stephen Biegun, and Eu-
ropean Union High Representative for Foreign and 
Security Policy, Josep Borrell, issued statements de-
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claring the Belarus elections to be fraudulent and 
neither free nor fair. 
‘‘(17) Following the illegitimate election results, 
tens of thousands of Belarusian protestors took to 
the streets, led predominately by women, resulting in 
the largest protest rallies in Belarus’ modern his-
tory, with over 1,400 reported as injured by 
Belarusian police in August and September 2020, 
over 37,000 detained by May 2021, and several 
killed for protesting the fraudulent election. 
‘‘(18) The Government of Belarus has consist-
ently restricted the free flow of information to si-
lence the opposition and to conceal the regime’s vio-
lent crackdown on peaceful protestors, including 
through the suppression of independent media and 
journalists, and disruption of free internet access. 
‘‘(19) After the employees of state media out-
lets walked off the job in protest rather than help 
report 
misleading 
government 
propaganda, 
Lukashenka confirmed that he ‘asked the Russians’ 
to send teams of Russian journalists to replace local 
employees. 
‘‘(20) Following Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s Sep-
tember 23, 2020, inauguration, the United States, 
the European Union, numerous European states, the 
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United Kingdom, and Canada announced that they 
cannot consider Mr. Lukashenka as the legitimately 
elected leader of Belarus. 
‘‘(21) As a result of the Lukashenka regime’s 
violence against the Belarusian people and depriva-
tion of their fundamental rights, the United States 
Congress passed and the President signed into law 
the Belarus Democracy, Human Rights, and Sov-
ereignty Act of 2020 to demand the rights of the 
Belarusian people be respected and to hold account-
able those who undermine them. 
‘‘(22) As a result of the Lukashenka regime’s 
violence against its own people, in December 2020, 
Members of Congress and transatlantic parliamen-
tarians wrote a letter to the International Ice Hock-
ey Federation President demanding the champion-
ship be relocated from Belarus. 
‘‘(23) In response to the Government of 
Belarus’ repressive actions following the 2020 elec-
tion, the United States, along with the European 
Union, imposed various sanctions packages on indi-
viduals and entities involved with the suppression of 
democracy in Belarus, including— 
‘‘(A) the Central Election Commission of 
the Republic of Belarus and officials deter-
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mined to be responsible for undermining democ-
racy in Belarus; 
‘‘(B) entities and persons determined to be 
involved in the violent suppression of protestors, 
such as the Minsk Special Purpose Police Unit, 
the Main Internal Affairs Directorate of the 
Minsk City Executive Committee, and KGB 
Alpha; and 
‘‘(C) state-owned enterprises that provide 
revenue to support Lukashenka’s authoritarian 
regime. 
‘‘(24) In April 2021, the House of Representa-
tives passed House Resolution 124 reaffirming that 
the August 2020 elections were neither free nor fair 
and that the House of Representatives does not rec-
ognize Alyaksandr Lukashenka as Belarus’ legiti-
mate president. 
‘‘(25) On May 23, 2021, the Government of 
Belarus forced Ryanair Flight 4978 to land in 
Belarus as it neared the border of Lithuania after 
calling in a false bomb report and subsequently ar-
rested independent Belarusian opposition blogger 
and political activist Raman Pratasevich and his 
girlfriend, threatening the safety of every passenger 
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aboard the civilian flight, and ultimately detaining 
Pratasevich as a political prisoner. 
‘‘(26) In May 2021, the European Union 
pledged a comprehensive plan of economic support 
worth up to 3 billion euros to assist in the develop-
ment of a future, democratic Belarus following a 
democratic transition. 
‘‘(27) As of May 2025, the Government of 
Belarus, led illegally by Alyaksandr Lukashenka, un-
lawfully holds nearly 1,300 people as political pris-
oners, including dozens of journalists, peaceful 
protestors, business leaders, and democracy activists, 
including Siarhei Tsikhanouski, a former opposition 
leader who is held incommunicado, Ilhar Losik and 
Ihar Karney, journalists with Radio Free Europe/ 
Radio 
Liberty, 
Andrzej 
Poczubut, 
a 
Polish- 
Belarusian journalist, and Artsiom Liabedzka, the 
son of exiled former opposition leader Anatol 
Liabedzka. 
‘‘(28) Since August 2020, the the Government 
of Belarus, led illegally by Alyaksandr Lukashenka, 
has targeted religious communities who raised their 
voices against the undemocratic rule and violent re-
pression committed by the authorities, and has un-
lawfully detained nearly 90 members of the clergy, 
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including 39 Catholic priests and religious, 30 
Protestant ministers, and 20 Orthodox priests and 
religious, including 5 priests who are currently re-
main behind bars and are recognized as political 
prisoners. 
‘‘(29) The now-suspended Belarusian branch of 
the Red Cross has publicly confirmed its involvement 
in transferring children from Ukraine to the terri-
tory of Belarus, and the illegitimate leader of the 
Government of Belarus, Alyaksandr Lukashenka, 
has publicly confirmed that he permitted these 
transfers. 
‘‘(30) In Spring 2023, the Government of 
Belarus announced plans for the deployment of nu-
clear weapons from the Russian Federation to the 
territory of Belarus, which reportedly began in the 
summer of this same year. 
‘‘(31) The Government of Belarus has harbored 
the Wagner Group, a private military company the 
United States has designated as a Transnational 
Criminal Organization, and provided facilities, re-
sources, and a staging ground for the group’s crimi-
nal operations. 
‘‘(32) The Government of Belarus has report-
edly provided the Government of the Russian Fed-
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eration with tens of thousands of tons of ammuni-
tion throughout Russia’s unprovoked war of aggres-
sion in Ukraine. 
‘‘(33) As a result of the Government of 
Belarus’ support to the Russian Federation during 
its unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine, 
the United States, the European Union, and the 
United Kingdom have repeatedly issued further 
sanctions packages against the Lukashenka regime 
to target Belarusian military officers as well as indi-
viduals in the military sector, restrictions on entities 
in Belarus’ defense and industrial sectors, and enti-
ties that provide support to Belarus’ military and in-
dustrial sectors. 
‘‘(34) The Government of Belarus is reportedly 
engaging in the purchase of significant amounts of 
military equipment from the sanctioned Islamic Re-
public of Iran. 
‘‘(35) On August 6, 2023, the Belarusian 
democratic opposition issued a declaration express-
ing their objective of developing democracy in 
Belarus and pursuing membership in the European 
Union and, by extension, joining the Trans-Atlantic 
community. 
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‘‘(36) The democratic opposition of Belarus 
have called on the Government of Belarus, led ille-
gally by Alyaksandr Lukashenka, to end its com-
plicity and involvement in the war in Ukraine, and 
urged against the conscription of men into the 
Belarusian military. 
‘‘(37) On February 28, 2022, the Department 
of State ordered the departure of United States Gov-
ernment employees and the suspension of operations 
of the United States Embassy in Minsk. 
‘‘(38) On August 21, 2023, the United States 
Government directed all United States citizens to 
leave Belarus immediately due to the illegitimate 
Belarusian authorities’ continued cooperation with 
the Russian military and facilitation of Russia’s 
unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine, and 
the risk of detention and arbitrary enforcement of 
local laws against United States citizens. 
‘‘(39) In September 2023, the Government of 
Belarus deprived Belarusians living abroad of their 
ability to renew their passports through Belarusian 
embassies in an attempt to make life difficult for 
and to force exiles, critics, and expats to return to 
Belarus for document renewal and possibly face per-
secution. 
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‘‘(40) In December 2023, the United States 
Government held a Strategic Dialogue with the 
Belarusian democratic opposition and civil society 
and subsequently announced a continuation of ef-
forts to hold Alyaksandr Lukashenka and his regime 
accountable for their crimes, a commitment to sup-
porting Belarusian culture, sovereignty, and national 
identity, as well as the need for future working 
groups with the democratic opposition. 
‘‘(41) On February 25, 2024, the Government 
of Belarus administered fraudulent parliamentary 
elections in an environment marked by censorship, 
persecution of political opposition, illegal manipula-
tion of the vote, and the lack of any international 
observers from credible organizations. 
‘‘(42) In December 2024 Lukashenka an-
nounced that Belarus is hosting dozens of Russian 
nuclear weapons and will prepare facilities for 
hosting Russian hypersonic missiles. 
‘‘(43) On January 26, 2025, the Government of 
Belarus administered fraudulent presidential elec-
tions in an environment marked by censorship, per-
secution of political opposition, illegal manipulation 
of the vote, the lack of any international observers 
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from credible organizations, and declared victory for 
Lukashenka. 
‘‘(44) The Russian Federation has facilitated 
and the Belarusian government is complicit in the il-
legal abduction and transfer of more than 2,400 
Ukrainian children from Russian-occupied regions of 
Ukraine to facilities in Belarus where they undergo 
political and cultural reeducation and military train-
ing. 
‘‘(45) The United States has imposed sanctions 
on hundreds of Belarusian individuals and entities, 
including visa restrictions against Belarusan govern-
ment officials for undermining democracy in Belarus 
and supporting Russia’s illegal war of aggression in 
Ukraine, and their complicity in the abduction of 
Ukrainian children from Russian-occupied territories 
of Ukraine.’ ’’’ 
SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY. 
Section 3 of the Belarus Democracy Act of 2004 
(Public Law 108–347; 22 U.S.C. 5811 note) is amended 
to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY. 
‘‘It is the policy of the United States— 
‘‘(1) to condemn— 
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‘‘(A) the conduct of the August 9, 2020, 
presidential election in Belarus, which was nei-
ther free nor fair; 
‘‘(B) the Belarusian authorities’ unrelent-
ing crackdown on, arbitrary arrests of, and vio-
lence against opposition candidates, democratic 
opposition, peaceful protestors, human rights 
activists, employees from state-owned enter-
prises participating in strikes, independent elec-
tion observers, and independent journalists and 
bloggers; and 
‘‘(C) the unjustified detention and forced 
or attempted deportation of members of the Co-
ordination Council and United Transitional 
Cabinet in Belarus; 
‘‘(2) to condemn the illegitimate Belarusian au-
thorities’ allowance of Russian nuclear weapons to 
be deployed to Belarusian territory, their continued 
political 
and 
material 
support 
for 
Russia’s 
unprovoked war of aggression in Ukraine, and their 
continued participation in abducting and deporting 
Ukrainian children from territory occupied by the 
Russian Federation to the territory of Belarus; 
‘‘(3) to condemn the presence of Russian forces 
in Belarusian territory and demand the cessation of 
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the use of Belarusian territory by Russian forces as 
a staging ground for Russia’s illegal, full-scale war 
of aggression against Ukraine or for the prevention 
of a peaceful democratic transition in Belarus; 
‘‘(4) to demand accountability for the illegal 
Lukashenka regime’s complicity in the crime of ag-
gression against Ukraine through international jus-
tice mechanisms; 
‘‘(5) to condemn the weaponization of migrants 
wherein the Government of Belarus, led illegally by 
Alyaksandr Lukashenka, has sent thousands of mi-
grants to the borders of Poland and Lithuania in an 
attempt to destabilize the border region; 
‘‘(6) to continue demanding the immediate re-
lease without preconditions of all political prisoners 
in Belarus and those arrested for peacefully pro-
testing, including all those individuals detained in 
connection with the August 9, 2020, fraudulent 
presidential election; 
‘‘(7) to stand in solidarity with the people of 
Belarus, including human rights defenders, bloggers, 
and journalists, who are exercising their right to 
freedom of assembly, freedom of expression, and rule 
of law and to continue supporting the aspirations of 
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the people of Belarus for democracy, human rights, 
and the rule of law; 
‘‘(8) to continue actively supporting the aspira-
tions of the people of the Republic of Belarus to pre-
serve the independence and sovereignty of their 
country; 
‘‘(9) 
to 
continue 
refusing 
to 
recognize 
Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s illegitimate regime and to 
continue supporting calls for Belarusian presidential 
and parliamentary elections to be conducted in a 
manner that is free and fair according to Organiza-
tion for Security and Cooperation in Europe 
(OSCE) standards and under the supervision of 
OSCE observers and independent domestic observ-
ers, including in the 2025 presidential elections; 
‘‘(10) to continue calling for the Government of 
Belarus to fulfill its freely undertaken obligations as 
an OSCE participating state and as a signatory of 
the Charter of the United Nations; 
‘‘(11) to recognize the Coordination Council 
and the United Transitional Cabinet as legitimate 
institutions to participate in a dialogue on a peaceful 
transition of power, and to support these institutions 
prior to and during such a transition should it take 
place; 
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‘‘(12) to condemn the deprivation of consular 
services to Belarusian citizens living abroad, includ-
ing representatives of the Belarusian democratic op-
position, and urge the United States to raise this to 
the United Nations High Commissioner for Refu-
gees, the International Organization for Migration, 
the Council of Europe, and the Organization for Se-
curity and Cooperation in Europe; 
‘‘(13) to encourage the United States Govern-
ment to continue working closely with the European 
Union, the United Kingdom, Canada, and other 
countries and international organizations to continue 
to impose targeted sanctions against officials in 
Belarus who are responsible for— 
‘‘(A) undermining democratic processes in 
Belarus; 
‘‘(B) participating in gross violations of 
internationally recognized human rights related 
to political repression in Belarus and under-
mining rule of law for the people of Belarus; or 
‘‘(C) enabling or facilitating Russia’s war 
in Ukraine; 
‘‘(14) to call on the Government of Belarus to 
uphold its human rights obligations, including those 
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rights enumerated in the International Covenant on 
Civil and Political Rights; 
‘‘(15) to encourage the United States to expedi-
tiously appoint a U.S. Special Envoy for Belarus to 
fill the role vacated in June 2022; and 
‘‘(16) to support the use of the Strategic Dia-
logue between the United States Government as a 
means of furthering ties between the United States 
Government and the representatives of the demo-
cratic opposition of Belarus in pursuit of objectives, 
including— 
‘‘(A) accountability for the Lukashenka re-
gime’s gross violations of internationally recog-
nized human rights and domestic repressions; 
and 
‘‘(B) increasing partnerships with the 
Belarusian people by supporting investments; 
and 
support for the protection of Belarusian language, 
culture, and national identity.’’. 
SEC. 4. ASSISTANCE TO PROMOTE DEMOCRACY, CIVIL SO-
CIETY, AND SOVEREIGNTY IN BELARUS. 
Section 4 of the Belarus Democracy Act of 2004 
(Public Law 108–347; 22 U.S.C. 5811 note) is amend-
ed— 
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(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘, the 
United Transitional Cabinet, and the Coordina-
tion Council’’ after ‘‘the Republic of Belarus’’; 
and 
(B) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(5) To assist in the cessation of Belarus’ sup-
port for the Government of Russia in Russia’s 
unprovoked war of aggression in Ukraine.’’; 
(2) in subsection (b), by adding at the end be-
fore the period the following ‘‘, including political 
party strengthening’’; 
(3) by amending subsection (c) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(c) ACTIVITIES SUPPORTED.—Activities that may 
be supported by assistance under subsection (b) include— 
‘‘(1) expanding independent radio and television 
broadcasting to and within Belarus; 
‘‘(2) facilitating the development of independent 
broadcast, print, and internet media working within 
Belarus and from locations outside the country and 
supported by nonstate-controlled printing facilities; 
‘‘(3) countering internet censorship and repres-
sive surveillance technology that seek to limit free 
association, control access to information, and pre-
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vent citizens from exercising their rights to free 
speech; 
‘‘(4) raising awareness both within Belarus and 
globally about Lukashenka’s complicity in Russia’s 
unprovoked war of aggression in Ukraine, including 
how the Lukashenka regime is providing support to 
the Russian military and committing crimes against 
Ukrainian children; 
‘‘(5) aiding the development of civil society 
through assistance to nongovernmental organizations 
promoting democracy and supporting human rights, 
including youth groups, entrepreneurs, and inde-
pendent trade unions; 
‘‘(6) supporting programming that contributes 
to the defense of Belarusian sovereignty and inde-
pendence from encroachment by the Russian Fed-
eration; 
‘‘(7) supporting the work of human rights de-
fenders; 
‘‘(8) enhancing the development of democratic 
political parties; 
‘‘(9) assisting the promotion of free, fair, and 
transparent electoral processes; 
‘‘(10) enhancing international exchanges and 
advanced professional training programs for leaders 
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and members of the democratic opposition in skill 
areas central to the development of civil society; 
‘‘(11) supporting the work of women advocating 
for freedom, human rights, and human progress in 
Belarus given the significant and vital role women 
have played in the Belarus democracy movement; 
‘‘(12) supporting the development of Belarusian 
language and cultural education and exchanges to 
preserve and protect Belarusian national identity; 
‘‘(13) supporting further iterations of the Stra-
tegic Dialogue between the United States and the 
Belarusian democratic opposition and civil society as 
a platform to work on issues of mutual concern; 
‘‘(14) enhancing the development of the private 
sector, particularly the information technology sec-
tor, and its role in the economy of Belarus, including 
by increasing the capacity of private sector actors, 
developing business support organizations, offering 
entrepreneurship training, and expanding access to 
finance for small and medium enterprises; 
‘‘(15) supporting political refugees in neigh-
boring European countries fleeing the crackdown in 
Belarus; 
‘‘(16) supporting the education of Belarusians 
in exile; 
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‘‘(17) supporting the gathering of evidence on 
and investigating of gross violations of internation-
ally recognized human rights in Belarus; and 
‘‘(18) other activities consistent with the pur-
poses of this Act.’’; 
(4) in subsection (f)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘the Belarus Democracy, 
Human Rights, and Sovereignty Act of 2020’’ 
and inserting ‘‘the Belarus Democracy, Human 
Rights, and Sovereignty Act of 2025’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end before the period 
the following: ‘‘as well as the methodology and 
benchmarks used to assess the effectiveness of 
such funds’’; and 
(5) by amending subsection (g) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to the President to carry 
out this section— 
‘‘(1) for fiscal year 2026 an amount equal to 
not less than the amount made available to carry out 
this section for fiscal year 2025; and 
‘‘(2) for fiscal year 2027 an amount equal to 
not less than the amount made available to carry out 
this section for fiscal year 2026.’’. 
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SEC. 5. INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING, INTERNET FREE-
DOM, AND ACCESS TO INFORMATION IN 
BELARUS. 
Section 5 of the Belarus Democracy Act of 2004 
(Public Law 109–480; 22 U.S.C. 5811 note) is amend-
ed— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) BY
STRIKING ‘‘(A)
SENSE
OF
CON-
GRESS.—; 
(B) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 
the end; 
(C) in paragraph (5), by striking the pe-
riod at the end and inserting the following: 
‘‘and advocate for the release of journalists that 
are detained by political reasons; and’’; and 
(D) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(6) the United States should also support 
independent media outlets and other sources of in-
formation in providing accurate and truthful infor-
mation about Russia’s unprovoked war of aggression 
in Ukraine, and the illegitimate Lukashenka re-
gime’s complicity in Russia’s crimes of aggression.’’; 
and 
(2) by striking subsection (b). 
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SEC. 
6. 
SANCTIONS 
AGAINST 
THE 
GOVERNMENT 
OF 
BELARUS. 
Section 6 of the Belarus Democracy Act of 2004 
(Public Law 109–480; 22 U.S.C. 5811 note) is amend-
ed— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘The sanctions’’ and in-
serting the following: 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The sanctions’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(2) 
MAINTENANCE
OF
EXISTING
SANC-
TIONS.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—Any sanctions im-
posed pursuant to the Executive orders de-
scribed in subparagraph (B) that were imposed 
in connection with conduct relating to, con-
cerning, or occurring in Belarus should remain 
in effect until the President determines and cer-
tifies to the appropriate congressional commit-
tees that the Government of Belarus has made 
significant progress in meeting the conditions 
described in subsection (c). 
‘‘(B) EXECUTIVE
ORDERS
DESCRIBED.— 
The Executive orders described in this subpara-
graph are the following: 
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‘‘(i) Executive Order 13405 (71 Fed. 
Reg. 35485; relating to blocking property 
of certain persons undermining democratic 
processes or institutions in Belarus). 
‘‘(ii) Executive Order 14024 (86 Fed. 
Reg. 20249; relating to blocking property 
with respect to specified harmful foreign 
activities of the Government of the Russian 
Federation). 
‘‘(iii) Executive Order 14038 (86 Fed. 
Reg. 43905; relating to blocking property 
of additional persons contributing to the 
situation in Belarus).’’; 
(2) in subsection (b)— 
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), 
by striking ‘‘subsection (a)’’ and inserting 
‘‘paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a)’’; 
(B) by striking paragraph (2); 
(C) by redesignating paragraphs (3), (4), 
and (5) as paragraphs (2), (3), and (4), respec-
tively; and 
(D) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(5) The withdrawal of the armed forces of the 
Russian Federation from the Republic of Belarus 
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‘‘(6) is a government official or member of the 
security or law enforcement services of Belarus and 
has participated in the persecution or harassment of 
religious groups, human rights defenders, democratic 
opposition groups, or independent media or journal-
ists; 
‘‘(7) is an individual determined by the Presi-
dent to be interfering in the internal affairs of the 
Republic of Belarus on behalf of or at the direction 
of the Government of the Russian Federation; 
‘‘(8) is an official who provides for, facilitates, 
or otherwise enables or engages with the abduction 
and deportation of Ukrainian children from terri-
tories illegally occupied by the Russian Federation to 
the territory of Belarus; 
‘‘(9) is an official who provides for, facilitates, 
or otherwise enables the Russian Federation to use 
the territory or Belarus to further its unprovoked in-
vasion of Ukraine; 
‘‘(10) is an official of the so-called ‘Union 
State’ between Russia and Belarus (regardless of 
nationality of the individual) or works toward the 
furtherance of such Union State; or 
‘‘(11) is a Russian individual that has signifi-
cantly participated in the crackdown on independent 
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press or human rights abuses related to political re-
pression in Belarus, including the Russian propa-
gandists 
sent 
to 
replace 
local 
employees 
at 
Belarusian state media outlets.’’; 
(4) by amending subsection (f) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(f) BLOCKING OF ASSETS AND OTHER PROHIBITED 
ACTIVITIES.— 
‘‘(1) MANDATORY
SANCTION.—The President 
shall impose the sanction described in paragraph (3) 
with respect to each foreign person that the Presi-
dent determines— 
‘‘(A) is a member of the Central Election 
Commission of Belarus or assisted the Commis-
sion in manipulating elections in Belarus in-
cluding the presidential election of August 9, 
2020; 
‘‘(B) is a government official or member of 
the security or law enforcement services of 
Belarus and has participated in the persecution 
or harassment of religious groups, human 
rights defenders, democratic opposition groups, 
or independent media or journalists; 
‘‘(C) is an individual determined by the 
President to be knowingly interfering in the in-
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ternal affairs of the Republic of Belarus on be-
half of or at the direction of the Government of 
the Russian Federation; 
‘‘(D) is an official who knowingly engages 
in the abduction and deportation of Ukrainian 
children from territories illegally occupied by 
the Russian Federation to the territory of 
Belarus; 
‘‘(E) is an official who knowingly supports 
and provides for, the Russian Federation’s use 
of the territory or Belarus to further its 
unprovoked invasion of Ukraine; or 
‘‘(F) is an official in the so-called ‘Union 
State’ between Russia and Belarus (regardless 
of nationality of the individual) or works toward 
the furtherance of such ‘Union State’. 
‘‘(2) DISCRETIONARY
SANCTION.—The Presi-
dent may impose the sanction described in para-
graph (3) with respect to each foreign person that 
the President determines— 
‘‘(A) holds a position in the senior leader-
ship of the Government of Belarus; 
‘‘(B) is an immediate family member of a 
person described in subparagraph (A); or 
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‘‘(C) through his or her business dealings 
with a person described in subparagraph (A) 
derives significant financial benefit from policies 
or actions, including electoral fraud, gross viola-
tions of internationally recognized human 
rights, or corruption, that undermine or injure 
democratic institutions or impede the transition 
to democracy in Belarus. 
‘‘(3) SANCTION
DESCRIBED.—The President 
shall exercise all of the powers granted to the Presi-
dent under the International Emergency Economic 
Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) to the extent 
necessary to block and prohibit all transactions in 
property and interests in property of the foreign per-
son if such property and interests in property are in 
the United States, come within the United States, or 
are or come within the possession or control of a 
United States person. 
‘‘(4) EXCEPTIONS.— 
‘‘(A) EXCEPTION RELATING TO THE PRO-
VISION
OF
HUMANITARIAN
ASSISTANCE.—The 
sanction described in paragraph (3) may not be 
imposed with respect to transactions or the fa-
cilitation of transactions for— 
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‘‘(i) the sale of agricultural commod-
ities, food, medicine, or medical devices; 
‘‘(ii) the provision of humanitarian as-
sistance; 
‘‘(iii) financial transactions relating to 
humanitarian assistance; or 
‘‘(iv) transporting goods or services 
that are necessary to carry out operations 
relating to humanitarian assistance. 
‘‘(B) EXCEPTION FOR INTELLIGENCE, LAW 
ENFORCEMENT, AND NATIONAL SECURITY AC-
TIVITIES.—The sanction described in paragraph 
(3) shall not apply to any authorized intel-
ligence, law enforcement, or national security 
activities of the United States. 
‘‘(5) WAIVER.—The President may, on a case- 
by-case basis and for periods not to exceed 180 days 
each, waive the application of the sanction described 
in paragraph (3) imposed with respect to a foreign 
person under this subsection if the President cer-
tifies to the appropriate congressional committees 
not later than 15 days before such waiver is to take 
effect that the waiver is important to the national 
security interests of the United States. 
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‘‘(6) PENALTIES.—Any person who violates, at-
tempts to violate, or causes a violation of this sub-
section or any regulation, license, or order issued to 
carry out this subsection shall be subject to the pen-
alties under section 206 of the International Emer-
gency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1705) to the 
same extent as a person that commits an unlawful 
act under that Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.). 
‘‘(7) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection— 
‘‘(A) the term ‘air carrier’ has the meaning 
given that term in section 40102 of title 49, 
United States Code; 
‘‘(B) the term ‘foreign person’ means a 
person that is not a United States person; and 
‘‘(C) the term ‘United States person’ 
means— 
‘‘(i) any United States citizen or alien 
admitted for permanent residence to the 
United States; 
‘‘(ii) any entity organized under the 
laws of the United States; and 
‘‘(iii) any person in the United 
States.’’. 
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