SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Venezuelan Human 
Rights and Democracy Protection Act’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITION. 
In this Act, the term ‘‘appropriate congressional com-
mittees’’ means— 
(1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the 
Committee on Financial Services, the Committee on 
the Judiciary, and the Committee on Ways and 
Means of the House of Representatives; and 
(2) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the 
Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, 
and the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate. 
SEC. 3. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) On February 12, 2014, also known in Ven-
ezuela as the National Youth Day, students began 
protesting in several cities against Venezuelan leader 
Nicola´s Maduro’s inability to stem violent crime, his 
undemocratic actions, and a rapidly deteriorating 
economy marked by high inflation and shortages of 
consumer goods. 
(2) On February 12, 2014, a judge issued an 
arrest warrant for Leopoldo Lo´pez, leader of the op-
position party Voluntad Popular, for allegations in 
connection with the student protests.
(3) On February 17, 2014, the Government of 
Venezuela notified the United States Department of 
State that it had declared 3 consular officers at the 
United States Embassy in Venezuela personae non 
gratae. 
(4) On February 18, 2014, opposition leader 
Leopoldo Lo´pez turned himself in to Venezuelan au-
thorities, was arrested, and charged with criminal 
incitement, conspiracy, arson, and intent to damage 
property. 
(5) Leopoldo Lo´pez is currently being held in a 
prison at a military facility. 
(6) Nongovernmental human rights organiza-
tions have alleged that the charges brought against 
Leopoldo Lo´pez appear to be a politically motivated 
attempt to silence dissent in the country. 
(7) As of May 1, 2014, there have been 41 peo-
ple killed, a reported 60 cases of torture, over 100 
injured, and many oppressively detained in relation 
to pro-democracy demonstrations throughout Ven-
ezuela. 
(8) On February 19, 2014, President Obama 
criticized the Government of Venezuela for arresting 
protesters, called for their release, and urged the
government to focus on the ‘‘legitimate grievances of 
the Venezuelan people’’. 
(9) According to the Department of State’s 
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 
2013 for Venezuela, ‘‘The principal human rights 
abuses reported during the year included corruption, 
politicization in the judicial system, and government 
actions to impede freedom of expression and restrict 
freedom of the press. The government did not re-
spect judicial independence or permit judges to act 
according to the law without fear of retaliation. The 
government used the judiciary to intimidate and se-
lectively prosecute political, union, business, and civil 
society leaders who were critical of government poli-
cies or actions. The government harassed and intimi-
dated privately owned television stations, other 
media outlets, and journalists throughout the year, 
using threats, fines, property seizures, targeted reg-
ulations, arrests, and criminal investigations and 
prosecutions.’’. 
(10) According to the Department of State’s 
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 
2013 for Venezuela, ‘‘The following human rights 
problems were reported by NGOs, the media, and in 
some cases the government itself: unlawful killings,
including summary killings by police elements; tor-
ture and other cruel, inhumane, or degrading treat-
ment; harsh and life-threatening prison conditions 
and lack of due process rights that contributed to 
widespread violence, riots, injuries, and deaths in 
prisons; inadequate juvenile detention centers; arbi-
trary arrests and detentions; corruption and impu-
nity in police forces; political prisoners; interference 
with privacy rights; corruption at all levels of gov-
ernment; threats against domestic NGOs; violence 
against women; anti-Semitism in the official media; 
trafficking in persons; violence based on sexual ori-
entation and gender identity; and restrictions on 
workers’ right of association.’’. 
(11) According to Freedom House’s Freedom in 
the World report of 2013 on Venezuela, ‘‘Nicola´s 
Maduro, further weakened the independent media, 
reduced the opposition’s ability to serve as a check 
on government policy, and made threats to civil soci-
ety groups.’’. 
SEC. 4. ACTIONS AT THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN 
STATES. 
The Secretary of State shall direct the United States 
Permanent Representative to the Organization of Amer-
ican States to use the voice, vote, and influence of the
United States at the Organization of American States to 
defend and protect the Inter-American Democratic Char-
ter, and strengthen efforts by international and multilat-
eral organizations to advance the protection of human 
rights throughout the Western Hemisphere, especially in 
Venezuela. 
SEC. 5. SANCTIONS ON PERSONS RESPONSIBLE FOR VIO-
LENCE IN VENEZUELA. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The President shall impose the 
sanctions described in subsection (b)(1)(A) and the Sec-
retary of State or the Secretary of Homeland Security (or 
a designee of one of such Secretaries) shall impose the 
sanctions described in subsection (b)(1)(B) with respect 
to any person, including a current or former official of 
the Government of Venezuela or a person acting on behalf 
of that Government, that the President, or the Secretary 
of State or the Secretary of Homeland Security (or a des-
ignee of one of such Secretaries), as the case may be, de-
termines— 
(1) has perpetrated, or is responsible for order-
ing, controlling, or otherwise directing, significant 
acts of violence or serious human rights abuses in 
Venezuela against individuals participating in pro-
tests in Venezuela that began on February 12, 2014;
(2) has directed or ordered the arrest or pros-
ecution of a person primarily because of the person’s 
legitimate exercise of freedom of expression or as-
sembly in relation to the protests in Venezuela that 
began on February 12, 2014; 
(3) has knowingly materially assisted, spon-
sored, or provided significant financial, material, or 
technological support for, or goods or services in 
support of, the commission of acts described in para-
graph (1) or (2) in relation to protests in Venezuela 
that began on February 12, 2014; or 
(4) has engaged in censorship against individ-
uals or media outlets disseminating information in 
relation to protests in Venezuela that began on Feb-
ruary 12, 2014. 
(b) SANCTIONS DESCRIBED.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The sanctions described in 
this subsection are the following: 
(A) ASSET BLOCKING.— 
(i) IN GENERAL.—The exercise of all 
powers granted to the President by the 
International Emergency Economic Powers 
Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) to the extent 
necessary to block and prohibit all trans-
actions in all property and interests in
Secretary of Homeland Security (or a des-
ignee of one of such Secretaries) knows or 
has reasonable grounds to believe meets 
any of the criteria described in subsection 
(a) is— 
(I) inadmissible to the United 
States; 
(II) ineligible to receive a visa or 
other documentation to enter the 
United States; and 
(III) otherwise ineligible to be 
admitted or paroled into the United 
States or to receive any other benefit 
under the Immigration and Nation-
ality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.). 
(ii) CURRENT VISAS REVOKED.— 
(I) IN
GENERAL.—The issuing 
consular officer, the Secretary of 
State, or the Secretary of Homeland 
Security (or a designee of one of such 
Secretaries) shall revoke any visa or 
other entry documentation issued to 
an alien who meets any of the criteria 
described in subsection (a), regardless 
of when issued.
(II) EFFECT OF REVOCATION.— 
A revocation under subclause (I) shall 
take effect immediately; and shall 
automatically cancel any other valid 
visa or entry documentation that is in 
the alien’s possession. 
(2) PENALTIES.—A person that is subject to 
sanctions described in paragraph (1)(A) shall be 
subject to the penalties set forth in subsections (b) 
and (c) of 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 described in subsection (a) of that section. 
(3) EXCEPTION TO COMPLY WITH UNITED NA-
TIONS
HEADQUARTERS
AGREEMENT.—Sanctions 
under paragraph (1)(B) shall not apply to an alien 
if admitting the alien into the United States is nec-
essary to permit the United States to comply with 
the Agreement regarding the Headquarters of the 
United Nations, signed at Lake Success June 26, 
1947, and entered into force November 21, 1947, 
between the United Nations and the United States, 
or other applicable international obligations.
(c) WAIVER.—The President may waive the applica-
tion of sanctions under subsection (b) with respect to a 
person if the President— 
(1) determines that such a waiver is in the na-
tional interests of the United States and on or be-
fore the date on which the waiver takes effect, sub-
mits to the appropriate congressional committees a 
notice of and justification for the waiver; or 
(2) determines that the conditions in Venezuela 
have improved with regard to respect for peaceful 
protest and basic human rights and on or before the 
date on which the waiver takes effect, submits to the 
appropriate congressional committees a notice of and 
justification for the waiver. 
(d) IMPLEMENTATION AUTHORITY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The President may exercise 
all authorities provided to the President under sec-
tions 203 and 205 of the International Emergency 
Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1702 and 1704) 
for purposes of carrying out this section. 
(2) EXCEPTION.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The authority to im-
pose sanctions under paragraph (1) shall not 
include the authority to impose sanctions relat-
ing to the importation of goods.
(B) GOOD
DEFINED.—In subparagraph 
(A), the term ‘‘good’’ has the meaning given 
that term in section 16 of the Export Adminis-
tration Act of 1979 (50 U.S.C. App. 2415) (as 
continued in effect pursuant to the Inter-
national Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 
U.S.C. 1701 et seq.)). 
(e) REGULATORY AUTHORITY.—The President shall 
issue such regulations, licenses, and orders as are nec-
essary to carry out this section. 
(f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) ADMITTED; ALIEN.—The terms ‘‘admitted’’ 
and ‘‘alien’’ have meanings given those terms in sec-
tion 101 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
U.S.C. 1101). 
(2) MATERIALLY ASSISTED.—The term ‘‘mate-
rially assisted’’ means the provision of assistance 
that is significant and of a kind directly relevant to 
acts described in paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection 
(a). 
(3) 
UNITED
STATES
PERSON.—The 
term 
‘‘United States person’’ means— 
(A) a United States citizen or an alien law-
fully admitted for permanent residence to the 
United States; or
(B) an entity organized under the laws of 
the United States or of any jurisdiction within 
the United States, including a foreign branch of 
such an entity. 
SEC. 6. IMPOSITION OF SANCTIONS WITH RESPECT TO THE 
TRANSFER OF GOODS OR TECHNOLOGIES TO 
VENEZUELA THAT ARE LIKELY TO BE USED 
TO COMMIT HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The President shall impose sanc-
tions described in section 5(b) with respect to each person 
on the list required under subsection (b) of this section. 
(b) LIST.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the President 
shall transmit to the appropriate congressional com-
mittees a list of persons who the President deter-
mines have knowingly engaged in an activity de-
scribed in paragraph (2) on or after such date of en-
actment. 
(2) ACTIVITY DESCRIBED.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—A person knowingly en-
gages in an activity described in this paragraph 
if the person— 
(i) transfers, or facilitates the transfer 
of, goods or technologies described in sub-
paragraph (C) to Venezuela, any person 
organized under the laws of Venezuela, or 
any national of Venezuela, for use in or 
with respect to Venezuela; or 
(ii) provides services (including serv-
ices relating to hardware, software, and 
specialized information, and professional 
consulting, engineering, and support serv-
ices) with respect to goods or technologies 
described in subparagraph (C) after such 
goods or technologies are transferred to 
Venezuela. 
(B) APPLICABILITY
TO
CONTRACTS
AND 
OTHER AGREEMENTS.—A person engages in an 
activity described in subparagraph (A) without 
regard to whether the activity is carried out 
pursuant to a contract or other agreement en-
tered into before, on, or after the date of the 
enactment of this Act. 
(C) 
GOODS
OR
TECHNOLOGIES
DE-
SCRIBED.— 
(i) IN
GENERAL.—Goods or tech-
nologies described in this subparagraph are 
goods or technologies that the President 
determines are to be used by the Govern-
(aa) to restrict the free flow 
of unbiased information in Ven-
ezuela; or 
(bb) to disrupt, monitor, or 
otherwise restrict speech of the 
people of Venezuela. 
(II) 
EXCEPTION.—The 
term 
‘‘sensitive technology’’ does not in-
clude information or informational 
materials the exportation of which the 
President does not have the authority 
to regulate or prohibit pursuant to 
section 203(b)(3) of the International 
Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 
U.S.C. 1702(b)(3)). 
(3) SPECIAL
RULE
TO
ALLOW
FOR
TERMI-
NATION
OF
SANCTIONABLE
ACTIVITY.—The Presi-
dent shall not be required to include a person on the 
list required under paragraph (1) if— 
(A) the President determines that the per-
son is no longer engaging in, or has taken sig-
nificant credible steps toward stopping (includ-
ing winding down contracts or other agreements 
that were in effect prior to the date of the en-
actment of this Act) the activity described in
paragraph (2) for which the President would 
otherwise have included the person on the list; 
and 
(B) the President has received reliable as-
surances that such person will not knowingly 
engage in any new activity described in such 
paragraph (2). 
(4) UPDATES
OF
LIST.—The President shall 
transmit to the appropriate congressional commit-
tees an updated list under paragraph (1)— 
(A) not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act; and 
(B) as new information becomes available. 
(5) FORM OF LIST; PUBLIC AVAILABILITY.— 
(A) FORM.—The list required under para-
graph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified 
form but may contain a classified annex. 
(B) PUBLIC AVAILABILITY.—The unclassi-
fied portion of the list required under para-
graph (1) shall be made available to the public 
and posted on the Web site of the Department 
of State. 
(c) WAIVER.—The President may waive the applica-
tion of sanctions described in section 5(b) with respect to
a person on the list required under subsection (b) of this 
section if the President— 
(1) determines that such a waiver is in the na-
tional interests of the United States and on or be-
fore the date on which the waiver takes effect, sub-
mits to the appropriate congressional committees a 
notice of and justification for the waiver; or 
(2) determines that the conditions in Venezuela 
have improved with regard to respect for peaceful 
protest and basic human rights and on or before the 
date on which the waiver takes effect, submits to the 
appropriate congressional committees a notice of and 
justification for the waiver. 
(d) IMPLEMENTATION AUTHORITY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The President may exercise 
all authorities provided under sections 203 and 205 
of the International Emergency Economic Powers 
Act (50 U.S.C. 1702 and 1704) to carry out this 
section. 
(2) EXCEPTION.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The authority to im-
pose sanctions under paragraph (1) shall not 
include the authority to impose sanctions relat-
ing to the importation of goods.
(B) GOOD
DEFINED.—In subparagraph 
(A), the term ‘‘good’’ has the meaning given 
that term in section 16 of the Export Adminis-
tration Act of 1979 (50 U.S.C. App. 2415) (as 
continued in effect pursuant to the Inter-
national Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 
U.S.C. 1701 et seq.)). 
SEC. 7. COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY TO PROMOTE INTER-
NET FREEDOM AND ACCESS TO INFORMA-
TION. 
Not later than 120 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in consultation 
with heads of other Federal departments and agencies, as 
appropriate, shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Af-
fairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee 
on Foreign Relations of the Senate a comprehensive strat-
egy that is classified to the extent necessary to— 
(1) assist the people of Venezuela to produce, 
access, and share information freely and safely via 
the Internet; 
(2) increase the capabilities and availability of 
secure mobile and other communications through 
connective technology among human rights and de-
mocracy advocates in Venezuela;
(3) provide resources for digital training for 
media and academic and civil society organizations 
in Venezuela; 
(4) increase emergency resources for the most 
vulnerable human rights advocates seeking to orga-
nize, share information, and support human rights 
in Venezuela; 
(5) expand access to uncensored sources of local 
news and information using all available and effec-
tive mediums of communication, especially through 
platforms that leverage public-private partnerships; 
(6) expand activities to safely assist and train 
human rights, civil society, and democracy activists 
in Venezuela to operate effectively and securely; 
(7) expand access to proxy servers for democ-
racy activists in Venezuela; and 
(8) discourage telecommunications and software 
companies from facilitating Internet censorship by 
the Government of Venezuela. 
SEC. 8. COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY TO ENCOURAGE VEN-
EZUELA TO ABIDE BY THE PRINCIPLES EN-
SHRINED IN THE INTER-AMERICAN DEMO-
CRATIC CHARTER. 
Not later than 120 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to
the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of 
the Senate a comprehensive strategy outlining how the 
United States is supporting the citizens of Venezuela in 
seeking— 
(1) free, fair, and transparent elections— 
(A) conducted with the presence of inter-
nationally recognized observers; and 
(B) in which— 
(i) all parties are permitted ample 
time to organize and campaign for such 
elections; and 
(ii) all candidates are permitted equi-
table access to the media; 
(2) basic civil liberties and human rights, in-
cluding access to and support for nongovernmental 
organizations in such activities; 
(3) establishment of independent judiciaries and 
electoral councils; and 
(4) development of an independent civil society 
with the capacity to advocate on behalf of constitu-
ents. 
SEC. 9. STATEMENT OF POLICY ON POLITICAL PRISONERS. 
It shall be the policy of the United States—
(1) to support efforts to research and identify 
prisoners of conscience and cases of human rights 
abuses in Venezuela; 
(2) to offer refugee status or political asylum in 
the United States to political dissidents in Venezuela 
if requested and consistent with the laws and na-
tional security interests of the United States; 
(3) to offer to assist, through the United Na-
tions High Commissioner for Refugees, with the re-
location of such political prisoners to other countries 
if requested, as appropriate and with appropriate 
consideration for the national security interests of 
the United States; and 
(4) to publicly call for the release of Venezuelan 
country dissidents by name and raise awareness with 
respect to individual cases of Venezuelan country 
dissidents and prisoners of conscience, as appro-
priate and if requested by the dissidents or prisoners 
themselves or their families. 
SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR AS-
SISTANCE TO SUPPORT CIVIL SOCIETY IN 
VENEZUELA. 
There is authorized to be appropriated to the United 
States Agency for International Development for fiscal
year 2015 not less than $5,000,000 to provide assistance 
to civil society in Venezuela. 
SEC. 11. OFFSET. 
Section 102(a) of the Enhanced Partnership with 
Pakistan Act of 2009 (22 U.S.C. 8412(a); Public Law 
111–73; 123 Stat. 2068) is amended by striking 
‘‘$1,500,000,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$1,493,000,000’’. 
SEC. 12. SUNSET. 
This Act shall cease to be effective beginning on the 
date that is 2 years after the date of the enactment of 
this Act. 
Passed the House of Representatives May 28, 2014. 
Attest: 
Clerk.
113TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4587 
AN ACT 
To impose targeted sanctions on individuals respon-
sible for carrying out or ordering human rights 
abuses against the citizens of Venezuela, and for 
other purposes.