I 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6494 
To expose and deter unlawful and subversive foreign interference in elections 
for Federal office, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 24, 2018 
Mr. ENGEL (for himself and Mr. CONNOLLY) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition 
to the Committees on the Judiciary, Financial Services, and Rules, 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 com-
mittee concerned 
A BILL 
To expose and deter unlawful and subversive foreign inter-
ference in elections for Federal office, and for other 
purposes. 
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 ‘‘Safeguard our Elec-
tions and Combat Unlawful Interference in Our Democ-
racy Act’’ or the ‘‘SECURE Our Democracy Act’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:15 Aug 03, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6494.IH
H6494
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with BILLS
(1) ADMITTED; ALIEN.—The terms ‘‘admitted’’ 
and ‘‘alien’’ have the meanings given such terms in 
section 101 of the Immigration and Nationality Act 
(8 U.S.C. 1101). 
(2) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMIT-
TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com-
mittees’’ means— 
(A) in the House of Representatives— 
(i) the Committee on Foreign Affairs; 
(ii) the Committee on Homeland Se-
curity; 
(iii) the Committee on Financial Serv-
ices; 
(iv) the Committee on the Judiciary; 
and 
(v) the Permanent Select Committee 
on Intelligence; and 
(B) in the Senate— 
(i) the Committee on Foreign Rela-
tions; 
(ii) the Committee on Homeland Se-
curity and Governmental Affairs; 
(iii) the Committee on Banking, 
Housing, and Urban Affairs; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:15 Aug 03, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6494.IH
H6494
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with BILLS
(iv) the Committee on the Judiciary; 
and 
(v) the Select Committee on Intel-
ligence. 
(3) FINANCIAL
INSTITUTION.—The term ‘‘fi-
nancial institution’’ has the meaning given such 
term in section 5312 of title 31, United States Code. 
(4) FOREIGN PERSON.—The term ‘‘foreign per-
son’’ means— 
(A) a natural person who is not a United 
States person under paragraph (5)(A); or 
(B) a foreign entity or foreign government. 
(5) 
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. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:15 Aug 03, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6494.IH
H6494
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with BILLS
SEC. 3. IDENTIFICATION OF FOREIGN PERSONS RESPON-
SIBLE FOR ACTIONS TO UNLAWFULLY AC-
CESS, DISRUPT, INFLUENCE, OR IN ANY WAY 
ALTER INFORMATION OR INFORMATION SYS-
TEMS RELATED TO UNITED STATES POLIT-
ICAL PARTIES OR ELECTIONS FOR FEDERAL 
OFFICE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 120 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State 
shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees 
a list of each foreign person that the Secretary, in con-
sultation with the heads of other relevant Federal agen-
cies, determines— 
(1) was, at any time since January 1, 2015, in-
volved in actions to unlawfully access, disrupt, mis-
appropriate, influence, or in any way alter informa-
tion or information systems related to United States 
political parties, candidates in elections for Federal 
office, or the administration of elections for Federal 
office; or 
(2) worked or acted as an agent or instrumen-
tality of or on behalf of or was otherwise associated 
with such a foreign person in a matter relating to 
an action described in paragraph (1). 
(b) UPDATES.—The Secretary of State shall submit 
to the appropriate congressional committees an update of 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:15 Aug 03, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6494.IH
H6494
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with BILLS
the list required under subsection (a) as new information 
becomes available. 
(c) FORM.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), the list required under subsection (a) 
shall be submitted in unclassified form. 
(2) EXCEPTION.—The name of a foreign person 
to be included in the list required under subsection 
(a) may be submitted in a classified annex only if 
the Secretary of State— 
(A) determines that it is in the national se-
curity interests of the United States to do so; 
and 
(B) 15 days prior to submitting any such 
name in such a classified annex, provides to the 
appropriate congressional committees notice of, 
and a justification for, including or continuing 
to include any such foreign person in any such 
classified annex despite any publicly available 
information indicating that such foreign person 
is described in paragraph (1) or (2) of such 
subsection. 
(3) PUBLIC AVAILABILITY; NONAPPLICABILITY 
OF CONFIDENTIALITY REQUIREMENT WITH RESPECT 
TO VISA RECORDS.—The unclassified portion of the 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:15 Aug 03, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6494.IH
H6494
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with BILLS
list required under subsection (a) shall be made 
available to the public and published in the Federal 
Register, without regard to the requirements of sec-
tion 222(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act 
(8 U.S.C. 1202(f)) with respect to confidentiality of 
records pertaining to the issuance or refusal of visas 
or permits to enter the United States. 
SEC. 4. INADMISSIBILITY OF CERTAIN ALIENS. 
(a) INELIGIBILITY FOR VISAS.—An alien is ineligible 
to receive a visa to enter the United States and ineligible 
to be admitted to the United States if such alien is a for-
eign person on the list required under section 3(a). 
(b) CURRENT VISAS REVOKED.—The Secretary of 
State shall revoke, in accordance with section 221(i) of 
the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1201(i)), 
the visa or other documentation of any alien who is a for-
eign person on the list required under section 3(a) and 
who would therefore be ineligible to receive such a visa 
or documentation under subsection (a) of this section. 
(c) APPLICABILITY TO FOREIGN ENTITIES AND FOR-
EIGN GOVERNMENTS.—Subsections (a) and (b) of this 
section shall apply to aliens who are officials of, agents 
or instrumentalities of, working or acting on behalf of, or 
otherwise associated with a foreign entity or foreign gov-
ernment that is a foreign person included on the list re-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:15 Aug 03, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6494.IH
H6494
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with BILLS
quired under section 3(a) if such aliens are determined 
by the Secretary of State to have knowingly authorized, 
conspired to commit, been responsible for, engaged in, or 
otherwise assisted or facilitated the actions described in 
such section 3(a). 
(d) WAIVER FOR NATIONAL SECURITY INTERESTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of State may 
waive the application of subsection (a) or (b) in the 
case of an alien if— 
(A) the Secretary determines that such a 
waiver— 
(i) is necessary to permit the United 
States to comply with the Agreement be-
tween the United Nations and the United 
States of America regarding the Head-
quarters of the United Nations, signed 
June 26, 1947, and entered into force No-
vember 21, 1947, or other applicable inter-
national obligations of the United States; 
or 
(ii) is in the vital national security in-
terests of the United States; and 
(B) prior to granting such a waiver, the 
Secretary provides to the appropriate congres-
sional committees notice of, and a justification 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:15 Aug 03, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6494.IH
H6494
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with BILLS
for, such waiver, in accordance with paragraph 
(2). 
(2) COMPLIANCE.—A waiver under this sub-
section shall— 
(A) be treated as an action under sub-
section (a)(2) of section 216 of the Countering 
America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act 
(22 U.S.C. 9511); and 
(B) be subject to the requirements of sub-
section (b) of such section (relating to reporting 
requirements and congressional oversight). 
(e) REGULATORY AUTHORITY.—The Secretary of 
State shall prescribe such regulations as are necessary to 
carry out this section. 
SEC. 5. FINANCIAL MEASURES. 
(a) FREEZING OF ASSETS.— 
(1) 
IN
GENERAL.—The 
President, 
acting 
through the Secretary of the Treasury, shall exercise 
all powers granted by the International Emergency 
Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (ex-
cept that the requirements of section 202 of such 
Act (50 U.S.C. 1701) shall not apply) to the extent 
necessary to freeze and prohibit all transactions in 
all property and interests in property of a foreign 
person that is on the list required under section 3(a) 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:15 Aug 03, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6494.IH
H6494
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with BILLS
of this Act if such property or interests in property 
are in the United States, are or come within the 
United States, or are or come within the possession 
or control of a United States person. 
(2) APPLICABILITY TO FOREIGN ENTITIES AND 
FOREIGN
GOVERNMENTS.—Paragraph 
(1) 
shall 
apply to aliens who are officials of, agents or instru-
mentalities of, working or acting on behalf of, or 
otherwise associated with a foreign entity or foreign 
government that is a foreign person included on the 
list required under section 3(a) if such aliens are de-
termined by the President, acting through the Sec-
retary of the Treasury, to have knowingly author-
ized, conspired to commit, been responsible for, en-
gaged in, or otherwise assisted or facilitated the ac-
tions described in such section 3(a). 
(b) WAIVER FOR NATIONAL SECURITY INTERESTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the Treas-
ury may waive the application of subsection (a) if 
the Secretary determines that such a waiver is in the 
vital national security interests of the United States 
and prior to granting such a waiver, the Secretary 
provides to the appropriate congressional committees 
notice of, and a justification for, such waiver, in ac-
cordance with paragraph (2). 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:15 Aug 03, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6494.IH
H6494
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with BILLS
(2) COMPLIANCE.—A waiver under this sub-
section shall— 
(A) be treated as an action under sub-
section (a)(2) of section 216 of the Countering 
America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act 
(22 U.S.C. 9511); and 
(B) be subject to the requirements of sub-
section (b) of such section (relating to reporting 
requirements and congressional oversight). 
(c) ENFORCEMENT.— 
(1) PENALTIES.—A foreign person that vio-
lates, attempts to violate, conspires to violate, or 
causes a violation of this section or any regulation, 
license, or order issued to carry out this section shall 
be subject to the penalties specified in subsections 
(b) and (c) of section 206 of the International 
Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1705) 
to the same extent as a person that commits an un-
lawful act described in subsection (a) of such sec-
tion. 
(2) APPLICABILITY TO FOREIGN ENTITIES AND 
FOREIGN
GOVERNMENTS.—Paragraph 
(1) 
shall 
apply to aliens who are officials of, agents or instru-
mentalities of, working or acting on behalf of, or 
otherwise associated with a foreign entity or foreign 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:15 Aug 03, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6494.IH
H6494
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with BILLS
government that is a foreign person included on the 
list required under section 3(a) if such aliens are de-
termined by the President, acting through the Sec-
retary of the Treasury, to have knowingly author-
ized, conspired to commit, been responsible for, en-
gaged in, or otherwise assisted or facilitated the ac-
tions described in such section 3(a). 
(3) REQUIREMENTS FOR FINANCIAL INSTITU-
TIONS.—Not later than 120 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the President, acting 
through the Secretary of the Treasury, shall pre-
scribe or amend regulations as needed to require 
each financial institution that is a United States 
person and has within its possession or control as-
sets that are property or interests in property of a 
foreign person that is on the list required under sec-
tion 3(a) if such property or interests in property 
are in the United States, are or come within the 
United States, or are or come within the possession 
or control of a United States person to certify to the 
Secretary that, to the best of the knowledge of such 
financial institution, such financial institution has 
frozen all assets within the possession or control of 
such financial institution that are required to be fro-
zen pursuant to subsection (a). 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:15 Aug 03, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00011
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6494.IH
H6494
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with BILLS
(d) REGULATORY AUTHORITY.—The President, act-
ing through the Secretary of the Treasury, shall issue such 
regulations, licenses, and orders as are necessary to carry 
out this section. 
SEC. 6. REPORTS TO CONGRESS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of State, in con-
sultation with the heads of other relevant Federal agen-
cies, shall submit to the appropriate congressional commit-
tees a report on the actions taken to carry out this Act, 
including— 
(1) a description of each foreign person on the 
list required under section 3(a); 
(2) the dates on which such foreign persons 
were added to such list; and 
(3) a description of the actions described in 
such section that were undertaken by each such for-
eign person. 
(b) TIMING.—The Secretary of State shall submit the 
first report required under this section not later than one 
year after the date of the enactment of this Act. The Sec-
retary shall submit subsequent reports under this section 
not later than 60 days after the date of each regularly 
scheduled general election for Federal office, beginning 
with the election held in 2018. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:15 Aug 03, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00012
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6494.IH
H6494
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with BILLS
(c) FORM.—Each report required under subsection 
(a) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may in-
clude a classified annex if such is in the national security 
interests of the United States. If a classified annex is in-
cluded in any such report, the Secretary of State shall in-
clude in such report a specific national security justifica-
tion for such classified annex. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:15 Aug 03, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00013
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H6494.IH
H6494
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with BILLS