I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1404 
To strengthen the United States response to Russian interference by providing 
transparency on the corruption of Russian President Vladimir Putin. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 27, 2019 
Mrs. DEMINGS (for herself and Ms. STEFANIK) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, 
and in addition to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, and Financial 
Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdic-
tion of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To strengthen the United States response to Russian inter-
ference by providing transparency on the corruption of 
Russian President Vladimir Putin. 
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 ‘‘Vladimir Putin Trans-
parency Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
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(1) According to an Intelligence Community As-
sessment dated January 6, 2017, ‘‘Russian Presi-
dent Vladimir Putin ordered an influence campaign 
in 2016 aimed at the US presidential election. Rus-
sia’s goals were to undermine public faith in the US 
democratic process . . . Moscow’s influence cam-
paign followed a Russian messaging strategy that 
blends covert intelligence operations—such as cyber 
activity—with overt efforts by Russian Government 
agencies, state-funded media, third-party inter-
mediaries, and paid social media users or ‘trolls’.’’. 
(2) According to the indictment issued by the 
Attorney General on February 16, 2018, Russian 
actors conspired ‘‘to defraud the United States by 
impairing, obstructing, and defeating the lawful 
functions of the government through fraud and de-
ceit for the purpose of interfering with the U.S. po-
litical and electoral processes, including the presi-
dential election of 2016’’. 
(3) Notwithstanding the enactment of the 
Countering Adversaries of America through Sanc-
tions Act of 2017 (Public Law 115–44), Russia con-
tinues to support efforts to sow and exacerbate divi-
sions among Americans, and to undermine demo-
cratic societies around the world. 
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(4) The government of Russian President 
Vladimir Putin employs a system of corruption and 
illicit financial ties as a tool for consolidating its do-
mestic political control and projecting power abroad 
to weaken other democratic countries. 
(5) Russia has also significantly stepped up its 
efforts to confront the United States and its allies 
politically and militarily, and to counter American 
influence worldwide, including by the following: 
(A) Invading and illegally occupying Cri-
mea. 
(B) Intervening in and occupying parts of 
eastern Ukraine. 
(C) Deploying substantial military forces 
and undertaking a ruthless bombing campaign 
in Syria to prop up the regime of Bashar al- 
Assad and defeat the American-supported oppo-
sition. 
(D) Significantly expanding its armed 
forces and deploying missiles in violation of 
treaty commitments. 
(E) Undertaking large military exercises 
designed to intimidate other countries. 
(F) Interfering in the political systems of 
democracies around the world. 
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(G) Using the threat of cutting off gas 
supplies as leverage over the most energy-de-
pendent European countries. 
SEC. 3. REPORT ON KREMLIN-LINKED CORRUPTION. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that— 
(1) the intelligence community should dedicate 
resources to further expose key networks that the 
corrupt political class in Russia uses to hide the 
money it steals; 
(2) the President should pursue efforts to stifle 
Russian use of hidden financial channels, including 
anonymous shell companies and real estate invest-
ments, in a manner similar to the efforts undertaken 
to tighten banking regulations after the terrorist at-
tacks on September 11, 2001; and 
(3) the United States should do more to expose 
the corruption of Vladimir Putin, whose ill-gotten 
wealth is the most powerful symbol of the corrupt 
nature of his government. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Director of National In-
telligence, in coordination with the Secretary of the Treas-
ury and the Secretary of State, shall submit to the appro-
priate congressional committees a report on the personal 
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