I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1102 
To assess and mitigate threats posed by Russian-Venezuelan cooperation, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 7, 2019 
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (for herself, Mr. DIAZ-BALART, Ms. SHALALA, and 
Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL) introduced the following bill; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 
A BILL 
To assess and mitigate threats posed by Russian-Venezuelan 
cooperation, 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 ‘‘Russian-Venezuelan 
Threat Mitigation Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) The Russian Federation’s increased pres-
ence in the western hemisphere is of concern to the 
United States and our allies in the region. 
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(2) In December 2018, the Russian Federation 
sent two Tu–160 nuclear-capable bombers to Ven-
ezuela for joint exercises with the Venezuelan mili-
tary. The Tu–160 can carry conventional or nuclear- 
tipped cruise missiles with an estimated maximum 
range of around 3,000 miles. 
(3) Russian and Venezuelan forces took part in 
a joint 10-hour exercise across the Caribbean in De-
cember 2018 with the Tu–160 nuclear-capable 
bombers. 
(4) The Maduro regime has turned to the Rus-
sian Federation, one of its strongest political allies, 
for financial support during its current economic cri-
sis. 
(5) Nicolas Maduro secured loans from the 
Russian Federation to be repaid through future oil 
exports, but fell behind on those payments in 2017. 
News reports in December 2018 suggest that Rus-
sian State oil company Rosneft has lent Venezuelan 
state oil company Petroleos de Venezuela (PdVSA) 
$6.5 billion partly as prepayment for crude oil, $3.1 
billion of which remained outstanding as of the end 
of September 2018. 
(6) In 2016, PdVSA secured a $1.5 billion loan 
from Rosneft, and PdVSA used 49.9 percent of its 
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shares in United States-based and Venezuelan- 
owned company CITGO as collateral. A Venezuelan 
default could lead to potential Russian ownership of 
United States energy infrastructure. 
(7) At the conclusion of a 3-day visit to Moscow 
in December 2018, Maduro announced $6 billion 
worth of Russian investment pledges focused on the 
oil and mining sectors as well as the export of 
600,000 tons of Russian wheat to Venezuela to 
cover its 2019 needs. 
SEC. 3. THREAT ASSESSMENT AND STRATEGY TO COUNTER 
RUSSIAN INFLUENCE IN VENEZUELA. 
(a) THREAT ASSESSMENT.—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 an assessment on Russian-Venezuelan security 
cooperation and the potential threat such cooperation 
poses to the United States and countries in the Western 
Hemisphere. 
(b) STRATEGY.—Not later than 30 days after the 
submission of the threat assessment required under sub-
section (a), the Secretary of State shall submit to the ap-
propriate congressional committees a strategy to address 
Russian-Venezuelan cooperation. 
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(c) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘‘appro-
priate congressional committees’’ means the Committee on 
Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate. 
SEC. 4. ASSESSMENT OF FOREIGN ACQUISITION OF CITGO 
ASSETS IN THE UNITED STATES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall 
transmit to the appropriate congressional committees an 
assessment of the security risks posed by potential Rus-
sian acquisition of CITGO’s United States energy infra-
structure holdings. 
(b) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘‘appro-
priate congressional committees’’ means the Committee on 
Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of 
the House of Representatives and the Committee on For-
eign Relations and the Committee on Appropriations of 
the Senate. 
Æ 
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