Title: International Conflicts of Concern Act
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
International Conflicts of Concern Act
This bill directs the President to identify to Congress each country whose government is, and each country in which anti-government forces are, allowing one or more foreign terrorist organizations to engage in armed conflict occurring in that country.
The President shall designate a country as a "country of conflict concern" if: (1) its government or anti-government forces in the country are allowing one or more foreign terrorist organizations to engage in armed conflict in it, and (2) it is in the U.S. national security to restrict travel by any U.S. national to the country and restrict material support by U.S. nationals of entities engaged in armed conflict in it. Such a designation shall be terminated when the President certifies to Congress that either or both of these circumstances no longer apply.
The bill deems Syria to be a country of conflict concern.
The Presidentshall require a U.S. national to obtain a license to: (1) travel to a country of conflict concern, or (2) provide material support to entities engaged in armed conflict in such a country. Specified penalties shall apply to a person who violates such requirements.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 779 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 779

  To restrict United States nationals from traveling to countries in 
   which foreign governments or anti-government forces allow foreign 
  terrorist organizations to engage in armed conflict for purposes of 
participating in such armed conflict or from providing material support 
  to entities that are engaged in such armed conflict, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 31, 2017

 Mr. Wittman introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To restrict United States nationals from traveling to countries in 
   which foreign governments or anti-government forces allow foreign 
  terrorist organizations to engage in armed conflict for purposes of 
participating in such armed conflict or from providing material support 
  to entities that are engaged in such armed conflict, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``International Conflicts of Concern 
Act''.

SEC. 2. IDENTIFICATION OF COUNTRIES OF CONFLICT CONCERN.

    (a) Identification.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the President shall submit to Congress a report 
that identifies each country the government of which or anti-government 
forces in which the President believes, based on all information 
available to the President, is allowing one or more foreign terrorist 
organizations to engage in armed conflict that is occurring in such 
country.
    (b) Updates.--The President shall update the report required under 
subsection (a)--
            (1) as new information becomes available; and
            (2) not less frequently than semi-annually.
    (c) Form.--The report required under subsection (a) and the updates 
required under subsection (b) shall be submitted in unclassified form, 
but may contain a classified annex if necessary.

SEC. 3. DESIGNATION OF COUNTRIES OF CONFLICT CONCERN.

    (a) Designation.--
            (1) In general.--The President shall designate a country as 
        a ``Country of Conflict Concern'' if the President determines 
        that--
                    (A) the government of such country or anti-
                government forces in the country is allowing one or 
                more foreign terrorist organizations to engage in armed 
                conflict that is occurring in such country as 
                identified in the report required under section 2(a) or 
                any update to the report required under section 2(b); 
                and
                    (B) it is in the national security interest of the 
                United States to restrict travel by any United States 
                national to such country and to restrict material 
                support provided by United States nationals to entities 
                that are engaged in armed conflict in such country.
            (2) Initial designation.--Syria shall be deemed to have 
        been designated by the President under paragraph (1) as of the 
        date of the enactment of this Act and the President is not 
        required to notify Congress of such designation of Syria under 
        subsection (b).
    (b) Report on Designation.--Upon designating a country as a Country 
of Conflict Concern under subsection (a), the President shall submit to 
Congress a report notifying Congress of the designation of the country.
    (c) Licensing Requirement.--
            (1) In general.--With respect to any country designated as 
        a Country of Conflict Concern under subsection (a), the 
        President shall exercise the authorities of the International 
        Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1705 et seq.) without 
        regard to section 202 of such Act to require a United States 
        national to obtain a license--
                    (A) to travel to such country; or
                    (B) to provide material support to entities that 
                are engaged in armed conflict in such country.
            (2) Exception.--The requirement to obtain a license under 
        paragraph (1) shall not apply with respect to a United States 
        national who is a full-time officer or employee of the United 
        States Government for purposes of carrying out official 
        business of the United States Government.
    (d) Penalties.--The penalties provided for in subsections (b) and 
(c) of section 206 of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act 
(50 U.S.C. 1705) shall apply to a person who violates paragraph (1) or 
(2) of subsection (c), or a regulation prescribed under this Act, to 
the same extent that such penalties apply to a person that commits an 
unlawful act described in section 206(a) of that Act (50 U.S.C. 
1705(a)).
    (e) Termination of Designation.--The designation of a country as a 
Country of Conflict Concern under subsection (a) shall terminate on the 
date on which the President submits to Congress a report that 
contains--
            (1) a determination and certification that subparagraph (A) 
        or (B) of subsection (a)(1) (as the case may be), or both, no 
        longer applies with respect to the country; and
            (2) a justification for the determination and 
        certification.

SEC. 4. REGULATIONS.

    The President is authorized to promulgate such regulations as may 
be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act, including the 
promulgation of such regulations under the authority of section 205 of 
the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1704).

SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Foreign terrorist organization.--The term ``foreign 
        terrorist organization'' means any organization so designated 
        by the Secretary of State under section 219 of the Immigration 
        and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189).
            (2) United states national.--The term ``United States 
        national'' means--
                    (A) a national of the United States (as defined in 
                section 101(a)(22) of the Immigration and Nationality 
                Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(22)); or
                    (B) an alien who is lawfully present in the United 
                States.
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