Title: BOATS Act
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
Bringing Oligarch Accountability Through Seizure Act or the BOATS Act
This bill prohibits Russian vessels from entering or operating in the navigable waters of the United States or transferring cargo in any port or place under U.S. jurisdiction, except for national security purposes. Violation of this prohibition subjects a vessel to seizure and forfeiture.
Any Russian vessel seized and forfeited to the United States shall be sold at an auction to any entity that is not affiliated with Russia. The proceeds of such auction may only be used for humanitarian aid to Ukraine that is provided by other member states of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6890 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6890

 To prohibit Russian vessels from operating in the navigable waters of 
               the United States, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 1, 2022

Mr. Young (for himself, Ms. Malliotakis, Ms. Strickland, Mr. Wilson of 
South Carolina, Mr. Huizenga, and Mr. Palazzo) introduced the following 
    bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and 
 Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, 
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 committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To prohibit Russian vessels from operating in the navigable waters of 
               the United States, 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 ``Bringing Oligarch Accountability 
Through Seizure Act'' or the ``BOATS Act''.

SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON ENTRY AND OPERATION.

    (a) Prohibition.--
            (1) In general.--Except as otherwise provided in this 
        section, no vessel described in subsection (b) may enter or 
        operate in the navigable waters of the United States or 
        transfer cargo in any port or place under the jurisdiction of 
        the United States.
            (2) Limitations on application.--
                    (A) In general.--The prohibition under paragraph 
                (1) shall not apply with respect to a vessel described 
                in subsection (b)(1) if the Secretary of State 
                determines that--
                            (i) the vessel is owned or operated by a 
                        Russian national or operated by the government 
                        of the Russian Federation; and
                            (ii) it is in the national security 
                        interest not to apply the prohibition to such 
                        vessel.
                    (B) Notice.--Not later than 15 days after making a 
                determination under subparagraph (A), the Secretary of 
                State shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 
                and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
                of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
                Foreign Relations and the Committee on Commerce, 
                Science, and Transportation of the Senate written 
                notice of the determination and the basis upon which 
                the determination was made.
                    (C) Publication.--The Secretary of State shall 
                publish a notice in the Federal Register of each 
                determination made under subparagraph (A).
    (b) Vessels Described.--A vessel referred to in subsection (a) is a 
vessel owned or operated by a Russian national or operated by the 
Government of the Russian Federation.
    (c) Information and Publication.--The Secretary of the department 
in which the Coast Guard is operating, with the concurrence of the 
Secretary of State, shall--
            (1) maintain timely information on the registrations of all 
        foreign vessels owned or operated by or on behalf of the 
        Government of the Russian Federation, a Russian national, or a 
        entity organized under the laws of the Russian Federation or 
        any jurisdiction within the Russian Federation; and
            (2) periodically publish in the Federal Register a list of 
        the vessels described in paragraph (1).
    (d) Notification of Governments.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of State shall notify each 
        government, the agents or instrumentalities of which are 
        maintaining a registration of a foreign vessel that is included 
        on a list published under subsection (c)(2), not later than 30 
        days after such publication, that all vessels registered under 
        such government's authority are subject to subsection (a).
            (2) Additional notification.--In the case of a government 
        that continues to maintain a registration for a vessel that is 
        included on such list after receiving an initial notification 
        under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall issue an additional 
        notification to such government not later than 120 days after 
        the publication of a list under subsection (c)(2).
    (e) Notification of Vessels.--Upon receiving a notice of arrival 
under section 70001(a)(5) of title 46, United States Code, from a 
vessel described in subsection (b), the Secretary of the department in 
which the Coast Guard is operating shall notify the master of such 
vessel that the vessel may not enter or operate in the navigable waters 
of the United States or transfer cargo in any port or place under the 
jurisdiction of the United States, unless--
            (1) the Secretary of State has made a determination under 
        subsection (a)(2); or
            (2) the Secretary of the department in which the Coast 
        Guard is operating allows provisional entry of the vessel, or 
        transfer of cargo from the vessel, under subsection (f).
    (f) Provisional Entry or Cargo Transfer.--Notwithstanding any other 
provision of this section, the Secretary of the department in which the 
Coast Guard is operating may allow provisional entry of, or transfer of 
cargo from, a vessel, if such entry or transfer is necessary for the 
safety of the vessel or persons aboard.

SEC. 3. SEIZURE AND FORFEITURE OF VESSEL; FINE AND IMPRISONMENT.

    If any owner, agent, master, officer, or person in charge, or any 
member of the crew of any such vessel fails to comply with any 
regulation or rule issued or order given under the provisions of this 
subtitle, or obstructs or interferes with the exercise of any power 
conferred by this subtitle--
            (1) the vessel, together with the tackle, apparel, 
        furniture, and equipment, shall be subject to seizure and 
        forfeiture to the United States in the same manner as 
        merchandise is forfeited for violation of the customs revenue 
        laws; and
            (2) the person guilty of such failure, obstruction, or 
        interference shall be punished by imprisonment for not more 
        than 50 years and fined not more than $10,000,000,000.

SEC. 4. AUCTION AND PROCEEDS OF VESSEL SEIZURE.

    (a) In General.--Any vessel seized and forfeited under section 422 
shall be sold at auction to any entity that is not the Government of 
the Russian Federation, a Russian national, or a entity organized under 
the laws of the Russian Federation or any jurisdiction within the 
Russian Federation. The proceeds of any such auction may only be used 
for humanitarian aid to Ukraine that is provided by a state that is a 
member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
    (b) Applicability.--Paragraph (1) shall be effective until the 
earlier of--
            (1) 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act; and
            (2) the date on which the President certifies that the 
        conflict between the Russian Federation and Ukraine has 
        concluded.
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