Counter-Kleptocracy Act

Bill: 117-hr-5209
Sponsor: Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9]
Introduced: 2021-09-10 in the House
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Accounting and auditing
Congressional oversight
Crime prevention
Crime victims
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Criminal justice information and records
Criminal procedure and sentencing
Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad
Employment discrimination and employee rights
Energy storage, supplies, demand
Europe
Foreign aid and international relief
Foreign property
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Germany
Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
Government information and archives
Government trust funds
Human rights
International law and treaties
International organizations and cooperation
Judicial procedure and administration
Oil and gas
Organized crime
Pipelines
Russia
Sanctions
Sovereignty, recognition, national governance and status
U.S. and foreign investments
United Nations

Summary:
action_date: 2021-09-10
text: 

Counter-Kleptocracy Act

 
This bill addresses prevention and elimination of corruption globally.
 
The Department of State must (1) annually rank, using specified standards, foreign countries based on their efforts to eliminate corruption; and (2) designate an anti-corruption contact in the diplomatic mission of any country that does not meet the standards. The State Department must also evaluate whether to sanction foreign persons engaged in significant corruption (1) in countries that make de minimis or no efforts to meet the standards, or (2) connected to a designated Russian pipeline project.
 
The President may temporarily sanction foreign persons engaging in public corruption activities (e.g. bribery).
 
The bill makes it a federal crime for foreign officials to demand or accept bribes to influence the performance of an official act or otherwise confer an improper advantage. Officials who engage in this conduct are subject to a fine, a prison term, or both. Funds recovered by prosecuting this crime shall be deposited into a new fund in the Treasury for anti-corruption initiatives.
 
The Department of Justice must make publicly available an accounting of property relating to foreign government corruption that is forfeited to the United States.
 
The bill addresses issues concerning U.S. visas, including related to (1) abuse of investor visas by corrupt foreign officials or criminals, and (2) foreign individuals denied admission to the United States because of adverse foreign policy consequences.
 
The bill also prohibits extraditions based solely on, and otherwise addresses, International Criminal Police Organization communications.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2022-11-01
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship.
action_date: 2022-11-01
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
action_date: 2021-09-10
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, 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.
action_date: 2021-09-10
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, 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.
action_date: 2021-09-10
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2021-09-10
text: Introduced in House