Havana Syndrome Attacks Response Act

Bill: 117-hr-4914
Sponsor: Rep. McCaul, Michael T. [R-TX-10]
Introduced: 2021-08-03 in the House
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad
Foreign aid and international relief
Foreign property
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government lending and loan guarantees
Military assistance, sales, and agreements
Neurological disorders
Presidents and presidential powers, Vice Presidents
Sanctions
Trade restrictions
Visas and passports
War and emergency powers
Worker safety and health

Summary:
action_date: 2021-08-03
text: 

Havana Syndrome Attacks Response Act

 
This bill requires the President to sanction foreign persons and governments for carrying out clandestine attacks on U.S. personnel that have caused brain injury.
 
Specifically, the President must impose visa- and asset-blocking sanctions on any foreign person that has directed or carried out such an attack.
 
If the President determines a foreign government carried out such an attack, the President must notify Congress and sanction that country by
 
 
terminating any foreign assistance (except for humanitarian aid or food or agricultural commodities or products) and arms transactions,
 
restricting commercial exports, and
 
denying access to U.S. credit or other financial assistance.
 
 
The President must remove these sanctions after 12 months, provided that (1) the country's government gives reliable assurances that it will not conduct future attacks, and (2) the executive branch does not have persuasive information indicating an attack occurred in the preceding six months.
 
The bill also requires a congressional briefing and report about suspected clandestine attacks on U.S. personnel that have caused brain injury, including hypotheses concerning the identity of the perpetrators and the technical methods used to carry out the attacks.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2022-11-01
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship.
action_date: 2021-10-21
text: Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2021-10-21
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2021-08-03
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, 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 jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2021-08-03
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, 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 jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2021-08-03
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, 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 jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2021-08-03
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2021-08-03
text: Introduced in House