Russian Federation Suspension Act of 2022

Bill: 117-s-4001
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Ernst, Joni [R-IA]
Introduced: 2022-04-05
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Conflicts and wars

Congressional oversight

Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation

Criminal justice information and records

Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad

Europe

Foreign aid and international relief

Foreign loans and debt

Government information and archives

Government lending and loan guarantees

Human rights

International monetary system and foreign exchange

International organizations and cooperation

Military operations and strategy

Multilateral development programs

Russia

Ukraine

United Nations
Latest action: action_date: 2022-04-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

Summaries:
action_date: 2022-04-05
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><strong>Russian Federation Suspension Act of 2022</strong></p> <p>This bill requires U.S. representatives to various international organizations to advocate and vote for certain positions relating to Russia, such as (1) calling for the U.N. Human Rights Council to convene a special session on Russia's human rights violations committed during its invasion of Ukraine, (2) opposing Russia's access to International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) systems, and (3) opposing financial assistance to Russia other than assistance that would support a core U.S. interest. </p> <p>The bill also prohibits U.S. law enforcement and executive agencies from recognizing INTERPOL Red Notices issued by Russia. </p> <p>(INTERPOL is an international police organization that facilitates cooperation in law enforcement matters. A Red Notice is a request from an INTERPOL member state seeking the location and arrest of wanted persons for extradition or a similar action.) </p>

tv_txt: II 117th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 4001 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES April 5, 2022 Ms. Ernst (for herself and Mr. Van Hollen ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations A BILL To require the Secretary of State to use the voice, vote, and influence of the United States to suspend participation of the Russian Federation in certain international organizations.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Russian Federation Suspension Act of 2022 . 2. Findings Congress makes the following findings: (1) In March and April 2014, the Russian military invaded and annexed the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea, and the Russian Federation took action to establish pro-Russian separatist States in the Donbas region of Ukraine. (2) The Russian Federation has failed to follow the cease-fire agreements established by the Minsk 1 and Minsk 2 accords, and conflict has been present in Ukraine since such invasion and annexation. (3) Throughout 2021, Russia amassed troops, weapon systems, and hardware on the border of Russia and Ukraine. (4) On December 17, 2021, the Russian Federation presented the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) with a list of security demands, including that NATO would never allow Ukraine, or other former Soviet States, into the alliance. These demands are non-starters for NATO and its open door policy , which dates to the alliance’s founding, and gives no third-party a say in such deliberations. These demands were only offered as a justification for a Russian invasion. (5) On February 21, 2022, President Vladimir Putin officially recognized the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent States despite international consensus that they remain part of the sovereign territory of Ukraine. (6) On February 22, 2022, President Putin ordered Russian troops to enter Donetsk and Luhansk on a peacekeeping mission while setting the stage for a larger invasion. (7) On February 24, 2022, President Putin ordered Russian forces to conduct a full-scale invasion, moving beyond the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk and initiating attacks throughout broader Ukrainian territory. (8) Russian forces continue to devastate Ukraine’s hospitals, schools, homes, and other civilian infrastructure and to threaten nuclear power plants with heavy artillery, multi-launch rocket systems, and munitions systems with no regard for civilian casualties. (9) The Russian Federation’s position on the United Nations Human Rights Council and other multilateral organizations is predicated on a commitment to international peace and security. Russia has plainly violated this commitment with its actions. (10) The precedent for suspending countries from the United Nations Human Rights Council is firm. In 2011, in the wake of Muammar Al-Qadhafi’s violent crackdown on anti-government protestors, the United Nations General Assembly suspended Libya’s membership in the Council. (11) The grave violations of human rights and the war crimes committed by the Russian Federation in its invasion of Ukraine undermine the credibility of the United Nations Human Rights Council while the Russian Federation continues to sit on the council. It emboldens United States adversaries to continue to threaten freedom, peace, and security without fear of being diplomatically cut off from the international rules-based order. (12) The Russian Federation has repeatedly abused INTERPOL’s mechanisms and procedures, including its Red Notices, to harass and seek the arrest and transfer of dissidents and opponents of the Kremlin. 3. Statement of policy It is the policy of the United States to— (1) seek suspension of the Russian Federation’s membership on the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council; (2) seek suspension of the Russian Federation’s access to INTERPOL systems, block issuance of Red Notices to the Russian Federation, and not recognize Red Notices issued by the Russian Federation; (3) seek suspension of the Russian Federation from the G20 grouping; (4) oppose any non-humanitarian loan, grant, or other action in any international financial institution, including the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, that could provide resources or relief to the Russian Federation; and (5) support efforts to censure the Russian Federation in other multilateral organizations, as appropriate. 4. Actions required The Secretary of State shall instruct the United States Ambassador to the United Nations and the United States representatives at other international organizations described in section 3 to use the voice, vote, and influence of the United States to— (1) call for the UN Human Rights Council to convene a special session focused on the human rights violations committed by the Russian Federation during its invasion of Ukraine; (2) oppose the Russian Federation’s membership on the UN Human Rights Council; (3) oppose the Russian Federation’s access to INTERPOL systems; (4) oppose the Russian Federation’s participation and membership in the G20 grouping; (5) oppose any development cooperation, official development assistance, programmatic or other trust fund, loan guarantee, or any other form of financial assistance to the Russian Federation, other than assistance that would immediately support a core United States national security interest; (6) oppose any non-humanitarian loan, grant, or other action by any international financial institution that could provide financial resources or other relief to the Russian Federation; and (7) support efforts to censure the Russian Federation in other multilateral organizations, as appropriate. 5. Prohibition on cooperation with Russia on INTERPOL The United States shall ban the Russian Federation from accessing any United States information held in databases maintained by INTERPOL, and United States law enforcement and executive agencies shall not recognize Red Notices issued by the Russian Federation. 6. Termination The President may terminate the actions required under sections 3, 4, and 5 after determining and certifying to Congress that the Russian Federation has— (1) verifiably withdrawn all of its forces from all territory of Ukraine that was not occupied or subject to control by forces or proxies of the Government of the Russian Federation before December 1, 2021; and (2) ceased all hostilities towards Ukraine. 7. Report requirements Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the Attorney General shall submit to Congress a joint report that includes the following elements: (1) A description of the voting power, shares, and representation of the Russian Federation in the United Nations and other multinational organizations. (2) A detailed listing of citizens from the Russian Federation employed at or above the P–1 level or equivalent in the United Nations, other multinational organizations, and international financial institutions in which the United States is a member, accompanied by a classified assessment of such citizens' impartiality and efforts, known or suspected, to advance the policy priorities of the Russian Federation. (3) A report on efforts to implement the actions described in section 4.