Belarus Democracy, Human Rights, and Sovereignty Act of 2024

Bill: 118-hr-8329
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4]
Introduced: 2024-05-08
Policy area: International Affairs
Latest action: action_date: 2024-05-08
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Financial Services, and the Judiciary, 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.

Summaries:

tv_txt: I 118th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 8329 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 8, 2024 Mr. Smith of New Jersey (for himself, Mr. Keating , Mr. Kean of New Jersey , Ms. Kaptur , and Mr. Wilson of South Carolina ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs , and in addition to the Committees on Financial Services , and the Judiciary , 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 reauthorize and modify the Belarus Democracy Act of 2004.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the “ Belarus Democracy, Human Rights, and Sovereignty Act of 2024 ”. 2. Findings Section 2 of the Belarus Democracy Act of 2004 ( Public Law 108–347 ; 22 U.S.C. 5811 note) is amended to read as follows: 2. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, done in New York December 19, 1966, was ratified by Belarus in 1973, guaranteeing Belarusians the freedom of expression and the freedom of association. (2) Alyaksandr Lukashenka has ruled Belarus as an undemocratic dictatorship since the first presidential election in Belarus in 1994, and subsequent presidential elections have been neither free nor fair, failing to meet minimal international electoral standards. (3) In response to the repression and violence during the 2006 presidential election, Congress passed the Belarus Democracy Reauthorization Act of 2006 ( Public Law 109–480 ). (4) In 2006, President George W. Bush issued Executive Order 13405, titled ‘Blocking Property of Certain Persons Undermining Democratic Processes or Institutions in Belarus’, which authorized the imposition of sanctions against persons responsible for— (A) undermining democratic processes in Belarus; or (B) participating in human rights abuses related to political repression in Belarus. (5) In March 2011, the Senate unanimously passed Senate Resolution 105, which— (A) condemned the December 2010 election in Belarus as ‘illegitimate, fraudulent, and not representative of the will or the aspirations of the voters in Belarus’; and (B) called on the Lukashenka regime ‘to immediately and unconditionally release all political prisoners in Belarus who were arrested in association with the December 19, 2010, election’. (6) The Government of Belarus continues to engage in a pattern of clear and persistent gross violations of internationally recognized human rights, and basic principles of democratic governance. (7) The Government of Belarus continues to subject thousands of pro-democracy political activists and peaceful protesters to harassment, beatings, and imprisonment, particularly as a result of their attempts to peacefully exercise their right to freedom of assembly and association. (8) The Government of Belarus continues to suppress independent media and journalists and to restrict access to the internet, including social media and other digital communication platforms, in violation of the right to freedom of speech and expression of those dissenting from the dictatorship of Alyaksandr Lukashenka. (9) The Government of Belarus continues a systematic campaign of harassment, repression, and closure of nongovernmental organizations, including independent trade unions and entrepreneurs, creating a climate of fear that inhibits the development of civil society and social solidarity. (10) The Government of Belarus has pursued a policy undermining the country’s sovereignty and independence by making Belarus’ political, economic, cultural, and societal interests subservient to those of Russia. (11) The Government of Belarus continues to reduce the independence of Belarus through integration into a so-called ‘Union State’ that is under the control of Russia. (12) In advance of the August 2020 presidential elections in Belarus, authorities acting on behalf of President Lukashenka arrested journalists, bloggers, political activists, and the leading political opposition candidates, leading to demonstrations in support of democracy. (13) On August 9, 2020, the Government of Belarus conducted a presidential election that was held under undemocratic conditions, did not meet international standards, involved government malfeasance and serious irregularities with ballot counting and the reporting of election results, and included restrictive measures that impeded the work of local independent observers and did not provide sufficient notice to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to allow for the OSCE to monitor the elections, as is customary. (14) Illegitimate president Alyaksandr Lukashenka declared a landslide victory in the election and claimed to have received more than 80 percent of the votes cast in the election. (15) The leading opposition candidate, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, formally disputed the reported results and was detained by government authorities before being forced into exile in Lithuania. (16) Later in August, 2020, the United States Deputy Secretary of State, Stephen Biegun, and European Union High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, issued statements declaring the Belarus elections to be fraudulent and neither free nor fair. (17) Following the illegitimate election results, tens of thousands of Belarusian protestors took to the streets, led predominately by women, resulting in the largest protest rallies in Belarus’ modern history, with over 1,400 reported as injured by Belarusian police in August and September 2020, over 37,000 detained by May 2021, and several killed for protesting the fraudulent election. (18) The Government of Belarus has consistently restricted the free flow of information to silence the opposition and to conceal the regime’s violent crackdown on peaceful protestors, including through the suppression of independent media and journalists, and disruption of free internet access. (19) After the employees of state media outlets walked off the job in protest rather than help report misleading government propaganda, Lukashenka confirmed that he ‘asked the Russians’ to send teams of Russian journalists to replace local employees. (20) Following Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s September 23, 2020, inauguration, the United States, the European Union, numerous European states, the United Kingdom, and Canada announced that they cannot consider Mr. Lukashenka as the legitimately elected leader of Belarus. (21) As a result of the Lukashenka regime’s violence against the Belarusian people and deprivation of their fundamental rights, the United States Congress passed and the President signed into law the Belarus Democracy, Human Rights, and Sovereignty Act of 2020 to demand the rights of the Belarusian people be respected and to hold accountable those who undermine them. (22) As a result of the Lukashenka regime’s violence against its own people, in December 2020, Members of Congress and transatlantic parliamentarians wrote a letter to the International Ice Hockey Federation President demanding the Championship be relocated from Belarus. (23) In response to the Government of Belarus’ repressive actions following the 2020 election, the United States, along with the European Union, imposed various sanctions packages on individuals and entities involved with the suppression of democracy in Belarus, including— (A) the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Belarus and officials determined to be responsible for undermining democracy in Belarus; (B) entities and persons determined to be involved in the violent suppression of protestors, such as the Minsk Special Purpose Police Unit, the Main Internal Affairs Directorate of the Minsk City Executive Committee, and KGB Alpha; and (C) state-owned enterprises that provide revenue to support Lukashenka’s authoritarian regime. (24) In April 2021, the House of Representatives passed House Resolution 124 reaffirming that the August 2020 elections were neither free nor fair and that the House of Representatives does not recognize Alyaksandr Lukashenka as Belarus’ legitimate president. (25) On May 23, 2021, the Government of Belarus forced Ryanair Flight 4978 to land in Belarus as it neared the border of Lithuania after calling in a false bomb report and subsequently arrested independent Belarusian opposition blogger and political activist Raman Pratasevich and his girlfriend, threatening the safety of every passenger aboard the civilian flight, and ultimately detaining Pratasevich as a political prisoner. (26) In May 2021, the European Union pledged a comprehensive plan of economic support worth up to 3 billion euros to assist in the development of a future, democratic Belarus following a democratic transition. (27) As of April 2024, the Government of Belarus, led illegally by Alyaksandr Lukashenka, unlawfully holds nearly 1,400 people as political prisoners, including dozens of journalists such as Ihar Losik and Andrey Kuznechyk from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. (28) The Government of Belarus, led illegally by Alyaksandr Lukashenka, has consistently weaponized migrants and asylum seekers by transporting them to Belarus’ borders with the NATO and European Union countries of Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland in an attempt to destabilize each country by creating diplomatic border crises, and in violation of the migrant and asylum seekers’ human rights. (29) The Government of Belarus has been complicit in Russia’s illegal and full-scale invasion of Ukraine. (30) In advance of Russia’s unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine, Alyaksandr Lukashenka opened Belarus’ borders to the Russian military, serving as a staging area, providing bases for training and for launching air strikes and invasion forces, and providing logistical support to the Russian invasion force which attacked Ukraine in February 2022. (31) In February 2022, just days after Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, Alyaksandr Lukashenka held a constitutional referendum described by the Department of State as ‘not free or fair’ which, among other provisions, would endow Lukashenka with lifetime immunity from prosecution for his crimes, allow Russian nuclear weapons to be stationed on the territory of Belarus, and formally revoke Belarus’ status as a neutral nation. (32) Since the start of Russia’s brutal and unprovoked war of aggression in Ukraine, the Government of Belarus has consistently worked to further the so-called ‘Union State’ with the Russian Federation and deepen joint military and economic ties to support Russia’s war effort. (33) Throughout Russia’s brutal and unprovoked war of aggression in Ukraine, the Government of Belarus has participated in the abduction and illegal deportation of Ukrainian civilians from territory occupied by the Russian Federation, including thousands of children sent to facilities in Belarus for ‘re-education’ as detailed in a November 2023 report by the Yale University Humanitarian Research Lab’s Conflict Observatory. (34) The now-suspended Belarusian branch of the Red Cross has publicly confirmed its involvement in transferring children from Ukraine to the territory of Belarus, and the illegitimate leader of the Government of Belarus, Alyaksandr Lukashenka, has publicly confirmed that he permitted these transfers. (35) In Spring 2023, the Government of Belarus announced plans for the deployment of nuclear weapons from the Russian Federation to the territory of Belarus, which reportedly began in the summer of this same year. (36) The Government of Belarus has harbored the Wagner Group, a private military company the United States has designated as a Transnational Criminal Organization, and provided facilities, resources, and a staging ground for the group’s criminal operations. (37) The Government of Belarus has reportedly provided the Government of the Russian Federation with tens of thousands of tons of ammunition throughout Russia’s unprovoked war of aggression in Ukraine. (38) As a result of the Government of Belarus’ support to the Russian Federation during its unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine, the United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom have repeatedly issued further sanctions packages against the Lukashenka regime to target Belarusian military officers as well as individuals in the military sector, restrictions on entities in Belarus’ defense and industrial sectors, and entities that provide support to Belarus’ military and industrial sectors. (39) The Government of Belarus is reportedly engaging in the purchase of significant amount of military equipment from the sanctioned Islamic Republic of Iran. (40) On August 6, 2023, the Belarusian democratic opposition issued a declaration expressing their objective of developing democracy in Belarus and pursuing membership in the European Union and, by extension, joining the Trans-Atlantic community. (41) The democratic opposition of Belarus have called on the Government of Belarus, led illegally by Alyaksandr Lukashenka, to end its complicity and involvement in the war in Ukraine, and urged against the conscription of men into the Belarusian military. (42) On February 28, 2022, the Department of State ordered the departure of United States Government employees and the suspension of operations of the United States Embassy in Minsk. (43) On August 21, 2023, the United States Government directed all United States citizens to leave Belarus immediately due to the illegitimate Belarusian authorities’ continued cooperation with the Russian military and facilitation of Russia’s unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine, and the risk of detention and arbitrary enforcement of local laws against United States citizens. (44) In September 2023, the Government of Belarus deprived Belarusians living abroad of their ability to renew their passports through Belarusian embassies in an attempt to make life difficult for and to force exiles, critics, and expats to return to Belarus for document renewal and possibly face persecution. (45) In December 2023, the United States Government held a Strategic Dialogue with the Belarusian democratic opposition and civil society and subsequently announced a continuation of efforts to hold Alyaksandr Lukashenka and his regime accountable for their crimes, a commitment to supporting Belarusian culture, sovereignty, and national identity, as well as the need for future working groups with the democratic opposition. . 3. Statement of policy Section 3 of the Belarus Democracy Act of 2004 ( Public Law 108–347 ; 22 U.S.C. 5811 note) is amended to read as follows: 3. Statement of policy It is the policy of the United States— (1) to condemn— (A) the conduct of the August 9, 2020, presidential election in Belarus, which was neither free nor fair; (B) the Belarusian authorities’ unrelenting crackdown on, arbitrary arrests of, and violence against opposition candidates, democratic opposition, peaceful protestors, human rights activists, employees from state-owned enterprises participating in strikes, independent election observers, and independent journalists and bloggers; and (C) the unjustified detention and forced or attempted deportation of members of the Coordination Council and United Transitional Cabinet in Belarus; (2) to condemn the illegitimate Belarusian authorities’ allowance of Russian nuclear weapons to be deployed to Belarusian territory, their continued political and material support for Russia’s unprovoked war of aggression in Ukraine, and their continued participation in abducting and deporting Ukrainian children from territory occupied by the Russian Federation to the territory of Belarus; (3) to condemn the presence of Russian forces on Belarusian territory and demand the cessation of the use of Belarusian territory by Russian forces as a staging ground for Russia’s illegal, full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine or for the prevention of a peaceful democratic transition in Belarus; (4) to demand accountability for the illegal Lukashenka regime’s complicity in the crime of aggression against Ukraine through international justice mechanisms; (5) to condemn the weaponization of migrants wherein the Government of Belarus, led illegally by Alyaksandr Lukashenka, has sent thousands of migrants to the borders of Poland and Lithuania in an attempt to destabilize the border region; (6) to continue demanding the immediate release without preconditions of all political prisoners in Belarus and those arrested for peacefully protesting, including all those individuals detained in connection with the August 9, 2020, fraudulent presidential election; (7) to stand in solidarity with the people of Belarus, including human rights defenders, bloggers, and journalists, who are exercising their right to freedom of assembly, freedom of expression, and rule of law and to continue supporting the aspirations of the people of Belarus for democracy, human rights, and the rule of law; (8) to continue actively supporting the aspirations of the people of the Republic of Belarus to preserve the independence and sovereignty of their country; (9) to continue refusing to recognize Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s illegitimate regime and to continue supporting calls for Belarusian presidential and parliamentary elections to be conducted in a manner that is free and fair according to Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) standards and under the supervision of OSCE observers and independent domestic observers, including in the 2025 presidential elections; (10) to continue calling for the Government of Belarus to fulfill its freely undertaken obligations as an OSCE participating state and as a signatory of the Charter of the United Nations; (11) to recognize the Coordination Council and the United Transitional Cabinet as legitimate institutions to participate in a dialogue on a peaceful transition of power, and to support these institutions prior to and during such a transition should it take place; (12) to condemn the deprivation of consular services to Belarusian citizens living abroad, including representatives of the Belarusian democratic opposition, and urge the United States to raise this to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Organization for Migration, the Council of Europe, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe; (13) to encourage the United States Government to continue working closely with the European Union, the United Kingdom, Canada, and other countries and international organizations to continue to impose targeted sanctions against officials in Belarus who are responsible for— (A) undermining democratic processes in Belarus; (B) participating in gross violations of internationally recognized human rights related to political repression in Belarus and undermining rule of law for the people of Belarus; or (C) enabling or facilitating Russia’s war in Ukraine; (14) to call on the Government of Belarus to uphold its human rights obligations, including those rights enumerated in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; (15) to encourage the United States to expeditiously appoint a U.S. Special Envoy for Belarus to fill the role vacated in June 2022; and (16) to support the use of the Strategic Dialogue between the United States Government as a means of furthering ties between the United States Government and the representatives of the democratic opposition of Belarus in pursuit of objectives, including— (A) accountability for the Lukashenka regime’s gross violations of internationally recognized human rights and domestic repressions; (B) increasing partnerships with the Belarusian people by supporting investments such as the United States Agency for International Development’s dedicated Belarus Country Representative Office in Vilnius, Lithuania; and (C) initiating cultural programming dedicated to protecting Belarusian language, culture, and national identity. . 4. Assistance to promote democracy, civil society, and sovereignty in Belarus Section 4 of the Belarus Democracy Act of 2004 ( Public Law 108–347 ; 22 U.S.C. 5811 note) is amended— (1) in subsection (a)— (A) in paragraph (1), by inserting “, the United Transitional Cabinet, and the Coordination Council” after “the Republic of Belarus”; and (B) by adding at the end the following: (5) To assist in the cessation of Belarus’ support for the Government of Russia in Russia’s unprovoked war of aggression in Ukraine. ; (2) in subsection (b), by adding at the end before the period the following “, including political party strengthening”; (3) by amending subsection (c) to read as follows: (c) Activities supported Activities that may be supported by assistance under subsection (b) include— (1) expanding independent radio and television broadcasting to and within Belarus; (2) facilitating the development of independent broadcast, print, and internet media working within Belarus and from locations outside the country and supported by nonstate-controlled printing facilities; (3) countering internet censorship and repressive surveillance technology that seek to limit free association, control access to information, and prevent citizens from exercising their rights to free speech; (4) raising awareness both within Belarus and globally about Lukashenka’s complicity in Russia’s unprovoked war of aggression in Ukraine, including how the Lukashenka regime is providing support to the Russian military and committing crimes against Ukrainian children; (5) aiding the development of civil society through assistance to nongovernmental organizations promoting democracy and supporting human rights, including youth groups, entrepreneurs, and independent trade unions; (6) supporting programming that contributes to the defense of Belarusian sovereignty and independence from encroachment by the Russian Federation; (7) supporting the work of human rights defenders; (8) enhancing the development of democratic political parties; (9) assisting the promotion of free, fair, and transparent electoral processes; (10) enhancing international exchanges and advanced professional training programs for leaders and members of the democratic opposition in skill areas central to the development of civil society; (11) supporting the work of women advocating for freedom, human rights, and human progress in Belarus given the significant and vital role women have played in the Belarus democracy movement; (12) supporting the development of Belarusian language and cultural education and exchanges to preserve and protect Belarusian national identity; (13) supporting further iterations of the Strategic Dialogue between the United States and the Belarusian democratic opposition and civil society as a platform to work on issues of mutual concern; (14) enhancing the development of the private sector, particularly the information technology sector, and its role in the economy of Belarus, including by increasing the capacity of private sector actors, developing business support organizations, offering entrepreneurship training, and expanding access to finance for small and medium enterprises; (15) supporting political refugees in neighboring European countries fleeing the crackdown in Belarus; (16) supporting the education of Belarusians in exile; (17) supporting the gathering of evidence on and investigating of gross violations of internationally recognized human rights in Belarus; and (18) other activities consistent with the purposes of this Act. ; (4) in subsection (f)— (A) by striking “the Belarus Democracy, Human Rights, and Sovereignty Act of 2020” and inserting “the Belarus Democracy, Human Rights, and Sovereignty Act of 2024”; and (B) by adding at the end before the period the following: as well as the methodology and benchmarks used to assess the effectiveness of such funds ; and (5) by amending subsection (g) to read as follows: (f) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to the President to carry out this section— (1) for fiscal year 2025 an amount equal to not less than the amount made available to carry out this section for fiscal year 2024; and (2) for fiscal year 2026 an amount equal to not less than the amount made available to carry out this section for fiscal year 2025. . 5. International broadcasting, internet freedom, and access to information in Belarus Section 5 of the Belarus Democracy Act of 2004 ( Public Law 109–480 ; 22 U.S.C. 5811 note) is amended— (1) in subsection (a)— (A) by striking (a) sense of congress .— ; (B) in paragraph (4), by striking and at the end; (C) in paragraph (5), by striking the period at the end and inserting the following: “and advocate for the release of journalists that are detained by political reasons; and”; and (D) by adding at the end the following: (6) the United States should also support independent media outlets and other sources of information in providing accurate and truthful information about Russia’s unprovoked war of aggression in Ukraine, and the illegitimate Lukashenka regime’s complicity in Russia’s crimes of aggression. ; and (2) by striking subsection (b). 6. Sanctions against the Government of Belarus Section 6 of the Belarus Democracy Act of 2004 ( Public Law 109–480 ; 22 U.S.C. 5811 note) is amended— (1) in subsection (a)— (A) by striking The sanctions and inserting the following: (1) In general The sanctions ; and (B) by adding at the end the following: (2) Maintenance of existing sanctions (A) In general Any sanctions imposed pursuant to the Executive orders described in subparagraph (B) that were imposed in connection with conduct relating to, concerning, or occurring in Belarus should remain in effect until the President determines and certifies to the appropriate congressional committees that the Government of Belarus has made significant progress in meeting the conditions described in subsection (c). (B) Executive orders described The Executive orders described in this subparagraph are the following: (i) Executive Order 13405 (71 Fed. Reg. 35485; relating to blocking property of certain persons undermining democratic processes or institutions in Belarus). (ii) Executive Order 14024 (86 Fed. Reg. 20249; relating to blocking property with respect to specified harmful foreign activities of the Government of the Russian Federation). (iii) Executive Order 14038 (86 Fed. Reg. 43905; relating to blocking property of additional persons contributing to the situation in Belarus). ; (2) in subsection (b)— (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking subsection (a) and inserting paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a) ; (B) by striking paragraph (2); (C) by redesignating paragraphs (3), (4), and (5) as paragraphs (2), (3), and (4), respectively; and (D) by adding at the end the following: (5) The withdrawal of the armed forces of the Russian Federation from the Republic of Belarus and the cessation of Belarusian support for the Russian Federation’s war against Ukraine. (6) The return of all Ukrainian children abducted and deported to Belarus from the territory of Ukraine illegally occupied by the Russian Federation. ; (3) in subsection (c)— (A) in the subsection heading, by striking complicit in the crackdown that occurred after the august 9, 2020, election ; (B) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking may and inserting shall ; (C) in paragraph (2), by striking inadmissible under and inserting described in ; (D) in paragraph (4), by adding at the end before the semicolon the following: , or future elections in Belarus should they be determined to be neither free nor fair ; (E) in paragraph (5), by adding at the end before the semicolon the following: , or future elections in Belarus should they be determined to be neither free nor fair ; (F) by striking paragraphs (6), (7), (8), and (9) and inserting the following: (6) is a government official or member of the security or law enforcement services of Belarus and has participated in the persecution or harassment of religious groups, human rights defenders, democratic opposition groups, or independent media or journalists; (7) is an individual determined by the President to be interfering in the internal affairs of the Republic of Belarus on behalf of or at the direction of the Government of the Russian Federation; (8) is an official who provides for, facilitates, or otherwise enables or engages with the abduction and deportation of Ukrainian children from territories illegally occupied by the Russian Federation to the territory of Belarus; (9) is an official who provides for, facilitates, or otherwise enables the Russian Federation to use the territory or Belarus to further its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine; (10) is an official of the so-called Union State between Russia and Belarus (regardless of nationality of the individual) or works toward the furtherance of such Union State; or (11) is a Russian individual that has significantly participated in the crackdown on independent press or human rights abuses related to political repression in Belarus, including the Russian propagandists sent to replace local employees at Belarusian state media outlets. ; (4) by amending subsection (f) to read as follows: (f) Blocking of assets and other prohibited activities (1) Mandatory sanction The President shall impose the sanction described in paragraph (3) with respect to each foreign person that the President determines— (A) is a member of the Central Election Commission of Belarus or assisted the Commission in manipulating elections in Belarus including the presidential election of August 9, 2020; (B) is a government official or member of the security or law enforcement services of Belarus and has participated in the persecution or harassment of religious groups, human rights defenders, democratic opposition groups, or independent media or journalists; (C) is an individual determined by the President to be knowingly interfering in the internal affairs of the Republic of Belarus on behalf of or at the direction of the Government of the Russian Federation; (D) is an official who knowingly engages in the abduction and deportation of Ukrainian children from territories illegally occupied by the Russian Federation to the territory of Belarus; (E) is an official who knowingly supports and provides for, the Russian Federation’s use of the territory or Belarus to further its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine; or (F) is an official in the so-called Union State between Russia and Belarus (regardless of nationality of the individual) or works toward the furtherance of such Union State . (2) Discretionary sanction The President may impose the sanction described in paragraph (3) with respect to each foreign person that the President determines— (A) holds a position in the senior leadership of the Government of Belarus; (B) is an immediate family member of a person described in subparagraph (A); or (C) through his or her business dealings with a person described in subparagraph (A) derives significant financial benefit from policies or actions, including electoral fraud, gross violations of internationally recognized human rights, or corruption, that undermine or injure democratic institutions or impede the transition to democracy in Belarus. (3) Sanction described The President shall exercise all of the powers granted to the President under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act ( 50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq. ) to the extent necessary to block and prohibit all transactions in property and interests in property of the foreign person if such property and interests in property are in the United States, come within the United States, or are or come within the possession or control of a United States person. (4) Exceptions (A) Exception relating to the provision of humanitarian assistance The sanction described in paragraph (3) may not be imposed with respect to transactions or the facilitation of transactions for— (i) the sale of agricultural commodities, food, medicine, or medical devices; (ii) the provision of humanitarian assistance; (iii) financial transactions relating to humanitarian assistance; or (iv) transporting goods or services that are necessary to carry out operations relating to humanitarian assistance. (B) Exception for intelligence, law enforcement, and national security activities The sanction described in paragraph (3) shall not apply to any authorized intelligence, law enforcement, or national security activities of the United States. (5) Waiver The President may, on a case-by-case basis and for periods not to exceed 180 days each, waive the application of the sanction described in paragraph (3) imposed with respect to a foreign person under this subsection if the President certifies to the appropriate congressional committees not later than 15 days before such waiver is to take effect that the waiver is important to the national security interests of the United States. (6) Penalties Any person who violates, attempts to violate, or causes a violation of this subsection or any regulation, license, or order issued to carry out this subsection shall be subject to the penalties under section 206 of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act ( 50 U.S.C. 1705 ) to the same extent as a person that commits an unlawful act under that Act ( 50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq. ). (7) Definitions In this subsection— (A) the term air carrier has the meaning given that term in section 40102 of title 49, United States Code; (B) the term foreign person means a person that is not a United States person; and (C) the term United States person means— (i) any United States citizen or alien admitted for permanent residence to the United States; (ii) any entity organized under the laws of the United States; and (iii) any person in the United States. . 7. Multilateral cooperation Section 7 of the Belarus Democracy Act of 2004 ( Public Law 109–480 ; 22 U.S.C. 5811 note) is amended— (1) in paragraph (1), by striking and at the end; (2) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and ; and (3) by adding at the end the following: (3) to halt the Government of Belarus, led illegally by Alyaksandr Lukashenka, from supporting and assisting the Russian Federation’s unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine including the abduction and deportation of Ukrainian children. . 8. Reports Section 8 of the Belarus Democracy Act of 2004 ( Public Law 109–480 ; 22 U.S.C. 5811 note) is amended— (1) by striking subsection (a); (2) by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection (a); (3) in subsection (a) (as so redesignated)— (A) in paragraph (1)— (i) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking the Belarus Democracy, Human Rights, and Sovereignty Act of 2020 and inserting the Belarus Democracy, Human Rights, and Sovereignty Act of 2024 ; and (ii) in subparagraph (B), by adding at the end before the period the following: , and whether the United States has imposed sanctions with respect to such senior foreign political figures ; (B) by striking paragraph (2); and (C) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (2); and (4) by adding at the end the following: (b) Report on crimes and other actions committed by belarus in support of russia’s unprovoked war of aggression in ukraine (1) In general Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of the Belarus Democracy, Human Rights, and Sovereignty Act of 2024, the Director of National Intelligence, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of State, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the following: (A) An assessment of the Russian military presence in Belarus, including the presence of Russian nuclear forces, and the impact this presence has on North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) security. (B) The degree to which the Government of Belarus, led illegally by Alyaksandr Lukashenka, continues to provide support to and harbor the forces of the Wagner Group or other Russian paramilitary groups and enables their destabilizing actions on the borders of NATO allies, such as Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland. (C) Which actors in the Government of Belarus, led illegally by Alyaksandr Lukashenka, are most responsible for the illegal abduction and deportation of Ukrainian children from Ukrainian territory occupied by the Russian Federation to the territory of Belarus, as well as to what extent organizations such as the now-suspended Belarus branch of the Red Cross are involved in these transfers, and provide a strategy for holding those involved in these crimes accountable including through the use of sanctions. (D) The degree to which the Government of Belarus, led illegally by Alyaksandr Lukashenka has purchased weapons from the governments of the Russian Federation and the Islamic Republic of Iran, and whether any purchases of such weapons violate the provisions of section 107 or 231 of the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (22 U.S.C. 9406 or 9525). (E) The extent to which the Government of Belarus, led illegally by Alyaksandr Lukashenka, is aiding the Russian Federation is circumventing export controls and evading sanctions, including with an accounting and estimated value of dual-use goods and an identification of the officials or other persons involved in facilitating this sanctions evasion. (F) The impact of the Government of Belarus’ use of illegal migrants to destabilize the borders of NATO countries, such as Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland, on NATO security. (2) Form The report required under this subsection shall be transmitted in unclassified form, but may contain a classified annex. . 9. Definitions Section 9 of the Belarus Democracy Act of 2004 ( Public Law 109–480 ; 22 U.S.C. 5811 note) is amended— (1) in paragraph (3)(A), by adding at the end before the semicolon the following: , led illegally by Alyaksandr Lukashenka ; and (2) by adding at the end the following: (4) Union state The term Union State means the supranational union of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation as outlined in the December 1999 Treaty on the establishment of the Union State between the governments of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation. .