H.R. 8438 · 116th Congress
Belarus Democracy, Human Rights, and Sovereignty Act of 2020
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Passed the House without a recorded vote, then expired. It passed by voice vote or unanimous consent, which don't record how each member voted, but didn't become law before the 116th Congress ended.
R
SmithSponsor15 cosponsors · 12 D, 3 R
D
Engel
MK
D
Kaptur
WK
D
Keating
AK
R
Kinzinger
MM
R
McCaul
DC
D
Cicilline
TD
D
Deutch
BF
R
Fitzpatrick
SC
D
Cohen
DP
D
Phillips
BS
D
Sherman
AS
D
Spanberger
EN
D
Norton
MW
D
Waters
RK
D
Kind5 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.
- House Introduced Sep 29, 2020
- House Passed Nov 18, 2020
This bill expands the President's authority to impose sanctions related to Belarus to include activities surrounding the disputed 2020 Belarusian presidential election and subsequent government crackdown. The bill also expands authorized assistance to Belarus.
What it does: CRS summary · Passed House · Nov 18, 2020
Belarus Democracy, Human Rights, and Sovereignty Act of 2020
This bill expands the President's authority to impose sanctions related to Belarus to include activities surrounding the disputed 2020 Belarusian presidential election and subsequent government crackdown. The bill also expands authorized assistance to Belarus.
The President may impose visa-blocking sanctions on any alien who (1) is a member of the Central Election Commission of Belarus or assisted in the manipulation of the August 9, 2020, presidential election, (2) is a government official responsible for the crackdown on independent media, (3) is an official of the Union State (an international organization consisting of Belarus and Russia), or (4) is a Russian individual who has significantly participated in the crackdown on the press or human rights abuses related to political repression in Belarus. (The President already has authority to impose such sanctions on certain aliens, such as senior leaders in the government of Belarus.)
The bill also expands authorized assistance related to Belarus to include assistance to (1) counter internet censorship and surveillance technology, (2) support the work of women advocating for freedom and human rights, and (3) support political refugees fleeing the crackdown in Belarus.
Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov
About this bill and sources
Official title: Belarus Democracy, Human Rights, and Sovereignty Act of 2020
Latest action (Nov 30, 2020): Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
Policy area: International Affairs · Origin: House · Introduced: Sep 29, 2020
Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)
- House Introduced Sep 29, 2020
- House Passed Nov 18, 2020
No recorded floor vote found.