H.R. 5859: Ukraine Freedom Support Act of 2014

113th Congress

To impose sanctions with respect to the Russian Federation, to provide additional assistance to Ukraine, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep. Jim Gerlach — R — PA

Ukraine Freedom Support Act of 2014 - (Sec. 3) States that it is U.S. policy to assist the government of Ukraine in restoring its sovereignty and territorial integrity in order to deter the government of the Russian Federation from further destabilizing and invading Ukraine and other independent countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. (Sec. 4) Directs the President to impose three or more specified sanctions against: Rosoboronexport; an entity owned by the government of the Russian Federation or controlled by its nationals that transfers or brokers the transfer to, or knowingly manufactures or sells defense articles transferred to, Syria or into the territory of a specified country without its government's consent; or a person (individual or entity) that knowingly sponsors or provides financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, such an entity. Defines "specified country" as Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, or any other country of significant concern for purposes of this Act, such as Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and the Central Asia republics. Authorizes the President to impose three or more specified sanctions against a person that knowingly makes a significant investment in a special Russian crude oil project. Authorizes the President, through the Bureau of Industry and Security of the Department of Commerce or the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the Department of the Treasury, to impose additional licensing requirements or other restrictions on the export of items for Russia's energy sector, including equipment used for tertiary oil recovery. Directs the President to impose specified sanctions on Gazprom if it is withholding significant natural gas supplies from North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member countries, or further withholds significant natural gas supplies from countries such as Ukraine, Georgia, or Moldova. Sets forth sanctions against a foreign person, including executive officers of an entity, relating to: Export-Import Bank of the United States assistance, executive agency procurement, arms and dual-use item exports, U.S. property transactions, banking transactions, investing in or purchasing equity or debt instruments, and U.S. entry prohibition or visa revocation. Excludes import sanctions from the authority to block and prohibit U.S. property transactions. Sets forth the conditions under which the President shall not be required to apply or maintain the sanctions with respect to: procurement of defense articles or services; products, technology, or services provided under contracts entered into before the date on which the President publishes in the Federal Register the name of a sanctioned person; spare or component parts essential to U.S. products or production, or to the servicing and maintenance of U.S. products; information and technology essential to U.S. products or production; or food, medicine, medical devices, or agricultural commodities. Authorizes the President to waive the application of sanctions, or waive sanctions for a specific transaction, for purposes of U.S. national security, and with congressional notification. Applies specified penalties under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to violations of this section. Terminates sanctions under this section upon the President's certification to Congress that the Russian Federation has ceased directing, supporting, or financing significant acts intended to undermine the peace, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine, including through an agreement between the appropriate parties. States that such termination date shall not apply to defense article transfers into Syria or related sanctions. (Sec. 5) Authorizes the President to impose a prohibition on the opening, and a prohibition or the imposition of strict conditions on the maintaining, in the United States of a correspondent account or a payable-through account by a foreign financial institution that knowingly: engages in significant transactions involving sanctioned persons; or with respect to the Ukrainian crisis, facilitated a significant financial transaction on behalf of any Russian person included on the list of specially designated nationals and blocked persons maintained by the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control. Authorizes the President to waive the application of sanctions against a foreign financial institution for purposes of U.S. national security, and with congressional notification. Applies specified penalties under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to violations of this section. Terminates sanctions under this section upon the President's certification to Congress that the Russian Federation has ceased directing, supporting, or financing significant acts intended to undermine the peace, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine, including through an agreement between the appropriate parties. (Sec. 6) Authorizes: the President to provide Ukraine with defense articles, services, and training in order to counter offensive weapons and reestablish its sovereignty and territorial integrity; and FY2015-FY2017 appropriations. (Sec. 7) Directs the Secretary of State (Secretary) to submit a plan to Congress to meet the need for protection of and assistance for internally displaced persons in Ukraine. Directs the President to use U.S. influence at United Nations (U.N.) voluntary agencies to support assistance for internally displaced persons in Ukraine. Urges the Secretary and the Secretary of Defense (DOD) to assist Ukrainian defense sector entities reorient exports from Russian Federation customers to alternative markets in the Ukrainian defense sector that have already significantly reduced exports to and cooperation with Russian defense sector entities. Directs the Secretary and the Secretary of Energy (DOE) to work with Ukrainian officials to develop an emergency energy assistance plan to help Ukraine address the potentially severe heating fuel and electricity shortages facing Ukraine in 2014 and 2015. Directs the Secretary to work with Ukrainian officials to increase energy security by helping Ukraine reduce its dependence on natural gas imported from the Russian Federation. Authorizes FY2016-FY2018 appropriations for such activities. Directs: the Overseas Private Investment Corporation to prioritize support for investments to increase energy efficiency, develop domestic oil and natural gas reserves, and develop renewable energy sources in Ukraine; and the President to use U.S. influence to encourage the World Bank Group, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and other international financial institutions to invest in and stimulate private investment in such projects. Directs the Secretary and the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to: (1) strengthen democratic civil society in Ukraine, (2) support independent media outlets, and (3) counter government corruption and improve accountability. Authorizes FY2016 appropriations for such activities. (Sec. 8) Directs the Chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors to submit to Congress a plan for increasing and maintaining through FY2017 the quantity of Russian-language broadcasting into the countries of the former Soviet Union in order to counter Russian Federation propaganda. Requires such plan to prioritize broadcasting into Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova by the Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Authorizes FY2016-FY2018 appropriations for the Broadcasting Board of Governors for such activities. (Sec. 9) Directs the Secretary to: (1) improve and strengthen democratic institutions and political and civil society organizations in the Russian Federation, and (2) expand uncensored Internet and independent media access. Authorizes FY2016-FY2018 appropriations for such activities. (Sec. 10) Expresses the sense of Congress that the President should: (1) hold the Russian Federation accountable for being in violation of its obligations under the The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty; and (2) demand that the Russian Federation verifiably eliminate the military systems that constitute such violation. (Sec. 11) States that nothing in this Act shall be construed as an authorization for the use of military force.

View the full vote history of this bill on GovTrack.us.