,i  #aacth ,,congress  #b;d ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #dbbi  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,march #ac1 #bjad    
,ms4 ,ros-,lehtinen 7for herself1 ,mr4  
,diaz-,balart1 ,mr4 ,sires1 ,mr4        
,salmon1 ,ms4 ,wasserman ,schultz1 ,mr4 
,de,santis1 ,mr4 ,deutch1 ,mr4 ,garcia1 
,mr4 ,bilirakis1 and ,ms4 ,frankel of   
,florida7 introduced the following bill2
 which was referred to the ,committee on
 ,foreign ,affairs1 and in addition to  
the ,committees on the ,judiciary1 ,ways
 and ,means1 and ,financial ,services1  
for a period to be subsequently         
determined by the ,speaker1 in each case
 for consideration of such provisions as
 fall within the jurisdiction of the    
committee concerned  ,a ,,bill  ,to seek
 international sanctions against the    
,government of ,venezuela with respect  
to foreign persons responsible for or   
complicit in ordering1 controlling1 or  
otherwise directing1 the commission of  
serious human rights abuses against     
citizens of ,venezuela1 and for other   

purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act  
may be cited as the ,venezuelan ,liberty
 and ,democratic ,solidarity ,act4  #b4 
,definitions ,in this ,act3  7#a7       
,appropriate congressional committees   
,the term appropriate congressional     
committees means--  7,a7 the ,committee 
on ,foreign ,affairs of the ,house of   
,representatives2 and  7,b7 the         
,committee on ,foreign ,relations of the
 ,senate4  7#b7 ,sensitive technology   
7,a7 ,in general ,the term sensitive    
technology means hardware1 software1    
telecommunications equipment1 or any    
other technology that the ,president    
determines is to be used specifically   
to--  7i7 restrict the free flow of     
unbiased information2 or  7ii7 disrupt1 
monitor1 or otherwise restrict freedom  
of speech4  7,b7 ,exception ,the term   
sensitive technology does not include   
information or informational materials  
the exportation of which the ,president 
does not have the authority to regulate4
  #c4 ,findings ,congress finds the     

following--  7#a7 ,on ,february #ab1    
#bjad1 also known in ,venezuela as the  
,national ,youth ,day1 students began   
protesting in several cities against    
,venezuelan leader ,nicols ,maduro's    
inability to stem violent crime1 his    
undemocratic actions1 and a rapidly     
deteriorating economy marked by high    
inflation and shortages of consumer     
goods4  7#b7 ,on ,february #ab1 #bjad1 a
 judge issued an arrest warrant for     
,leopoldo ,lpez1 leader of the          
opposition party ,voluntad ,popular1 for
 unfounded allegations in connection    
with the student protests4  7#c7 ,on    
,february #ag1 #bjad1 the ,government of
 ,venezuela notified the ,united ,states
 ,department of ,state that it had      
declared #c consular officers at the    
,united ,states ,embassy in ,venezuela  
personae non gratae4  7#d7 ,on ,february
 #ah1 #bjad1 opposition leader ,leopoldo
 ,lpez turned himself in to ,venezuelan 
authorities1 was arrested1 and unjustly 
charged with criminal incitement1       

conspiracy1 arson1 and intent to damage 
property4  7#e7 ,leopoldo ,lpez is      
currently being held in a prison at a   
military facility4  7#f7                
,nongovernmental human rights           
organizations have alleged that the     
charges brought against ,leopoldo ,lpez 
appear to be a politically motivated    
attempt to silence dissent in the       
country4  7#g7 ,as of ,march #ac1 #bjad1
 there have been #bd people killed1 over
 #ajj injured1 and many persons unjustly
 detained in relation to pro-democracy  
demonstrations throughout ,venezuela4   
7#h7 ,on ,february #ai1 #bjad1          
,president ,obama criticized the        
,government of ,venezuela for arresting 
protesters1 called for their release1   
and urged the government to focus on the
 legitimate grievances of the           
,venezuelan people4  7#i7 ,according to 
the ,department of ,state's ,country    
,reports on ,human ,rights ,practices   
for #bjac for ,venezuela1 ,the principal
 human rights abuses reported during the

 year included corruption1              
politicization in the judicial system1  
and government actions to impede freedom
 of expression and restrict freedom of  
the press4 ,the government did not      
respect judicial independence or permit 
judges to act according to the law      
without fear of retaliation4 ,the       
government used the judiciary to        
intimidate and selectively prosecute    
political1 union1 business1 and civil   
society leaders who were critical of    
government policies or actions4 ,the    
government harassed and intimidated     
privately owned television stations1    
other media outlets1 and journalists    
throughout the year1 using threats1     
fines1 property seizures1 targeted      
regulations1 arrests1 and criminal      
investigations and prosecutions44  7#aj7
 ,according to the ,department of       
,state's ,country ,reports on ,human    
,rights ,practices for #bjac for        
,venezuela1 ,the following human rights 
problems were reported by ,n,g,os1 the  

media1 and in some cases the government 
itself3 unlawful killings1 including    
summary killings by police elements2    
torture and other cruel1 inhumane1 or   
degrading treatment2 harsh and          
life-threatening prison conditions and  
lack of due process rights that         
contributed to widespread violence1     
riots1 injuries1 and deaths in prisons2 
inadequate juvenile detention centers2  
arbitrary arrests and detentions2       
corruption and impunity in police       
forces2 political prisoners2            
interference with privacy rights2       
corruption at all levels of government2 
threats against domestic ,n,g,os2       
violence against women2 anti-,semitism  
in the official media2 trafficking in   
persons2 violence based on sexual       
orientation and gender identity2 and    
restrictions on workers' right of       
association44  7#aa7 ,according to      
,freedom ,house's ,freedom in the ,world
 report of #bjac on ,venezuela1 ,nicols 
,maduro1 further weakened the           

independent media1 reduced the          
opposition's ability to serve as a check
 on government policy1 and made threats 
to civil society groups44  #d4 ,actions 
at the ,organization of ,american       
,states ,the ,secretary of ,state shall 
direct the ,united ,states ,permanent   
,representative to the ,organization of 
,american ,states to use the voice1     
vote1 and influence of the ,united      
,states at the ,organization of         
,american ,states to defend and protect 
the ,inter-,american ,democratic        
,charter1 and strengthen the independent
 ,inter-,american ,commission on ,human 
,rights to advance the protection of    
human rights throughout the ,western    
,hemisphere1 especially in ,venezuela4  
#e4 ,imposition of sanctions on certain 
persons who are responsible for or      
complicit in human rights abuses        
committed against citizens of ,venezuela
 or their family members  7a7 ,in       
general ,the ,president shall impose    
sanctions described in subsection 7c7   

with respect to each person on the list 
required by subsection 7b74  7b7 ,list  
of persons who are responsible for or   
complicit in certain human rights abuses
  7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #ij  
days after the date of the enactment of 
this ,act1 the ,president shall transmit
 to the appropriate congressional       
committees a list of persons who are    
officials of the ,government of         
,venezuela or persons acting on behalf  
of the ,government of ,venezuela1 who   
the ,president determines1 based on     
credible evidence1 are responsible for  
or complicit in1 or responsible for     
ordering1 controlling1 or otherwise     
directing1 the commission of serious    
human rights abuses against citizens of 
,venezuela or their family members4     
7#b7 ,updates of list ,the ,president   
shall transmit to the appropriate       
congressional committees an updated list
 under paragraph 7#a7--  7,a7 not later 
than #ahj days after the date of the    
enactment of this ,act2 and  7,b7 as new

 information becomes available4  7#c7   
,public availability ,the list required 
under paragraph 7#a7 shall be made      
available to the public and posted on   
the ,web sites of the ,department of the
 ,treasury and the ,department of       
,state4  7#d7 ,consideration of data    
from other countries and nongovernmental
 organizations ,in preparing the list   
required under paragraph 7#a71 the      
,president may consider credible data   
already obtained by other countries and 
nongovernmental organizations1 including
 organizations in ,venezuela1 that      
monitor the human rights abuses of the  
,government of ,venezuela4  7c7         
,sanctions described ,the sanctions     
described in this subsection are        
ineligibility for a visa to enter the   
,united ,states and sanctions pursuant  
to the ,international ,emergency        
,economic ,powers ,act 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4   
#agja et seq471 including blocking of   
property and restrictions or            
prohibitions on financial transactions  

and the exportation and importation of  
property1 subject to such regulations as
 the ,president may prescribe1 including
 regulatory exceptions to permit the    
,united ,states to comply with the      
,agreement between the ,united ,nations 
and the ,united ,states of ,america     
regarding the ,headquarters of the      
,united ,nations1 signed ,june #bf1     
#aidg1 and entered into force ,november 
#ba1 #aidg1 and other applicable        
international obligations4  7d7         
,termination of sanctions ,the          
provisions of this section shall        
terminate on the date on which the      
,president determines and certifies to  
the appropriate congressional committees
 that ,venezuela has--  7#a7            
unconditionally released all political  
prisoners and opposition leaders2  7#b7 
ceased violence1 unlawful detention1    
torture1 and abuse of its citizens2     
7#c7 cooperated fully with an           
independent investigation into the      
killings1 arrests1 and abuse of peaceful

 political activists and prosecuted the 
individuals responsible for such        
killings1 arrests1 and abuse2 and  7#d7 
ceased infringing on freedom of         
expression and attacking independent    
media4  #f4 ,imposition of sanctions    
with respect to the transfer of goods or
 technologies to ,venezuela that are    
likely to be used to commit human rights
 abuses  7a7 ,in general ,the ,president
 shall impose sanctions described in    
section #e7;c7 with respect to each     
person on the list required under       
subsection 7b7 of this section4  7b7    
,list  7#a7 ,in general ,not later than 
#ij days after the date of the enactment
 of this ,act1 the ,president shall     
transmit to the appropriate             
congressional committees a list of      
persons who the ,president determines   
have knowingly engaged in an activity   
described in paragraph 7#b7 on or after 
such date of enactment4  7#b7 ,activity 
described  7,a7 ,in general ,a person   
engages in an activity described in this

 paragraph if the person--  7i7         
transfers1 or facilitates the transfer  
of1 goods or technologies described in  
subparagraph 7,c7 to ,venezuela1 any    
entity organized under the laws of      
,venezuela1 or any national of          
,venezuela1 for use in or with respect  
to ,venezuela2 or  7ii7 provides        
services 7including services relating to
 hardware1 software1 and specialized    
information1 and professional           
consulting1 engineering1 and support    
services7 with respect to goods or      
technologies described in subparagraph  
7,c7 after such goods or technologies   
are transferred to ,venezuela4  7,b7    
,applicability to contracts and other   
agreements ,a person engages in an      
activity described in subparagraph 7,a7 
without regard to whether the activity  
is carried out pursuant to a contract or
 other agreement entered into before1   
on1 or after the date of the enactment  
of this ,act4  7,c7 ,goods or           
technologies described ,goods or        

technologies described in this          
subparagraph are goods or technologies  
that the ,president determines are      
likely to be used by the ,government of 
,venezuela or any of the agencies or    
instrumentalities of the ,government of 
,venezuela 7or by any other person on   
behalf of the ,government of ,venezuela 
or any of such agencies or              
instrumentalities7 to commit serious    
human rights abuses against the people  
of ,venezuela1 including--  7i7 firearms
 or ammunition 7as such terms are       
defined in section #iba of title #ah1   
,united ,states ,code71 rubber bullets1 
police batons1 pepper or chemical       
sprays1 stun grenades1 electroshock     
weapons1 tear gas1 water cannons1 or    
surveillance technology2 or  7ii7       
sensitive technology 7as defined in     
section #b7c774  7#c7 ,special rule to  
allow for termination of sanctionable   
activity ,the ,president shall not be   
required to include a person on the list
 required under paragraph 7#a7 if the   

,president certifies in writing to the  
appropriate congressional committees    
that--  7,a7 the person is no longer    
engaging in1 or has taken significant   
verifiable steps toward stopping1 the   
activity described in paragraph 7#b7 for
 which the ,president would otherwise   
have included the person on the list2   
and  7,b7 the ,president has received   
reliable assurances that such person    
will not knowingly engage in any        
activity described in such paragraph    
7#b7 in the future4  7#d7 ,updates of   
list ,the ,president shall transmit to  
the appropriate congressional committees
 an updated list under paragraph 7#a7-- 
7,a7 not later than #ahj days after the 
date of the enactment of this ,act2 and 
7,b7 as new information becomes         
available4  7#e7 ,form of list2 public  
availability  7,a7 ,form ,the list      
required under paragraph 7#a7 shall be  
submitted in unclassified form but may  
contain a classified annex4  7,b7       
,public availability ,the unclassified  

portion of the list required under      
paragraph 7#a7 shall be made available  
to the public and posted on the ,web    
sites of the ,department of the         
,treasury and the ,department of ,state4
  #g4 ,imposition of sanctions with     
respect to persons who engage in        
censorship or other related activities  
against citizens of ,venezuela  7a7 ,in 
general ,the ,president shall impose    
sanctions described in section #e7;c7   
with respect to each person on the list 
required under subsection 7b7 of this   
section4  7b7 ,list of persons who      
engage in censorship  7#a7 ,in general  
,not later than #ij days after the date 
of the enactment of this ,act1 the      
,president shall transmit to the        
appropriate congressional committees a  
list of persons who the ,president      
determines have engaged in censorship or
 other activities with respect to       
,venezuela that--  7,a7 prohibit1 limit1
 or penalize the exercise of freedom of 
expression or assembly by citizens of   

,venezuela2 or  7,b7 limit access to    
print or broadcast media1 including the 
facilitation or support of intentional  
frequency manipulation by the           
,government of ,venezuela or an entity  
owned or controlled by the ,government  
of ,venezuela that would jam or restrict
 an international signal4  7#b7 ,updates
 of list ,the ,president shall transmit 
to the appropriate congressional        
committees an updated list under        
paragraph 7#a7--  7,a7 not later than   
#ahj days after the date of the         
enactment of this ,act2 and  7,b7 as new
 information becomes available4  7#c7   
,form of list2 public availability  7,a7
 ,form ,the list required under         
paragraph 7#a7 shall be submitted in    
unclassified form but may contain a     
classified annex4  7,b7 ,public         
availability ,the unclassified portion  
of the list required under paragraph    
7#a7 shall be made available to the     
public and posted on the ,web sites of  
the ,department of the ,treasury and the

 ,department of ,state4  #h4 ,statement 
of policy on reduction in importation of
 petroleum and petroleum products of    
,venezuelan origin  7a7 ,findings       
,congress finds the following3  7#a7 ,on
 ,may #bd1 #bjaa1 the ,united ,states   
,government decided to impose sanctions 
on the state-owned oil company of       
,venezuela called ,petroleos de         
,venezuela 7,,pdvsa7 under the ,iran    
,sanctions ,act of #aiif 7,public ,law  
#ajd-agb2 #ej ,u4,s4,c4 #agja note71 for
 delivering at least two cargoes of     
reformate to ,iran between ,december    
#bjaj and ,march #bjaa1 worth           
approximately #ej1jjj1jjj4  7#b7 ,in    
#bjab1 ,venezuela was the fourth largest
 foreign supplier of crude oil to the   
,united ,states4  7#c7 ,in #bjab1 the   
,united ,states imported less barrels of
 total crude oil than in #bjje4  7#d7   
,according to the ,u4,s4 ,energy        
,information ,administration1 the       
,united ,states imported approximately  
#bd1jjj barrels per day from ,venezuela 

in #bjac1 compared to #bi1jjj barrels   
per day in #bjab1 a #ag percent         
decrease1 and imports from ,venezuela   
have fallen by nearly half since #bjjd4 
7b7 ,statement of policy ,it should be  
the policy of the ,united ,states to    
reduce petroleum imports from ,venezuela
 in order to prevent its leader ,nicols 
,maduro from using the profits from the 
sale of petroleum to fund his regime's  
oppression and human rights violations  
against the people of ,venezuela1 and to
 continue the existing downward trend of
 petroleum imports from ,venezuela4  #i4
 ,comprehensive strategy to promote     
,internet freedom and access to         
information ,not later than #ij days    
after the date of the enactment of this 
,act1 the ,secretary of ,state1 in      
consultation with heads of other        
,federal departments and agencies1 as   
appropriate1 shall submit to the        
appropriate congressional committees a  
comprehensive strategy to--  7#a7 assist
 the people ,venezuela to produce1      

access1 and share information freely and
 safely via the ,internet2  7#b7        
increase the capabilities and           
availability of secure mobile and other 
communications through connective       
technology among human rights and       
democracy activists in ,venezuela2  7#c7
 provide resources for digital safety   
training for media and academic and     
civil society organizations in          
,venezuela2  7#d7 increase emergency    
resources for the most vulnerable human 
rights advocates seeking to organize1   
share information1 and support human    
rights in ,venezuela2  7#e7 expand      
surrogate radio1 television1 live       
stream1 and social network              
communications inside ,venezuela2  7#f7 
expand activities to safely assist and  
train human rights1 civil society1 and  
democracy activists in ,venezuela to    
operate effectively and securely2  7#g7 
expand access to proxy servers for      
democracy activists in ,venezuela2 and  
7#h7 discourage telecommunications and  

software companies from facilitating    
,internet censorship by the ,government 
of ,venezuela4  #aj4 ,comprehensive     
strategy to ensure that ,venezuela will 
uphold democratic principles ,not later 
than #ij days after the date of the     
enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary  
of ,state shall submit to the           
appropriate congressional committees a  
comprehensive strategy to ensure that   
the ,government of ,venezuela will      
uphold--  7#a7 free1 fair1 and          
transparent elections--  7,a7 conducted 
under the supervision of internationally
 recognized observers2 and  7,b7 in     
which--  7i7 opposition parties were    
permitted ample time to organize and    
campaign for such elections2 and  7ii7  
all candidates were permitted full      
access to the media2  7#b7 are showing  
respect for the basic civil liberties   
and human rights of the citizens of     
,venezuela2  7#c7 are substantially     
moving toward a market-oriented economic
 systems based on the right to own and  

enjoy property2  7#d7 are committed to  
making constitutional changes that would
 ensure regular free and fair elections 
and the full enjoyment of basic civil   
liberties and human rights by the       
citizens of ,venezuela2 and  7#e7 have  
made demonstrable progress in           
establishing independent judiciaries and
 electoral councils4  #aa4 ,statement of
 policy on political prisoners ,it shall
 be the policy of the ,united ,states-- 
7#a7 to support efforts to research and 
identify prisoners of conscience and    
cases of human rights abuses in         
,venezuela2  7#b7 to offer refugee      
status or political asylum in the       
,united ,states to political dissidents 
in ,venezuela if requested and          
consistent with the laws and national   
security interests of the ,united       
,states2  7#c7 to offer to assist1      
through the ,united ,nations ,high      
,commissioner for ,refugees1 with the   
relocation of such political prisoners  
to other countries if requested1 as     

appropriate and with appropriate        
consideration for the national security 
interests of the ,united ,states2 and   
7#d7 to publicly call for the release of
 ,venezuelan country dissidents by name 
and raise awareness with respect to     
individual cases of ,venezuelan country 
dissidents and prisoners of conscience1 
as appropriate and if requested by the  
dissidents or prisoners themselves or   
their families4  #ab4 ,support for civil
 society in ,venezuela  ,of the amounts 
authorized to be appropriated for       
environmental programs in ,ecuador by   
the ,united ,states ,agency for         
,international ,development1 #c1jjj1jjj 
shall be made available for assistance  
to civil society in ,venezuela4