,,ii #aaeth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #cbdc ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,july #ai1 #bjah ,mr4 ,cotton introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations ,a ,,bill ,to impose sanctions with respect to ,iranian persons who engage in politically-motivated harassment1 abuse1 extortion1 or extended detention or trial of individuals in ,iran1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,iran ,hostage ,act4 #b4 ,united ,states policy on hostage-taking by the ,government of ,iran 7a7 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,since #aigi the ,iranian regime has engaged in various destabilizing activities that undermine the national security of the ,united ,states and its allies and partners4 7#b7 ,those activities include the hostage-taking or prolonged unlawful or wrongful detentions of ,united ,states citizens and lawful permanent resident aliens with significant ties to the ,united ,states4 7#c7 ,the ,iranian regime has detained on fabricated claims a significant number of ,united ,states citizens1 including ,siamak and ,baquer ,namazi and ,xiyue ,wang1 as well as ,united ,states legal permanent resident1 ,nizar ,zakka1 in violation of international legal norms4 7#d7 ,the ,iranian regime has not provided information on the whereabouts of or assistance in ensuring the prompt and safe return of ,robert ,levinson1 despite repeated promises to do so1 after he was kidnapped while visiting ,iran's ,kish ,island on ,march #i1 #bjjg--making him the longest held hostage in ,united ,states history4 7#e7 ,the ,iranian regime reportedly uses hostages as leverage against foreign investors to exact business concessions in foreign investment deals4 7#f7 ,the type of hostage-taking enterprise put in place by the ,iranian regime is a crime against humanity and a violation of customary international law4 7b7 ,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense of ,congress that-- 7#a7 the ,united ,states ,government should fully utilize all necessary and appropriate measures to prevent the ,iranian regime from engaging in hostage-taking or the prolonged unlawful or wrongful detention of ,united ,states citizens or lawful permanent resident aliens with significant ties to the ,united ,states1 to include-- 7,a7 the use of extradition to try and convict those individuals responsible for ordering or controlling the hostage-taking or unlawful or wrongful detention of ,united ,states citizens2 and 7,b7 the use of the ,human ,rights ,violators and ,war ,crimes ,center of the ,department of ,homeland ,security to target such individuals2 and 7#b7 the ,united ,states should encourage its allies and other affected countries to pursue the criminal prosecution and extradition of state and non-state actors in ,iran that assist in or benefit from such hostage-taking to prevent such state and non-state actors from engaging in that practice in the future4 7c7 ,statement of policy ,it is the policy of the ,united ,states ,government not to pay ransom for the purpose of securing the release of ,united ,states citizens or lawful permanent resident aliens taken hostage abroad4 #c4 ,imposition of sanctions with respect to ,iranian persons who engage in certain actions against ,united ,states citizens or lawful permanent residents 7a7 ,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense of ,congress that the ,united ,states should coordinate with allies of the ,united ,states and other allies and partners whose citizens may be subject to politically-motivated detention or trial in ,iran to apply sanctions against ,iranian persons that are responsible for or complicit in1 or responsible for ordering1 controlling1 or otherwise directing1 such detention or trial4 7b7 ,in general ,title ,i of the ,comprehensive ,iran ,sanctions1 ,accountability1 and ,divestment ,act of #bjaj 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #heaa et seq47 is amended by inserting after section #aje;,c 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #head;c7 the following3 #aje;,d4 ,imposition of sanctions with respect to ,iranian persons who engage in certain actions against ,united ,states citizens or lawful permanent residents 7a7 ,in general ,the ,president shall impose sanctions described in section #aje7;c7 with respect to each person on the list required by subsection 7b74 7b7 ,list of ,iranian persons who engage in certain actions against ,united ,states citizens or lawful permanent residents 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of the ,iran ,hostage ,act1 the ,president shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a list of ,iranian persons that the ,president determines are knowingly responsible for or complicit in1 or responsible for ordering or otherwise directing1 the politically-motivated harassment1 abuse1 extortion1 arrest1 trial1 conviction1 sentencing1 or imprisonment of citizens of the ,united ,states or lawful permanent resident aliens with significant ties to the ,united ,states1 regardless of whether such actions occurred in ,iran4 7#b7 ,updates of list ,the ,president shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees an updated list under paragraph 7#a7-- 7,a7 each time the ,president is required to submit an updated list to those committees under section #aje7;b77#b77;,a72 and 7,b7 as new information becomes available4 7#c7 ,form of report2 public availability 7,a7 ,form ,the list required by 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 by paragraph 7#a7 shall be made available to the public and posted on the websites of the ,department of the ,treasury and the ,department of ,state4 7c7 ,application of sanctions to family members 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,president may impose sanctions described in paragraph 7#b7 with respect to each person that is a family member of any person on the list required by subsection 7b74 7#b7 ,aliens ineligible for visas1 admission1 or parole 7,a7 ,visas1 admission1 or parole ,if the ,president imposes sanctions described in this paragraph1 an alien who the ,secretary of ,state or the ,secretary of ,homeland ,security 7or a designee of one of such ,secretaries7 knows1 or has reason to believe1 is a family member of any person on the list required by subsection 7b7 is-- 7i7 inadmissible to the ,united ,states2 7ii7 ineligible to receive a visa or other documentation to enter the ,united ,states2 and 7iii7 otherwise ineligible to be admitted or paroled into the ,united ,states or to receive any other benefit under the ,immigration and ,nationality ,act 7#h ,u4,s4,c4 #aaja et seq474 7,b7 ,current visas revoked 7i7 ,in general ,if the ,president imposes sanctions described in this paragraph1 the issuing consular officer1 the ,secretary of ,state1 or the ,secretary of ,homeland ,security 7or a designee of one of such ,secretaries7 shall revoke any visa or other entry documentation issued to an alien who is a family member of any person on the list required by subsection 7b7 regardless of when issued4 7ii7 ,effect of revocation ,a revocation under clause 7i7-- 7,i7 shall take effect immediately2 and 7,,ii7 shall automatically cancel any other valid visa or entry documentation that is in the alien's possession4 7#c7 ,exception to comply with united nations headquarters agreement ,sanctions under paragraph 7#b7 shall not apply to an alien if admitting the alien into the ,united ,states is necessary to permit the ,united ,states to comply with the ,agreement regarding the ,headquarters of the ,united ,nations1 signed at ,lake ,success ,june #bf1 #aidg1 and entered into force ,november #ba1 #aidg1 between the ,united ,nations and the ,united ,states1 or other applicable international obligations4 7#d7 ,definition of family member ,in this subsection1 the term family member means1 with respect to an individual-- 7,a7 a spouse1 child1 parent1 sibling1 grandchild1 or grandparent of the individual2 and 7,b7 a child1 parent1 or sibling of the spouse of the individual4 7d7 ,termination of sanctions ,the provisions of this section shall terminate on the date that is #cj days after the date on which the ,president-- 7#a7 determines and certifies to the appropriate congressional committees that the ,government of ,iran is no longer complicit in or responsible for the wrongful and unlawful detention of ,united ,states citizens or lawful permanent resident aliens with significant ties to the ,united ,states2 and 7#b7 transmits to the appropriate congressional committees the certification described in section #aje7;d74 4 7c7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of contents for the ,comprehensive ,iran ,sanctions1 ,accountability1 and ,divestment ,act of #bjaj is amended by inserting after the item relating to section #aje;,c the following new item3 ,sec4 #aje;,d4 ,imposition of sanctions with respect to ,iranian persons who engage in certain actions against ,united ,states citizens or lawful permanent residents4 4 7d7 ,amendments to general provisions ,section #dja of the ,comprehensive ,iran ,sanctions1 ,accountability1 and ,divestment ,act of #bjaj 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #heea7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7a71 in the matter preceding paragraph 7#a71 by striking and #cje and inserting 1 #aje;,d1 and #cje2 and 7#b7 in subsection 7b77#a7-- 7,a7 by striking or #aje;,c7a7 and inserting #aje;,c7a71 or #aje;,d7a72 and 7,b7 by striking or #aje;,c7b7 and inserting #aje;,c7b71 or #aje;,d7b74