,i #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #ehgi ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,february #ab1 #bjbj,ms4 ,omar introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs1 and in addition to the ,committees on ,transportation and ,infrastructure1 and ,rules1 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 impose certain limits relating to the national emergency authorities of the ,president1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,congressional ,oversight of ,sanctions ,act4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,article ,i1 section #h of the ,united ,states ,constitution gives ,congress the power to regulate ,commerce with foreign ,nations as well as to define and punish ,piracies and ,felonies committed on the high ,seas1 and ,offenses against the ,law of ,nations4 7#b7 ,the ,house ,committee on ,international ,relations report 7,no4 #ie-dei7 on the ,international ,emergency ,economic ,powers ,act 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #agja et seq47 states that given the breadth of the authorities and their availability at the ,president's discretion upon a declaration of national emergency1 their exercise should be subject to various substantive restrictions4 ,the main one stems from a recognition that emergencies are by their nature rare and brief1 and are not to be equated with normal1 ongoing problems4 7#c7 ,it further states1 ,a national emergency should be declared and emergency authorities employed only with respect to a specific set of circumstances which constitute a real emergency1 and for no other purpose and that the emergency should be terminated in a timely manner when the factual state of emergency is over and not continued in effect for use in other circumstances4 ,a state of emergency should not be a normal state of affairs4 7#d7 ,since #aigg1 ,presidents have invoked authorities under the ,international ,emergency ,economic ,powers ,act with respect to #ef declarations of national emergency4 ,on average1 these emergencies last nearly a decade4 7#e7 ,as of ,august #bjai1 there are #ca ongoing national emergencies involving the ,international ,emergency ,economic ,powers ,act1 the oldest of which was put in place forty years ago4 7#f7 ,the average length of an emergency declared in the #aihjs and invoking ,international ,emergency ,economic ,powers ,act authorities was four years4 ,that average extended to #aj years for emergencies declared in the #aiijs and #ab years for emergencies declared in the #bjjjs4 #c4 ,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense of ,congress that-- 7#a7 successive ,presidents from both parties have used the authority granted by the ,international ,emergency ,economic ,powers ,act 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #agja et seq47 and the ,national ,emergencies ,act 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #afja et seq47 to declare national emergencies that do not meet the threshold of unusual and extraordinary threats to the national security and foreign policy of the ,united ,states2 and 7#b7 in order to restore ,congress' original intent in enacting such laws1 it is necessary to reclaim ,congress' constitutional power over the use of sanctions4 #d4 ,congressional approval required to extend national emergencies 7a7 ,automatic termination ,subsection 7a7 of section #bjb of the ,national ,emergencies ,act 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #afbb7 is amended-- 7#a7 in the matter preceding paragraph 7#a71 by striking if2 7#b7 in paragraph 7#a71 by inserting if before there is enacted2 7#c7 in paragraph 7#b71 by inserting if before the ,president issues2 7#d7 in the matter following paragraph 7#b7-- 7,a7 by striking clause 7#a7 and inserting paragraph 7#b72 and 7,b7 by striking clause 7#b7 and inserting paragraph 7#c72 7#e7 by redesignating paragraphs 7#a7 and 7#b71 as so amended1 as paragraphs 7#b7 and 7#c71 respectively2 and 7#f7 by inserting before paragraph 7#b71 as so redesignated1 the following new paragraph3 7#a7 on the date that is #fj days after the first day on which either ,house of ,congress is in session following the date of the declaration1 unless a joint resolution to extend the emergency is enacted in accordance with subsection 7c72 4 7b7 ,joint resolution of extension 7#a7 ,in general ,subsection 7b7 of such section #bjb is amended by striking terminated and inserting extended for a six-month period4 7#b7 ,conforming amendment ,subsection 7c77#a7 of such section #bjb is amended by striking terminate and inserting extend4 7c7 ,prohibition on successor declarations ,such section #bjb is further amended by adding at the end the following new subsection3 7d7 ,if a joint resolution to extend the emergency is not enacted in accordance with subsection 7c7 within #fj days after the first day on which either ,house of ,congress is in session following the date of the declaration1 the ,president may not declare a new national emergency based on substantially similar facts during the #a-year period following such #fj-;day period4 4 7d7 ,additional conforming amendments ,section #bjg7;b7 of the ,international ,emergency ,economic ,powers ,act 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #agjf7;b77 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking concurrent resolution each place it appears and inserting joint resolution2 and 7#b7 by inserting or if the national emergency terminates in accordance with subsection 7a77#a7 of such section #bjb before the period at the end4 #e4 ,additional exceptions to grants of authorities 7a7 ,safe harbor for maintenance of infrastructure ,subsection 7a7 of section #bjc of the ,international ,emergency ,economic ,powers ,act 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #agjb7 is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph3 7#d7 ,in implementing the authority under paragraph 7#a71 the ,president shall allow for the exportation of equipment and material to a territory that is subject to the control of a person otherwise subject to sanctions under the laws of the ,united ,states if the exporter certifies that such equipment or material is intended for use in the maintenance1 in such territory1 of-- 7,a7 civilian healthcare facilities2 7,b7 water infrastructure2 7,c7 civilian energy infrastructure2 or 7,d7 primary or secondary educational facilities4 4 7b7 ,exception for support incidental to communication intended ,to reduce conflict or alleviate suffering ,subsection 7b7 of such section #bjc is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#c71 by striking 2 or and inserting a semicolon2 7#b7 in paragraph 7#d71 by striking the period at the end and inserting 2 or2 and 7#c7 by adding at the end the following new paragraph3 7#e7 any support provided to a foreign person subject to sanctions under the laws of the ,united ,states1 including organizations designated as foreign terrorist organizations under section #bai7;a77#a7 of the ,immigration and ,nationality ,act1 that is incidental to speech or communication with such person for the purpose of-- 7,a7 reducing or eliminating the frequency and severity of violent conflict1 including by fostering diplomatic solutions to violent conflict2 or 7,b7 preventing or alleviating the suffering of a civilian populations4 4 #f4 ,additional reports to ,congress 7a7 ,in general ,subsection 7b7 of section #bjd of the ,international ,emergency ,economic ,powers ,act 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #agjc7 is amended-- 7#a7 in the matter preceding paragraph 7#a71 by striking to the ,congress and inserting to the appropriate congressional committees2 7#b7 by redesignating paragraphs 7#d7 and 7#e7 as paragraphs 7#i7 and 7#aj71 respectively2 and 7#c7 by inserting after paragraph 7#c7 the following new paragraphs3 7#d7 the goals and outcomes expected to be achieved through such actions2 7#e7 other tools considered to address the emergency1 and the reason for choosing to respond to such emergency through the imposition of sanctions2 7#f7 a list of other countries imposing sanctions in accordance with the sanctions imposed by the ,president or1 if such sanctions are unilateral1 an explanation for why no other country has imposed such sanctions2 7#g7 the strategy of the ,president to provide compliance guidance to entities in the private sector 7including financial institutions71 humanitarian organizations1 and peacebuilding organizations2 7#h7 the criteria1 if any1 that a sanctioned person must meet before any sanctions imposed in the exercise of such authority with respect to such person may be lifted2 4 7b7 ,conforming amendment ,such section #bjd is further amended by adding at the end the following new subsection3 7e7 ,for purposes of this section1 the term appropriate congressional committees means-- 7#a7 the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs and the ,committee on ,financial ,services of the ,house of ,representatives2 and 7#b7 the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations and the ,committee on ,banking1 ,housing1 and ,urban ,affairs of the ,senate4 4 7c7 ,report on treaty obligations ,not later than #ij days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 and annually thereafter1 the ,secretary of ,state and the ,secretary of the ,treasury shall jointly submit to ,congress a report1 which shall be submitted in unclassified form but may include a classified annex1 on the manner and extent to which each action taken during the preceding #a-year period using the authorities of the ,international ,emergency ,economic ,powers ,act 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #agja et seq47 is in compliance with the treaty obligations of the ,united ,states4 #g4 ,reports required 7a7 ,projection report ,not later than #cj days after the publication of any executive order1 proclamation1 or other notice to declare a national emergency1 the ,comptroller ,general of the ,united ,states shall submit to ,congress a report that includes the following3 7#a7 ,the expected impact of such declaration on the economic interests of the ,united ,states and of allied countries4 7#b7 ,the expected humanitarian impact of such declaration1 including the extent to which organizations or entities attempting to provide humanitarian assistance face restricted access as a result of such declaration4 7#c7 ,the expected impact of such declaration on the economy of any country targeted by such declaration4 7#d7 ,the expected financial impact of such declaration on ,united ,states citizens and entities1 including the impact on any such citizens or entities who maintain accounts or assets in financial institutions subject to sanctions pursuant to such declaration4 7b7 ,impact report ,not later than #a year after the publication of an executive order1 proclamation1 or other notice described in subsection 7a71 the ,comptroller ,general shall submit to ,congress an updated report that includes the assessment of the ,comptroller ,general with respect to the actual impact of the declaration of such national emergency on each of the interests described in paragraphs 7#a7 through 7#c7 of subsection 7a74 7c7 ,consultations required ,in preparing the report required by subsection 7b71 the ,comptroller ,general shall consult with relevant nongovernmental organizations working in areas affected by the applicable declaration1 including organizations engaged in the provision of humanitarian assistance4 7d7 ,goals and outcomes report ,not later than #a year after the publication of an executive order1 proclamation1 or other notice described in subsection 7a71 the ,president shall submit to ,congress a report that sets forth1 with respect to each goal and outcome described pursuant to section #bjd7;b77#c7 of the ,international ,emergency ,economic ,powers ,act 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #agjc7;b77#d777;as added by section #f of this ,act71 the manner and extent to which such goal or outcome has been achieved through the sanctions imposed pursuant to the declaration of such national emergency4