,i  #aagth ,,congress  #ast ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #djb  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of   
,,representatives  ,january #ba1        
#bjba,mr4 ,keating 7for himself and ,mr4
 ,fitzpatrick7 introduced the following 
bill2 which was referred to the         
,committee on ,foreign ,affairs  ,a     
,,bill  ,to promote international       
efforts in combating corruption1        
kleptocracy1 and illicit finance by     
foreign officials and other foreign     
persons1 including through a new        
anti-corruption action fund1 and for    
other purposes4  #a4 ,short titles2     
table of contents  7a7 ,short titles    
,this ,act may be cited as the          
,countering ,russian and ,other         
,overseas ,kleptocracy ,act or the      
,,crook ,act4  7b7 ,table of contents   
,the table of contents for this ,act is 
as follows3 ,sec4 #a4 ,short titles2    
table of contents4,sec4 #b4             
,findings4,sec4 #c4 ,definitions4,sec4  
#d4 ,statement of policy4,sec4 #e4      
,anti-,corruption ,action ,fund4,sec4   

#f4 ,interagency ,anti-,corruption ,task
 ,force4,sec4 #g4 ,designation of       
embassy anti-corruption points of       
contact4,sec4 #h4 ,reporting            
requirements4  #b4 ,findings ,congress  
finds the following3 7#a7 ,authoritarian
 leaders in foreign countries abuse     
their power to steal assets from state  
institutions1 enrich themselves at the  
expense of their countries' economic    
development1 and use corruption as a    
strategic tool both to solidify their   
grip on power and to undermine          
democratic institutions abroad4  7#b7   
,global corruption harms the            
competitiveness of ,united ,states      
businesses1 weakens democratic          
governance1 feeds terrorist recruitment 
and transnational organized crime1      
enables drug smuggling and human        
trafficking1 and stymies economic       
growth4  7#c7 ,illicit financial flows  
often penetrate countries through what  
appear to be legitimate financial       
transactions1 as kleptocrats launder    

money1 use shell companies1 amass       
offshore wealth1 and participate in a   
global shadow economy4  7#d7 ,the       
,government of the ,russian ,federation 
is a leading model of this type of      
kleptocratic system1 using              
state-sanctioned corruption to both     
erode democratic governance from within 
and discredit democracy abroad1 thereby 
strengthening the authoritarian rule of 
,vladimir ,putin4  7#e7 ,corrupt        
individuals and entities in the ,russian
 ,federation1 often with the backing and
 encouragement of political leadership1 
use stolen money-- 7,a7 to purchase key 
assets in other countries1 often with a 
goal of attaining monopolistic control  
of a sector2  7,b7 to gain access to and
 influence the policies of other        
countries2 and  7,c7 to advance ,russian
 interests in other countries1          
particularly those that undermine       
confidence and trust in democratic      
systems4  7#f7 ,systemic corruption in  
the ,people's ,republic of ,china1 often

 tied to1 directed by1 or backed by the 
leadership of the ,chinese ,communist   
,party and the ,chinese ,government is  
used-- 7,a7 to provide unfair advantage 
to certain ,people's ,republic of ,china
 economic entities2  7,b7 to increase   
other countries' economic dependence on 
the ,people's ,republic of ,china to    
secure greater deference to the         
,people's ,republic of ,china's         
diplomatic and strategic goals2 and     
7,c7 to exploit corruption in foreign   
governments and among other political   
elites to enable ,people's ,republic of 
,china state-backed firms to pursue     
predatory and exploitative economic     
practices4  7#g7 ,thwarting these       
tactics by ,russian1 ,chinese1 and other
 kleptocratic actors requires the       
international community to strengthen   
democratic governance and the rule of   
law4 ,international cooperation in      
combating corruption and illicit finance
 is vital to such efforts1 especially by
 empowering reformers in foreign        

countries during historic political     
openings for the establishment of the   
rule of law in those countries4  7#h7   
,technical assistance programs that     
combat corruption and strengthen the    
rule of law1 including through          
assistance provided by the ,department  
of ,state's ,bureau of ,international   
,narcotics and ,law ,enforcement        
,affairs and the ,united ,states ,agency
 for ,international ,development1 and   
through programs like the ,department of
 ,justice's ,office of ,overseas        
,prosecutorial ,development1 ,assistance
 and ,training and the ,international   
,criminal ,investigative ,training      
,assistance ,program1 can have lasting  
and significant impacts for both foreign
 and ,united ,states interests4  7#i7   
,there currently exist numerous         
international instruments to combat     
corruption1 kleptocracy1 and illicit    
finance1 including-- 7,a7 the           
,inter-,american ,convention against    
,corruption of the ,organization of     

,american ,states1 done at ,caracas     
,march #bi1 #aiif2  7,b7 the ,convention
 on ,combating ,bribery of ,foreign     
,public ,officials in ,international    
,business ,transactions of the          
,organisation of ,economic ,co-operation
 and ,development1 done at ,paris       
,december #ba1 #aiig 7commonly referred 
to as the ,anti-,bribery ,convention72  
7,c7 the ,united ,nations ,convention   
against ,transnational ,organized       
,crime1 done at ,new ,york ,november    
#ae1 #bjjj2  7,d7 the ,united ,nations  
,convention against ,corruption1 done at
 ,new ,york ,october #ca1 #bjjc2  7,e7  
,recommendation of the ,council for     
,further ,combating ,bribery of ,foreign
 ,public ,officials in ,international   
,business ,transactions1 adopted        
,november #bf1 #bjji2 and  7,f7         
recommendations of the ,financial       
,action ,task ,force comprising the     
,international ,standards on ,combating 
,money ,laundering and the ,financing of
 ,terrorism and ,proliferation4  #c4    

,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7        
,appropriate congressional committees   
,the term appropriate congressional     
committees means-- 7,a7 the ,committee  
on ,foreign ,relations of the ,senate2  
7,b7 the ,committee on ,banking1        
,housing1 and ,urban ,affairs of the    
,senate2  7,c7 the ,committee on        
,finance of the ,senate2  7,d7 the      
,committee on the ,judiciary of the     
,senate2  7,e7 the ,committee on        
,foreign ,affairs of the ,house of      
,representatives2  7,f7 the ,committee  
on ,financial ,services of the ,house of
 ,representatives2  7,g7 the ,committee 
on ,ways and ,means of the ,house of    
,representatives2 and  7,h7 the         
,committee on the ,judiciary of the     
,house of ,representatives4  7#b7       
,foreign assistance ,the term foreign   
assistance means foreign assistance     
authorized under the ,foreign           
,assistance ,act of #aifa 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4
 #bbea et seq474  7#c7 ,foreign state   
,the term foreign state has the meaning 

given such term in section #afjc7;a7 of 
title #bh1 ,united ,states ,code4  7#d7 
,intelligence community ,the term       
intelligence community has the meaning  
given such term in section #c7d7 of the 
,national ,security ,act of #aidg 7#ej  
,u4,s4,c4 #cjjc7d774  7#e7 ,public      
corruption ,the term public corruption  
includes the unlawful exercise of       
entrusted public power for private gain1
 such as through bribery1 nepotism1     
fraud1 extortion1 or embezzlement4  7#f7
 ,rule of law ,the term rule of law     
means the principle of governance in    
which all persons1 institutions1 and    
entities1 whether public or private1    
including the state1 are accountable to 
laws that are-- 7,a7 publicly           
promulgated2  7,b7 equally enforced2    
7,c7 independently adjudicated2 and     
7,d7 consistent with international human
 rights norms and standards4  #d4       
,statement of policy ,it is the policy  
of the ,united ,states-- 7#a7 to        
leverage ,united ,states diplomatic     

engagement and foreign assistance to    
promote the rule of law2  7#b7 7,a7 to  
promote international instruments to    
combat corruption1 kleptocracy1 and     
illicit finance1 including instruments  
referred to in section #b7i71 and other 
relevant international standards and    
best practices1 as such standards and   
practices develop2 and  7,b7 to promote 
the adoption and implementation of such 
laws1 standards1 and practices by       
foreign states2  7#c7 to support foreign
 states in promoting good governance and
 combating public corruption2  7#d7 to  
encourage and assist foreign partner    
countries to identify and close         
loopholes in their legal and financial  
architecture1 including the misuse of   
anonymous shell companies1 free trade   
zones1 and other legal structures1 that 
are enabling illicit finance to         
penetrate their financial systems2  7#e7
 to help foreign partner countries to   
investigate1 prosecute1 adjudicate1 and 
more generally combat the use of        

corruption by malign actors1 including  
authoritarian governments1 particularly 
the ,government of the ,russian         
,federation and the ,government of the  
,people's ,republic of ,china1 as a tool
 of malign influence worldwide2  7#f7 to
 assist in the recovery of              
kleptocracy-related stolen assets for   
victims1 including through the use of   
appropriate bilateral arrangements and  
international agreements1 such as the   
,united ,nations ,convention against    
,corruption1 done at ,new ,york ,october
 #ca1 #bjjc1 and the ,united ,nations   
,convention against ,transnational      
,organized ,crime1 done at ,new ,york   
,november #ae1 #bjjj2  7#g7 to use      
sanctions authorities1 such as the      
,global ,magnitsky ,human ,rights       
,accountability ,act 7subtitle ,f of    
title ,,xii of the ,national ,defense   
,authorization ,act for ,fiscal ,year   
#bjag 7,public ,law #aad-cbh2 #bb       
,u4,s4,c4 #bfef note77 and section      
#gjca7;c7 of the ,department of ,state1 

,foreign ,operations1 and ,related      
,programs ,appropriations ,act1 #bjbj   
7division ,g of ,public ,law #aaf-id71  
to identify and take action against     
corrupt foreign actors2  7#h7 to ensure 
coordination between relevant ,federal  
departments and agencies with           
jurisdiction over the advancement of    
good governance in foreign states2 and  
7#i7 to lead the creation of a formal   
grouping of like-minded states-- 7,a7 to
 coordinate efforts to counter          
corruption1 kleptocracy1 and illicit    
finance2 and  7,b7 to strengthen        
collective financial defense4  #e4      
,anti-,corruption ,action ,fund  7a7    
,establishment ,there is established in 
the ,united ,states ,treasury a fund1 to
 be known as the ,anti-,corruption      
,action ,fund1 only for the purposes    
of-- 7#a7 strengthening the capacity of 
foreign states to prevent and fight     
public corruption2  7#b7 assisting      
foreign states to develop rule of       
law-based governance structures1        

including accountable civilian police1  
prosecutorial1 and judicial             
institutions2  7#c7 supporting foreign  
states to strengthen domestic legal and 
regulatory frameworks to combat public  
corruption1 including the adoption of   
best practices under international law2 
and  7#d7 supplementing existing foreign
 assistance and diplomacy with respect  
to efforts described in paragraphs 7#a71
 7#b71 and 7#c74  7b7 ,funding  7#a7    
,transfers ,beginning on or after the   
date of the enactment of this ,act1 if  
total criminal fines and penalties in   
excess of #ej1jjj1jjj are imposed       
against a person under the ,foreign     
,corrupt ,practices ,act of #aigg       
7,public ,law #ie-bac7 or section #ac1  
#cj;,a1 or #cb of the ,securities       
,exchange ,act of #aicd 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4  
#ghm1 #gh;dd-#a1 and #gh;ff71 whether   
pursuant to a criminal prosecution1     
enforcement proceeding1 deferred        
prosecution agreement1 nonprosecution   
agreement1 a declination to prosecute or

 enforce1 or any other resolution1 the  
court 7in the case of a conviction7 or  
the ,attorney ,general shall impose an  
additional prevention payment equal to  
#e1jjj1jjj against such person1 which   
shall be deposited in the               
,anti-,corruption ,action ,fund         
established under subsection 7a74  7#b7 
,availability of funds ,amounts         
deposited into the ,anti-,corruption    
,action ,fund pursuant to paragraph 7#a7
 shall be available to the ,secretary of
 ,state only for the purposes described 
in subsection 7a71 without fiscal year  
limitation or need for subsequent       
appropriation4  7#c7 ,limitation ,none  
of the amounts made available to the    
,secretary of ,state from the           
,anti-,corruption ,action ,fund may be  
used inside the ,united ,states1 except 
for administrative costs related to     
overseas program implementation pursuant
 to subsection 7a74  7c7 ,support ,the  
,anti-,corruption ,action ,fund-- 7#a7  
may support governmental and            

nongovernmental parties in advancing the
 purposes described in subsection 7a72  
and  7#b7 shall be allocated in a manner
 complementary to existing ,united      
,states foreign assistance1 diplomacy1  
and anti-corruption activities4  7d7    
,allocation and prioritization ,in      
programming foreign assistance made     
available through the ,anti-,corruption 
,action ,fund1 the ,secretary of ,state1
 in coordination with the ,attorney     
,general1 shall prioritize projects     
that-- 7#a7 assist countries that are   
undergoing historic opportunities for   
democratic transition1 combating        
corruption1 and the establishment of the
 rule of law2 and  7#b7 are important to
 ,united ,states national interests4    
7e7 ,technical assistance providers ,for
 any technical assistance to a foreign  
governmental party under this section1  
the ,secretary of ,state1 in            
coordination with the ,attorney         
,general1 shall prioritize ,united      
,states ,government technical assistance

 providers as implementers1 in          
particular the ,office of ,overseas     
,prosecutorial ,development1 ,assistance
 and ,training and the ,international   
,criminal ,investigative ,training      
,assistance ,program at the ,department 
of ,justice4  7f7 ,public diplomacy ,the
 ,secretary of ,state shall announce    
that funds deposited in the             
,anti-,corruption ,action ,fund are     
derived from actions brought under the  
,foreign ,corrupt ,practices ,act to    
demonstrate that the use of such funds  
are-- 7#a7 contributing to international
 anti-corruption work2 and  7#b7        
reducing the pressure that ,united      
,states businesses face to pay bribes   
overseas1 thereby contributing to       
greater competitiveness of ,united      
,states companies4  7g7 ,reporting ,not 
later than #a year after the date of the
 enactment of this ,act and not less    
frequently than annually thereafter1 the
 ,secretary of ,state shall submit a    
report to the appropriate congressional 

committees that contains-- 7#a7 the     
balance of the funding remaining in the 
,anti-,corruption ,action ,fund2  7#b7  
the amount of funds that have been      
deposited into the ,anti-,corruption    
,action ,fund2 and  7#c7 a summary of   
the obligation and expenditure of such  
funds4  7h7 ,notification requirements  
,none of the amounts made available to  
the ,secretary of ,state from the       
,anti-,corruption ,action ,fund pursuant
 to this section shall be available for 
obligation1 or for transfer to other    
departments1 agencies1 or entities1     
unless the ,secretary of ,state notifies
 the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations  
of the ,senate1 the ,committee on       
,appropriations of the ,senate1 the     
,committee on ,foreign ,affairs of the  
,house of ,representatives1 and the     
,committee on ,appropriations of the    
,house of ,representatives1 not later   
than #ae days in advance of such        
obligation or transfer4  #f4            
,interagency ,anti-,corruption ,task    

,force  7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary 
of ,state1 in cooperation with the      
,interagency ,anti-,corruption ,task    
,force established pursuant to          
subsection 7b71 shall manage a          
whole-of-government effort to improve   
coordination among ,federal departments 
and agencies and donor organizations    
with a role in-- 7#a7 promoting good    
governance in foreign states2 and  7#b7 
enhancing the ability of foreign states 
to combat public corruption4  7b7       
,interagency ,anti-,corruption ,task    
,force ,not later than #ahj days after  
the date of the enactment of this ,act1 
the ,secretary of ,state shall establish
 and convene the ,interagency           
,anti-,corruption ,task ,force 7referred
 to in this section as the ,task        
,force71 which shall be composed of     
representatives appointed by the        
,president from appropriate departments 
and agencies1 including the ,department 
of ,state1 the ,united ,states ,agency  
for ,international ,development1 the    

,department of ,justice1 the ,department
 of the ,treasury1 the ,department of   
,homeland ,security1 the ,department of 
,defense1 the ,department of ,commerce1 
the ,millennium ,challenge ,corporation1
 and the intelligence community4  7c7   
,additional meetings ,the ,task ,force  
shall meet not less frequently than     
twice per year4  7d7 ,duties ,the ,task 
,force shall-- 7#a7 evaluate1 on a      
general basis1 the effectiveness of     
existing foreign assistance programs1   
including programs funded by the        
,anti-,corruption ,action ,fund1 that   
have an impact on-- 7,a7 promoting good 
governance in foreign states2 and  7,b7 
enhancing the ability of foreign states 
to combat public corruption2  7#b7      
assist the ,secretary of ,state in      
managing the whole-of-government effort 
described in subsection 7a72  7#c7      
identify general areas in which such    
whole-of-government effort could be     
enhanced2 and  7#d7 recommend specific  
programs for foreign states that may be 

used to enhance such whole-of-government
 effort4  7e7 ,briefing requirement ,not
 later than #a year after the date of   
the enactment of this ,act and not less 
frequently than annually thereafter     
through the end of fiscal year #bjbf1   
the ,secretary of ,state shall provide a
 briefing to the appropriate            
congressional committees regarding the  
ongoing work of the ,task ,force4 ,each 
briefing shall include the participation
 of a representative of each of the     
departments and agencies described in   
subsection 7b71 to the extent feasible4 
#g4 ,designation of embassy             
anti-corruption points of contact  7a7  
,embassy anti-,corruption point of      
contact ,the chief of mission of each   
,united ,states embassy shall designate 
an anti-corruption point of contact for 
each such embassy4  7b7 ,duties ,the    
designated anti-corruption points of    
contact designated pursuant to          
subsection 7a7 shall-- 7#a7 coordinate1 
in accordance with guidance from the    

,interagency ,anti-,corruption ,task    
,force established pursuant to section  
#f7;b71 an interagency approach within  
,united ,states embassies to combat     
public corruption in the foreign states 
in which such embassies are located that
 is tailored to the needs of such       
foreign states1 including all relevant  
,federal departments and agencies with a
 presence in such foreign states1 such  
as the ,department of ,state1 the       
,united ,states ,agency for             
,international ,development1 the        
,department of ,justice1 the ,department
 of the ,treasury1 the ,department of   
,homeland ,security1 the ,department of 
,defense1 the ,millennium ,challenge    
,corporation1 and the intelligence      
community2  7#b7 make recommendations   
regarding the use of the                
,anti-,corruption ,action ,fund and     
other foreign assistance funding related
 to anti-corruption efforts in their    
respective countries of responsibility  
that aligns with ,united ,states        

diplomatic engagement2 and  7#c7 ensure 
that anti-corruption activities carried 
out within their respective countries of
 responsibility are included in regular 
reporting to the ,secretary of ,state   
and the ,interagency ,anti-,corruption  
,task ,force1 including ,united ,states 
embassy strategic planning documents and
 foreign assistance-related reporting1  
as appropriate4  7c7 ,training ,the     
,secretary of ,state shall develop and  
implement appropriate training for the  
designated anti-corruption points of    
contact4  #h4 ,reporting requirements   
7a7 ,report or briefing on progress     
toward implementation ,not later than   
#ahj days after the date of the         
enactment of this ,act1 and annually    
thereafter for the following #c years1  
the ,secretary of ,state1 in            
consultation with the ,administrator of 
the ,united ,states ,agency for         
,international ,development1 the        
,attorney ,general1 and the ,secretary  
of the ,treasury1 shall submit a report 

or provide a briefing to the appropriate
 congressional committees that          
summarizes progress made in combating   
public corruption and in implementing   
this ,act1 including-- 7#a7 identifying 
opportunities and priorities for        
outreach with respect to promoting the  
adoption and implementation of relevant 
international law and standards in      
combating public corruption1            
kleptocracy1 and illicit finance2  7#b7 
describing-- 7,a7 the bureaucratic      
structure of the offices within the     
,department of ,state and the ,united   
,states ,agency for ,international      
,development that are engaged in        
activities to combat public corruption1 
kleptocracy1 and illicit finance2 and   
7,b7 how such offices coordinate their  
efforts with each other and with other  
relevant ,federal departments and       
agencies2  7#c7 providing a description 
of how the provisions under subsections 
7d7 and 7e7 of section #e have been     
applied to each project funded by the   

,anti-,corruption ,action ,fund2  7#d7  
providing an explanation as to why a    
,united ,states ,government technical   
assistance provider was not used if     
technical assistance to a foreign       
governmental entity is not implemented  
by a ,united ,states ,government        
technical assistance provider2  7#e7    
describing the activities of the        
,interagency ,anti-,corruption ,task    
,force established pursuant to section  
#f7;b72  7#f7 identifying-- 7,a7 the    
designated anti-corruption points of    
contact for foreign states2 and  7,b7   
any training provided to such points of 
contact2 and  7#g7 recommending         
additional measures that would enhance  
the ability of the ,united ,states      
,government to combat public corruption1
 kleptocracy1 and illicit finance       
overseas4  7b7 ,online platform ,the    
,secretary of ,state1 in conjunction    
with the ,administrator of the ,united  
,states ,agency for ,international      
,development1 should consolidate        

existing reports with anti-corruption   
components into a single online1 public 
platform that includes-- 7#a7 the       
,annual ,country ,reports on ,human     
,rights ,practices required under       
section #aaf of the ,foreign ,assistance
 ,act of #aifa 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #baean72  
7#b7 the ,fiscal ,transparency ,report  
required under section #gjca7;b7 of the 
,department of ,state1 ,foreign         
,operations and ,related ,programs      
,appropriations ,act1 #bjai 7division ,f
 of ,public ,law #aaf-f72  7#c7 the     
,investment ,climate ,statement reports2
  7#d7 the ,international ,narcotics    
,control ,strategy ,report2  7#e7 any   
other relevant public reports2 and  7#f7
 links to third-party indicators and    
compliance mechanisms used by the       
,united ,states ,government to inform   
policy and programming1 as appropriate1 
such as-- 7,a7 the ,international       
,finance ,corporation's ,doing ,business
 surveys2  7,b7 the ,international      
,budget ,partnership's ,open ,budget    

,index2 and  7,c7 multilateral peer     
review anti-corruption compliance       
mechanisms1 such as-- 7i7 the           
,organisation for ,economic             
,co-operation and ,development's        
,working ,group on ,bribery in          
,international ,business ,transactions2 
7ii7 the ,follow-,up ,mechanism for the 
,inter-,american ,convention ,against   
,corruption2 and  7iii7 the ,united     
,nations ,convention ,against           
,corruption1 done at ,new ,york ,october
 #ca1 #bjjc4