,i #aahth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #djhf ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,june #ac1 #bjbc,ms4 ,wasserman ,schultz 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,castro of ,texas1 ,ms4 ,salazar1 ,mr4 ,waltz1 ,mr4 ,soto1 ,mr4 ,moskowitz1 and ,ms4 ,castor of ,florida7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to direct the ,united ,states ,government to support extending the mandate of the ,independent ,international ,fact-,finding ,mission on ,venezuela until a resolution of the ,venezuelan crisis is achieved4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,assuring that the ,fact-,finding ,examination ,continues to ,track ,human ,rights in ,venezuela ,act or the ,,affect ,human ,rights in ,venezuela ,act4 #b4 ,findings ,congress makes the following findings3 7#a7 ,the ,united ,nations ,human ,rights ,council ,resolution adopted ,resolution #db_/be on ,september #bg1 #bjai1 establishing an independent fact-finding mission 7referred to in this ,act as the ,fact-,finding ,mission7 on the ,bolivarian ,republic of ,venezuela to investigate extrajudicial executions1 enforced disappearances1 arbitrary detentions and torture and other cruel1 inhuman or degrading treatment since #bjad with a view to ensuring full accountability for perpetrators and justice for victims4 7#b7 ,the mandate of the ,fact-,finding ,mission was extended by the ,united ,nations ,human ,rights ,council in #bjbj for two years1 and on ,october #g1 #bjbb1 for an additional two years1 with a view to combating impunity and ensuring full accountability for perpetrators and justice for victims4 7#c7 ,the ,fact-,finding ,mission has faced several constraints1 including lack of access to work in-country1 travel limitations due to the ,,covid-#ai pandemic1 disrupted interviews due to electricity and internet failures1 and limited ability to secure witness statements and key documents4 ,despite these challenges1 the ,fact-,finding ,mission has been able to carry out its investigative and analytical work1 and generate reports that serve as an invaluable resource for victims1 civil society organizations1 and international accountability mechanisms4 7#d7 ,the ,fact-,finding ,mission has identified specific incidents and patterns establishing reasonable grounds to conclude that violations of international human rights and criminal law have been committed in ,venezuela1 according to its ,october #bjbb report4 7#e7 ,the ,fact-,finding ,mission's ,october #bjbb report concludes that crimes and violations1 amounting to crimes against humanity1 including extremely grave acts of torture1 were committed by individuals holding various positions within the hierarchies of the ,venezuelan ,general ,directorate of ,military ,counterintelligence and the ,bolivarian ,national ,intelligence ,service as part of a plan designed by high-level authorities to repress opponents of the ,government4 7#f7 ,marta ,valinas1 ,chair of the ,fact-,finding ,mission1 stated in ,january #bjbc that the ,maduro regime's proposed law restricting the activities of nongovernmental organizations could represent a point of no return in the closure of the civic and democratic space and noted that organizations working in the areas of human rights in ,venezuela are facing increased legal and operational hurdles1 including surveillance by ,venezuelan intelligence services and diminished access to funding4 7#g7 ,women and girls fleeing ,venezuela face grave threats of sexual violence1 exploitation1 and trafficking by armed groups operating in border regions1 such as the ,ejercito de ,liberacion ,nacional 7,,eln74 7#h7 ,the ,fact-,finding ,mission continues to urge members of the ,united ,nations ,human ,rights ,council to continue to pay close attention to developments in the ,bolivarian ,republic of ,venezuela and to monitor whether credible progress is being made in advancing justice1 accountability and respect for human rights4 7#i7 ,the ,united ,states has historically used its voice1 vote1 and influence at the ,united ,nations to address human rights abuses around the world and to seek to hold perpetrators accountable4 #c4 ,actions relating to the fact-finding mission on ,venezuela 7a7 ,support ,to extend mandate ,the ,secretary of ,state shall take such actions as may be necessary to use the voice1 vote1 and influence of the ,united ,states in the ,united ,nations ,human ,rights ,council 7,,unhrc7 and the ,united ,nations ,general ,assembly 7,,unga7 to seek to-- 7#a7 extend the mandate of the ,independent ,international ,fact-,finding ,mission on the ,bolivarian ,republic of ,venezuela to continue until a resolution of the crisis in ,venezuelan that includes-- 7,a7 holding a new presidential election that complies with international standards for a free1 fair1 and transparent electoral process2 7,b7 ending ,nicolas ,maduro's usurpation of presidential authorities2 7,c7 restoring democracy and the rule of law2 7,d7 freeing political prisoners2 and 7,e7 facilitating the consistent delivery of humanitarian aid2 7#b7 encourage international support to empower the ,fact-,finding ,mission to thoroughly conduct its stated purpose of investigating gross violations of human rights perpetrated in ,venezuela since #bjad2 7#c7 urge the ,fact-,finding ,mission to raise early warnings of further deterioration of the human rights situation in ,venezuela1 particularly ahead of the country's elections expected in the country for #bjbd and #bjbe2 and 7#d7 provide investigative and technical assistance to the ,fact-,finding ,mission as requested and as permitted within the ,united ,nations ,rules and ,regulations and within ,united ,states law4 7b7 ,support for further action ,the ,president is authorized to direct the ,united ,states ,permanent ,representative to the ,united ,nations to use the voice1 vote1 and influence of the ,united ,states to urge the ,united ,nations to provide greater action with respect to human rights violations in ,venezuela by-- 7#a7 urging the ,,unga to consider a resolution condemning the ,venezuelan regime's use of political prisoners and wrongfully detained foreign nationals as leverage to extract concessions from its adversaries consistent with prior ,united ,nations resolutions2 7#b7 assisting efforts by the relevant ,united ,nations ,special ,envoys and ,special ,rapporteurs to secure the release of all political prisoners and wrongfully detained foreign nationals in ,venezuela1 including ,americans1 promote respect for human rights1 and encourage dialogue towards a peaceful and democratic transfer of power2 7#c7 urging the ,united ,nations and its specialized agencies to address the humanitarian needs of the people of ,venezuela1 including-- 7,a7 enhancing the reach of existing ,united ,nations programs that fund nongovernmental organizations that provide critical services to residents of ,venezuela and who may be subject to restrictive policies by the regime of ,nicols ,maduro2 and 7,b7 providing direct assistance to vulnerable ,venezuelan refugees and migrants in third countries2 7#d7 urging ,united ,nations member states and other donors to support present and future ,united ,nations funding appeals with the purpose of improving humanitarian conditions in ,venezuela2 and 7#e7 supporting access for humanitarian actors1 independent media1 and credible international legal and judicial entities1 including future ,united ,nations fact-finding missions and similar investigatory mechanisms1 to people residing in ,venezuela and to the growing ,venezuelan diaspora4 7c7 ,due consideration of fact-,finding mission reports ,the ,president and the ,secretary of ,state shall-- 7#a7 appropriately review all past and future reports presented by the ,fact-,finding ,mission to ,united ,nations bodies2 and 7#b7 give due consideration to the ,fact-,finding ,mission's reported conclusions in developing and executing the foreign policy of the ,united ,states with respect to ,venezuela4 7d7 ,report ,not later than #ij days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 and annually thereafter until the expiration of the official mandate of the ,fact-,finding ,mission1 the ,secretary of ,state shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the implementation of the actions described in subsections 7a71 7b71 and 7c74 7e7 ,appropriate congressional committees defined ,in this section1 the term appropriate congressional committees means-- 7#a7 the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations and the ,committee on ,appropriations of the ,senate2 and 7#b7 the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs and the ,committee on ,appropriations of the ,house of ,representatives4