,i #aaith ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #cbja ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,may #e1 #bjbe,mr4 ,smith of ,new ,jersey 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,keating1 and ,mr4 ,wilson of ,south ,carolina7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs1 and in addition to the ,committees on ,financial ,services1 and the ,judiciary1 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 reauthorize and modify the ,belarus ,democracy ,act of #bjjd4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,belarus ,democracy1 ,human ,rights1 and ,sovereignty ,act of #bjbe4 #b4 ,findings ,section #b of the ,belarus ,democracy ,act of #bjjd 7,public ,law #ajh-cdg2 #bb ,u4,s4,c4 #ehaa note7 is amended to read as follows3 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,the ,international ,covenant on ,civil and ,political ,rights1 done in ,new ,york ,december #ai1 #aiff1 was ratified by ,belarus in #aigc1 guaranteeing ,belarusians the freedom of expression and the freedom of association4 7#b7 ,alyaksandr ,lukashenka has ruled ,belarus as an undemocratic dictatorship since the first presidential election in ,belarus in #aiid1 and subsequent presidential elections have been neither free nor fair1 failing to meet minimal international electoral standards4 7#c7 ,in response to the repression and violence during the #bjjf presidential election1 ,congress passed the ,belarus ,democracy ,reauthorization ,act of #bjjf 7,public ,law #aji-dhj74 7#d7 ,in #bjjf1 ,president ,george ,w4 ,bush issued ,executive ,order #acdje1 titled ,blocking ,property of ,certain ,persons ,undermining ,democratic ,processes or ,institutions in ,belarus1 which authorized the imposition of sanctions against persons responsible for-- 7,a7 undermining democratic processes in ,belarus2 or 7,b7 participating in human rights abuses related to political repression in ,belarus4 7#e7 ,in ,march #bjaa1 the ,senate unanimously passed ,senate ,resolution #aje1 which-- 7,a7 condemned the ,december #bjaj election in ,belarus as #8illegitimate1 fraudulent1 and not representative of the will or the aspirations of the voters in ,belarus'2 and 7,b7 called on the ,lukashenka regime #8to immediately and unconditionally release all political prisoners in ,belarus who were arrested in association with the ,december #ai1 #bjaj1 election'4 7#f7 ,the ,government of ,belarus continues to engage in a pattern of clear and persistent gross violations of internationally recognized human rights1 and basic principles of democratic governance4 7#g7 ,the ,government of ,belarus continues to subject thousands of pro-democracy political activists and peaceful protesters to harassment1 beatings1 and imprisonment1 particularly as a result of their attempts to peacefully exercise their right to freedom of assembly and association4 7#h7 ,the ,government of ,belarus continues to suppress independent media and journalists and to restrict access to the internet1 including social media and other digital communication platforms1 in violation of the right to freedom of speech and expression of those dissenting from the dictatorship of ,alyaksandr ,lukashenka4 7#i7 ,the ,government of ,belarus continues a systematic campaign of harassment1 repression1 and closure of nongovernmental organizations1 including independent trade unions and entrepreneurs1 creating a climate of fear that inhibits the development of civil society and social solidarity4 7#aj7 ,the ,government of ,belarus has pursued a policy undermining the country's sovereignty and independence by making ,belarus' political1 economic1 cultural1 and societal interests subservient to those of ,russia4 7#aa7 ,the ,government of ,belarus continues to reduce the independence of ,belarus through integration into a so-called ,union ,state that is under the control of ,russia4 7#ab7 ,in advance of the ,august #bjbj presidential elections in ,belarus1 authorities acting on behalf of ,president ,lukashenka arrested journalists1 bloggers1 political activists1 and the leading political opposition candidates1 leading to demonstrations in support of democracy4 7#ac7 ,on ,august #i1 #bjbj1 the ,government of ,belarus conducted a presidential election that was held under undemocratic conditions1 did not meet international standards1 involved government malfeasance and serious irregularities with ballot counting and the reporting of election results1 and included restrictive measures that impeded the work of local independent observers and did not provide sufficient notice to the ,organization for ,security and ,cooperation in ,europe 7,,osce7 to allow for the ,,osce to monitor the elections1 as is customary4 7#ad7 ,illegitimate president ,alyaksandr ,lukashenka declared a landslide victory in the election and claimed to have received more than #hj percent of the votes cast in the election4 7#ae7 ,the leading opposition candidate1 ,sviatlana ,tsikhanouskaya1 formally disputed the reported results and was detained by government authorities before being forced into exile in ,lithuania4 7#af7 ,later in ,august1 #bjbj1 the ,united ,states ,deputy ,secretary of ,state1 ,stephen ,biegun1 and ,european ,union ,high ,representative for ,foreign and ,security ,policy1 ,josep ,borrell1 issued statements declaring the ,belarus elections to be fraudulent and neither free nor fair4 7#ag7 ,following the illegitimate election results1 tens of thousands of ,belarusian protestors took to the streets1 led predominately by women1 resulting in the largest protest rallies in ,belarus' modern history1 with over #a1djj reported as injured by ,belarusian police in ,august and ,september #bjbj1 over #cg1jjj detained by ,may #bjba1 and several killed for protesting the fraudulent election4 7#ah7 ,the ,government of ,belarus has consistently restricted the free flow of information to silence the opposition and to conceal the regime's violent crackdown on peaceful protestors1 including through the suppression of independent media and journalists1 and disruption of free internet access4 7#ai7 ,after the employees of state media outlets walked off the job in protest rather than help report misleading government propaganda1 ,lukashenka confirmed that he asked the ,russians to send teams of ,russian journalists to replace local employees4 7#bj7 ,following ,alyaksandr ,lukashenka's ,september #bc1 #bjbj1 inauguration1 the ,united ,states1 the ,european ,union1 numerous ,european states1 the ,united ,kingdom1 and ,canada announced that they cannot consider ,mr4 ,lukashenka as the legitimately elected leader of ,belarus4 7#ba7 ,as a result of the ,lukashenka regime's violence against the ,belarusian people and deprivation of their fundamental rights1 the ,united ,states ,congress passed and the ,president signed into law the ,belarus ,democracy1 ,human ,rights1 and ,sovereignty ,act of #bjbj to demand the rights of the ,belarusian people be respected and to hold accountable those who undermine them4 7#bb7 ,as a result of the ,lukashenka regime's violence against its own people1 in ,december #bjbj1 ,members of ,congress and transatlantic parliamentarians wrote a letter to the ,international ,ice ,hockey ,federation ,president demanding the ,championship be relocated from ,belarus4 7#bc7 ,in response to the ,government of ,belarus' repressive actions following the #bjbj election1 the ,united ,states1 along with the ,european ,union1 imposed various sanctions packages on individuals and entities involved with the suppression of democracy in ,belarus1 including-- 7,a7 the ,central ,election ,commission of the ,republic of ,belarus and officials determined to be responsible for undermining democracy in ,belarus2 7,b7 entities and persons determined to be involved in the violent suppression of protestors1 such as the ,minsk ,special ,purpose ,police ,unit1 the ,main ,internal ,affairs ,directorate of the ,minsk ,city ,executive ,committee1 and ,,kgb ,alpha2 and 7,c7 state-owned enterprises that provide revenue to support ,lukashenka's authoritarian regime4 7#bd7 ,in ,april #bjba1 the ,house of ,representatives passed ,house ,resolution #abd reaffirming that the ,august #bjbj elections were neither free nor fair and that the ,house of ,representatives does not recognize ,alyaksandr ,lukashenka as ,belarus' legitimate president4 7#be7 ,on ,may #bc1 #bjba1 the ,government of ,belarus forced ,ryanair ,flight #digh to land in ,belarus as it neared the border of ,lithuania after calling in a false bomb report and subsequently arrested independent ,belarusian opposition blogger and political activist ,raman ,pratasevich and his girlfriend1 threatening the safety of every passenger aboard the civilian flight1 and ultimately detaining ,pratasevich as a political prisoner4 7#bf7 ,in ,may #bjba1 the ,european ,union pledged a comprehensive plan of economic support worth up to #c billion euros to assist in the development of a future1 democratic ,belarus following a democratic transition4 7#bg7 ,as of ,april #bjbd1 the ,government of ,belarus1 led illegally by ,alyaksandr ,lukashenka1 unlawfully holds nearly #a1cjj people as political prisoners1 including dozens of journalists1 peaceful protestors1 business leaders1 and democracy activists1 including ,radio ,free ,europe_/,radio ,liberty journalists ,ilhar ,losik and ,ihar ,karney1 ,andrzej ,poczubut1 a ,polish-,belarusian journalist1 and ,artsiom ,liabedzka1 the son of ,anatol ,liabedzka1 an exiled leader of the democratic opposition4 7#bh7 ,the ,government of ,belarus1 led illegally by ,alyaksandr ,lukashenka1 has consistently weaponized migrants and asylum seekers by transporting them to ,belarus' borders with the ,,nato and ,european ,union countries of ,latvia1 ,lithuania1 and ,poland in an attempt to destabilize each country by creating diplomatic border crises1 and in violation of the migrant and asylum seekers' human rights4 7#bi7 ,the ,government of ,belarus has been complicit in ,russia's illegal and full-scale invasion of ,ukraine4 7#cj7 ,in advance of ,russia's unprovoked war of aggression against ,ukraine1 ,alyaksandr ,lukashenka opened ,belarus' borders to the ,russian military1 serving as a staging area1 providing bases for training and for launching air strikes and invasion forces1 and providing logistical support to the ,russian invasion force which attacked ,ukraine in ,february #bjbb4 7#ca7 ,in ,february #bjbb1 just days after ,russia's unprovoked invasion of ,ukraine1 ,alyaksandr ,lukashenka held a constitutional referendum described by the ,department of ,state as not free or fair which1 among other provisions1 would endow ,lukashenka with lifetime immunity from prosecution for his crimes1 allow ,russian nuclear weapons to be stationed on the territory of ,belarus1 and formally revoke ,belarus' status as a neutral nation4 7#cb7 ,since the start of ,russia's brutal and unprovoked war of aggression in ,ukraine1 the ,government of ,belarus has consistently worked to further the so-called ,union ,state with the ,russian ,federation and deepen joint military and economic ties to support ,russia's war effort4 7#cc7 ,throughout ,russia's brutal and unprovoked war of aggression in ,ukraine1 the ,government of ,belarus has participated in the abduction and illegal deportation of ,ukrainian civilians from territory occupied by the ,russian ,federation1 including thousands of children sent to facilities in ,belarus for re-education as detailed in a ,november #bjbc report by the ,yale ,university ,humanitarian ,research ,lab's ,conflict ,observatory4 7#cd7 ,the now-suspended ,belarusian branch of the ,red ,cross has publicly confirmed its involvement in transferring children from ,ukraine to the territory of ,belarus1 and the illegitimate leader of the ,government of ,belarus1 ,alyaksandr ,lukashenka1 has publicly confirmed that he permitted these transfers4 7#ce7 ,in ,spring #bjbc1 the ,government of ,belarus announced plans for the deployment of nuclear weapons from the ,russian ,federation to the territory of ,belarus1 which reportedly began in the summer of this same year4 7#cf7 ,the ,government of ,belarus has harbored the ,wagner ,group1 a private military company the ,united ,states has designated as a ,transnational ,criminal ,organization1 and provided facilities1 resources1 and a staging ground for the group's criminal operations4 7#cg7 ,the ,government of ,belarus has reportedly provided the ,government of the ,russian ,federation with tens of thousands of tons of ammunition throughout ,russia's unprovoked war of aggression in ,ukraine4 7#ch7 ,as a result of the ,government of ,belarus' support to the ,russian ,federation during its unprovoked war of aggression against ,ukraine1 the ,united ,states1 the ,european ,union1 and the ,united ,kingdom have repeatedly issued further sanctions packages against the ,lukashenka regime to target ,belarusian military officers as well as individuals in the military sector1 restrictions on entities in ,belarus' defense and industrial sectors1 and entities that provide support to ,belarus' military and industrial sectors4 7#ci7 ,the ,government of ,belarus is reportedly engaging in the purchase of significant amounts of military equipment from the sanctioned ,islamic ,republic of ,iran4 7#dj7 ,on ,august #f1 #bjbc1 the ,belarusian democratic opposition issued a declaration expressing their objective of developing democracy in ,belarus and pursuing membership in the ,european ,union and1 by extension1 joining the ,trans-,atlantic community4 7#da7 ,the democratic opposition of ,belarus have called on the ,government of ,belarus1 led illegally by ,alyaksandr ,lukashenka1 to end its complicity and involvement in the war in ,ukraine1 and urged against the conscription of men into the ,belarusian military4 7#db7 ,on ,february #bh1 #bjbb1 the ,department of ,state ordered the departure of ,united ,states ,government employees and the suspension of operations of the ,united ,states ,embassy in ,minsk4 7#dc7 ,on ,august #ba1 #bjbc1 the ,united ,states ,government directed all ,united ,states citizens to leave ,belarus immediately due to the illegitimate ,belarusian authorities' continued cooperation with the ,russian military and facilitation of ,russia's unprovoked war of aggression against ,ukraine1 and the risk of detention and arbitrary enforcement of local laws against ,united ,states citizens4 7#dd7 ,in ,september #bjbc1 the ,government of ,belarus deprived ,belarusians living abroad of their ability to renew their passports through ,belarusian embassies in an attempt to make life difficult for and to force exiles1 critics1 and expats to return to ,belarus for document renewal and possibly face persecution4 7#de7 ,in ,december #bjbc1 the ,united ,states ,government held a ,strategic ,dialogue with the ,belarusian democratic opposition and civil society and subsequently announced a continuation of efforts to hold ,alyaksandr ,lukashenka and his regime accountable for their crimes1 a commitment to supporting ,belarusian culture1 sovereignty1 and national identity1 as well as the need for future working groups with the democratic opposition4 7#df7 ,on ,february #be1 #bjbd1 the ,government of ,belarus administered fraudulent parliamentary elections in an environment marked by censorship1 persecution of political opposition1 illegal manipulation of the vote1 and the lack of any international observers from credible organizations4 7#dg7 ,in ,december #bjbd ,lukashenka announced that ,belarus is hosting dozens of ,russian nuclear weapons and will prepare facilities for hosting ,russian hypersonic missiles4 7#dh7 ,on ,january #bf1 #bjbe1 the ,government of ,belarus administered fraudulent presidential elections in an environment marked by censorship1 persecution of political opposition1 illegal manipulation of the vote1 the lack of any international observers from credible organizations1 and declared victory for ,lukashenka4 7#di7 ,the ,russian ,federation has facilitated and the ,belarusian government is complicit in the illegal abduction and transfer of more than #b1djj ,ukrainian children from ,russian-occupied regions of ,ukraine to facilities in ,belarus where they undergo political and cultural reeducation and military training4 7#ej7 ,the ,united ,states has imposed sanctions on hundreds of ,belarusian individuals and entities1 including visa restrictions against ,belarusan government officials for undermining democracy in ,belarus and supporting ,russia's illegal war of aggression in ,ukraine1 and their complicity in the abduction of ,ukrainian children from ,russian-occupied territories of ,ukraine4' 4 #c4 ,statement of policy ,section #c of the ,belarus ,democracy ,act of #bjjd 7,public ,law #ajh-cdg2 #bb ,u4,s4,c4 #ehaa note7 is amended to read as follows3 #c4 ,statement of policy ,it is the policy of the ,united ,states-- 7#a7 to condemn-- 7,a7 the conduct of the ,august #i1 #bjbj1 presidential election in ,belarus1 which was neither free nor fair2 7,b7 the ,belarusian authorities' unrelenting crackdown on1 arbitrary arrests of1 and violence against opposition candidates1 democratic opposition1 peaceful protestors1 human rights activists1 employees from state-owned enterprises participating in strikes1 independent election observers1 and independent journalists and bloggers2 and 7,c7 the unjustified detention and forced or attempted deportation of members of the ,coordination ,council and ,united ,transitional ,cabinet in ,belarus2 7#b7 to condemn the illegitimate ,belarusian authorities' allowance of ,russian nuclear weapons to be deployed to ,belarusian territory1 their continued political and material support for ,russia's unprovoked war of aggression in ,ukraine1 and their continued participation in abducting and deporting ,ukrainian children from territory occupied by the ,russian ,federation to the territory of ,belarus2 7#c7 to condemn the presence of ,russian forces in ,belarusian territory and demand the cessation of the use of ,belarusian territory by ,russian forces as a staging ground for ,russia's illegal1 full-scale war of aggression against ,ukraine or for the prevention of a peaceful democratic transition in ,belarus2 7#d7 to demand accountability for the illegal ,lukashenka regime's complicity in the crime of aggression against ,ukraine through international justice mechanisms2 7#e7 to condemn the weaponization of migrants wherein the ,government of ,belarus1 led illegally by ,alyaksandr ,lukashenka1 has sent thousands of migrants to the borders of ,poland and ,lithuania in an attempt to destabilize the border region2 7#f7 to continue demanding the immediate release without preconditions of all political prisoners in ,belarus and those arrested for peacefully protesting1 including all those individuals detained in connection with the ,august #i1 #bjbj1 fraudulent presidential election2 7#g7 to stand in solidarity with the people of ,belarus1 including human rights defenders1 bloggers1 and journalists1 who are exercising their right to freedom of assembly1 freedom of expression1 and rule of law and to continue supporting the aspirations of the people of ,belarus for democracy1 human rights1 and the rule of law2 7#h7 to continue actively supporting the aspirations of the people of the ,republic of ,belarus to preserve the independence and sovereignty of their country2 7#i7 to continue refusing to recognize ,alyaksandr ,lukashenka's illegitimate regime and to continue supporting calls for ,belarusian presidential and parliamentary elections to be conducted in a manner that is free and fair according to ,organization for ,security and ,cooperation in ,europe 7,,osce7 standards and under the supervision of ,,osce observers and independent domestic observers1 including in the #bjbe presidential elections2 7#aj7 to continue calling for the ,government of ,belarus to fulfill its freely undertaken obligations as an ,,osce participating state and as a signatory of the ,charter of the ,united ,nations2 7#aa7 to recognize the ,coordination ,council and the ,united ,transitional ,cabinet as legitimate institutions to participate in a dialogue on a peaceful transition of power1 and to support these institutions prior to and during such a transition should it take place2 7#ab7 to condemn the deprivation of consular services to ,belarusian citizens living abroad1 including representatives of the ,belarusian democratic opposition1 and urge the ,united ,states to raise this to the ,united ,nations ,high ,commissioner for ,refugees1 the ,international ,organization for ,migration1 the ,council of ,europe1 and the ,organization for ,security and ,cooperation in ,europe2 7#ac7 to encourage the ,united ,states ,government to continue working closely with the ,european ,union1 the ,united ,kingdom1 ,canada1 and other countries and international organizations to continue to impose targeted sanctions against officials in ,belarus who are responsible for-- 7,a7 undermining democratic processes in ,belarus2 7,b7 participating in gross violations of internationally recognized human rights related to political repression in ,belarus and undermining rule of law for the people of ,belarus2 or 7,c7 enabling or facilitating ,russia's war in ,ukraine2 7#ad7 to call on the ,government of ,belarus to uphold its human rights obligations1 including those rights enumerated in the ,international ,covenant on ,civil and ,political ,rights2 7#ae7 to encourage the ,united ,states to expeditiously appoint a ,u4,s4 ,special ,envoy for ,belarus to fill the role vacated in ,june #bjbb2 and 7#af7 to support the use of the ,strategic ,dialogue between the ,united ,states ,government as a means of furthering ties between the ,united ,states ,government and the representatives of the democratic opposition of ,belarus in pursuit of objectives1 including-- 7,a7 accountability for the ,lukashenka regime's gross violations of internationally recognized human rights and domestic repressions2 7,b7 increasing partnerships with the ,belarusian people by supporting investments2 and support for the protection of ,belarusian language1 culture1 and national identity4 4 #d4 ,assistance to promote democracy1 civil society1 and sovereignty in belarus ,section #d of the ,belarus ,democracy ,act of #bjjd 7,public ,law #ajh-cdg2 #bb ,u4,s4,c4 #ehaa note7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7a7-- 7,a7 in paragraph 7#a71 by inserting 1 the ,united ,transitional ,cabinet1 and the ,coordination ,council after the ,republic of ,belarus2 and 7,b7 by adding at the end the following3 7#e7 ,to assist in the cessation of ,belarus' support for the ,government of ,russia in ,russia's unprovoked war of aggression in ,ukraine4 2 7#b7 in subsection 7b71 by adding at the end before the period the following 1 including political party strengthening2 7#c7 by amending subsection 7c7 to read as follows3 7c7 ,activities supported ,activities that may be supported by assistance under subsection 7b7 include-- 7#a7 expanding independent radio and television broadcasting to and within ,belarus2 7#b7 facilitating the development of independent broadcast1 print1 and internet media working within ,belarus and from locations outside the country and supported by nonstate-controlled printing facilities2 7#c7 countering internet censorship and repressive surveillance technology that seek to limit free association1 control access to information1 and prevent citizens from exercising their rights to free speech2 7#d7 raising awareness both within ,belarus and globally about ,lukashenka's complicity in ,russia's unprovoked war of aggression in ,ukraine1 including how the ,lukashenka regime is providing support to the ,russian military and committing crimes against ,ukrainian children2 7#e7 aiding the development of civil society through assistance to nongovernmental organizations promoting democracy and supporting human rights1 including youth groups1 entrepreneurs1 and independent trade unions2 7#f7 supporting programming that contributes to the defense of ,belarusian sovereignty and independence from encroachment by the ,russian ,federation2 7#g7 supporting the work of human rights defenders2 7#h7 enhancing the development of democratic political parties2 7#i7 assisting the promotion of free1 fair1 and transparent electoral processes2 7#aj7 enhancing international exchanges and advanced professional training programs for leaders and members of the democratic opposition in skill areas central to the development of civil society2 7#aa7 supporting the work of women advocating for freedom1 human rights1 and human progress in ,belarus given the significant and vital role women have played in the ,belarus democracy movement2 7#ab7 supporting the development of ,belarusian language and cultural education and exchanges to preserve and protect ,belarusian national identity2 7#ac7 supporting further iterations of the ,strategic ,dialogue between the ,united ,states and the ,belarusian democratic opposition and civil society as a platform to work on issues of mutual concern2 7#ad7 enhancing the development of the private sector1 particularly the information technology sector1 and its role in the economy of ,belarus1 including by increasing the capacity of private sector actors1 developing business support organizations1 offering entrepreneurship training1 and expanding access to finance for small and medium enterprises2 7#ae7 supporting political refugees in neighboring ,european countries fleeing the crackdown in ,belarus2 7#af7 supporting the education of ,belarusians in exile2 7#ag7 supporting the gathering of evidence on and investigating of gross violations of internationally recognized human rights in ,belarus2 and 7#ah7 other activities consistent with the purposes of this ,act4 2 7#d7 in subsection 7f7-- 7,a7 by striking the ,belarus ,democracy1 ,human ,rights1 and ,sovereignty ,act of #bjbj and inserting the ,belarus ,democracy1 ,human ,rights1 and ,sovereignty ,act of #bjbe2 and 7,b7 by adding at the end before the period the following3 as well as the methodology and benchmarks used to assess the effectiveness of such funds2 and 7#e7 by amending subsection 7g7 to read as follows3 7g7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated to the ,president to carry out this section-- 7#a7 for fiscal year #bjbf an amount equal to not less than the amount made available to carry out this section for fiscal year #bjbe2 and 7#b7 for fiscal year #bjbg an amount equal to not less than the amount made available to carry out this section for fiscal year #bjbf4 4 #e4 ,international broadcasting1 internet freedom1 and access to information in belarus ,section #e of the ,belarus ,democracy ,act of #bjjd 7,public ,law #aji-dhj2 #bb ,u4,s4,c4 #ehaa note7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7a7-- 7,a7 ,by striking 87a7 sense of congress 02 7,b7 in paragraph 7#d71 by striking and at the end2 7,c7 in paragraph 7#e71 by striking the period at the end and inserting the following3 and advocate for the release of journalists that are detained by political reasons2 and2 and 7,d7 by adding at the end the following3 7#f7 the ,united ,states should also support independent media outlets and other sources of information in providing accurate and truthful information about ,russia's unprovoked war of aggression in ,ukraine1 and the illegitimate ,lukashenka regime's complicity in ,russia's crimes of aggression4 2 and 7#b7 by striking subsection 7b74 #f4 ,sanctions against the government of belarus ,section #f of the ,belarus ,democracy ,act of #bjjd 7,public ,law #aji-dhj2 #bb ,u4,s4,c4 #ehaa note7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7a7-- 7,a7 by striking ,the sanctions and inserting the following3 7#a7 ,in general ,the sanctions 2 and 7,b7 by adding at the end the following3 7#b7 ,maintenance of existing sanctions 7,a7 ,in general ,any sanctions imposed pursuant to the ,executive orders described in subparagraph 7,b7 that were imposed in connection with conduct relating to1 concerning1 or occurring in ,belarus should remain in effect until the ,president determines and certifies to the appropriate congressional committees that the ,government of ,belarus has made significant progress in meeting the conditions described in subsection 7c74 7,b7 ,executive orders described ,the ,executive orders described in this subparagraph are the following3 7i7 ,executive ,order #acdje 7#ga ,fed4 ,reg4 #cedhe2 relating to blocking property of certain persons undermining democratic processes or institutions in ,belarus74 7ii7 ,executive ,order #adjbd 7#hf ,fed4 ,reg4 #bjbdi2 relating to blocking property with respect to specified harmful foreign activities of the ,government of the ,russian ,federation74 7iii7 ,executive ,order #adjch 7#hf ,fed4 ,reg4 #dcije2 relating to blocking property of additional persons contributing to the situation in ,belarus74 4 7#b7 in subsection 7b7-- 7,a7 in the matter preceding paragraph 7#a71 by striking subsection 7a7 and inserting paragraphs 7#a7 and 7#b7 of subsection 7a72 7,b7 by striking paragraph 7#b72 7,c7 by redesignating paragraphs 7#c71 7#d71 and 7#e7 as paragraphs 7#b71 7#c71 and 7#d71 respectively2 and 7,d7 by adding at the end the following3 7#e7 ,the withdrawal of the armed forces of the ,russian ,federation from the ,republic of ,belarus and the cessation of ,belarusian support for the ,russian ,federation's war against ,ukraine4 7#f7 ,the return of all ,ukrainian children abducted and deported to ,belarus from the territory of ,ukraine illegally occupied by the ,russian ,federation4 4 7#c7 in subsection 7c7-- 7,a7 in the subsection heading1 by striking ,,complicit ,,in ,,the ,,crackdown ,,that ,,occurred ,,after ,,the ,,august #i1 #bjbj1 ,,election2 7,b7 in the matter preceding paragraph 7#a71 by striking may and inserting shall2 7,c7 in paragraph 7#b71 by striking inadmissible under and inserting described in2 7,d7 in paragraph 7#d71 by adding at the end before the semicolon the following3 1 or future elections in ,belarus should they be determined to be neither free nor fair2 7,e7 in paragraph 7#e71 by adding at the end before the semicolon the following3 1 or future elections in ,belarus should they be determined to be neither free nor fair2 and 7,f7 by striking paragraphs 7#f71 7#g71 7#h71 and 7#i7 and inserting the following3 7#f7 is a government official or member of the security or law enforcement services of ,belarus and has participated in the persecution or harassment of religious groups1 human rights defenders1 democratic opposition groups1 or independent media or journalists2 7#g7 is an individual determined by the ,president to be interfering in the internal affairs of the ,republic of ,belarus on behalf of or at the direction of the ,government of the ,russian ,federation2 7#h7 is an official who provides for1 facilitates1 or otherwise enables or engages with the abduction and deportation of ,ukrainian children from territories illegally occupied by the ,russian ,federation to the territory of ,belarus2 7#i7 is an official who provides for1 facilitates1 or otherwise enables the ,russian ,federation to use the territory or ,belarus to further its unprovoked invasion of ,ukraine2 7#aj7 is an official of the so-called ,union ,state between ,russia and ,belarus 7regardless of nationality of the individual7 or works toward the furtherance of such ,union ,state2 or 7#aa7 is a ,russian individual that has significantly participated in the crackdown on independent press or human rights abuses related to political repression in ,belarus1 including the ,russian propagandists sent to replace local employees at ,belarusian state media outlets4 2 7#d7 by amending subsection 7f7 to read as follows3 7f7 ,blocking of assets and other prohibited activities 7#a7 ,mandatory sanction ,the ,president shall impose the sanction described in paragraph 7#c7 with respect to each foreign person that the ,president determines-- 7,a7 is a member of the ,central ,election ,commission of ,belarus or assisted the ,commission in manipulating elections in ,belarus including the presidential election of ,august #i1 #bjbj2 7,b7 is a government official or member of the security or law enforcement services of ,belarus and has participated in the persecution or harassment of religious groups1 human rights defenders1 democratic opposition groups1 or independent media or journalists2 7,c7 is an individual determined by the ,president to be knowingly interfering in the internal affairs of the ,republic of ,belarus on behalf of or at the direction of the ,government of the ,russian ,federation2 7,d7 is an official who knowingly engages in the abduction and deportation of ,ukrainian children from territories illegally occupied by the ,russian ,federation to the territory of ,belarus2 7,e7 is an official who knowingly supports and provides for1 the ,russian ,federation's use of the territory or ,belarus to further its unprovoked invasion of ,ukraine2 or 7,f7 is an official in the so-called ,union ,state between ,russia and ,belarus 7regardless of nationality of the individual7 or works toward the furtherance of such 8,union ,state04 7#b7 ,discretionary sanction ,the ,president may impose the sanction described in paragraph 7#c7 with respect to each foreign person that the ,president determines-- 7,a7 holds a position in the senior leadership of the ,government of ,belarus2 7,b7 is an immediate family member of a person described in subparagraph 7,a72 or 7,c7 through his or her business dealings with a person described in subparagraph 7,a7 derives significant financial benefit from policies or actions1 including electoral fraud1 gross violations of internationally recognized human rights1 or corruption1 that undermine or injure democratic institutions or impede the transition to democracy in ,belarus4 7#c7 ,sanction described ,the ,president shall exercise all of the powers granted to the ,president under the ,international ,emergency ,economic ,powers ,act 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #agja et seq47 to the extent necessary to block and prohibit all transactions in property and interests in property of the foreign person if such property and interests in property are in the ,united ,states1 come within the ,united ,states1 or are or come within the possession or control of a ,united ,states person4 7#d7 ,exceptions 7,a7 ,exception relating to the provision of humanitarian assistance ,the sanction described in paragraph 7#c7 may not be imposed with respect to transactions or the facilitation of transactions for-- 7i7 the sale of agricultural commodities1 food1 medicine1 or medical devices2 7ii7 the provision of humanitarian assistance2 7iii7 financial transactions relating to humanitarian assistance2 or 7iv7 transporting goods or services that are necessary to carry out operations relating to humanitarian assistance4 7,b7 ,exception for intelligence1 law enforcement1 and national security activities ,the sanction described in paragraph 7#c7 shall not apply to any authorized intelligence1 law enforcement1 or national security activities of the ,united ,states4 7#e7 ,waiver ,the ,president may1 on a case-by-case basis and for periods not to exceed #ahj days each1 waive the application of the sanction described in paragraph 7#c7 imposed with respect to a foreign person under this subsection if the ,president certifies to the appropriate congressional committees not later than #ae days before such waiver is to take effect that the waiver is important to the national security interests of the ,united ,states4 7#f7 ,penalties ,any person who violates1 attempts to violate1 or causes a violation of this subsection or any regulation1 license1 or order issued to carry out this subsection shall be subject to the penalties under section #bjf of the ,international ,emergency ,economic ,powers ,act 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #agje7 to the same extent as a person that commits an unlawful act under that ,act 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #agja et seq474 7#g7 ,definitions ,in this subsection-- 7,a7 the term air carrier has the meaning given that term in section #djajb of title #di1 ,united ,states ,code2 7,b7 the term foreign person means a person that is not a ,united ,states person2 and 7,c7 the term ,united ,states person means-- 7i7 any ,united ,states citizen or alien admitted for permanent residence to the ,united ,states2 7ii7 any entity organized under the laws of the ,united ,states2 and 7iii7 any person in the ,united ,states4 4 #g4 ,multilateral cooperation ,section #g of the ,belarus ,democracy ,act of #bjjd 7,public ,law #aji-dhj2 #bb ,u4,s4,c4 #ehaa note7 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#a71 by striking and at the end2 7#b7 in paragraph 7#b71 by striking the period at the end and inserting 2 and2 and 7#c7 by adding at the end the following3 7#c7 to halt the ,government of ,belarus1 led illegally by ,alyaksandr ,lukashenka1 from supporting and assisting the ,russian ,federation's unprovoked war of aggression against ,ukraine including the abduction and deportation of ,ukrainian children4 4 #h4 ,reports ,section #h of the ,belarus ,democracy ,act of #bjjd 7,public ,law #aji-dhj2 #bb ,u4,s4,c4 #ehaa note7 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking subsection 7a72 7#b7 by redesignating subsection 7b7 as subsection 7a72 7#c7 in subsection 7a7 7as so redesignated7-- 7,a7 in paragraph 7#a7-- 7i7 in the matter preceding subparagraph 7,a71 by striking the ,belarus ,democracy1 ,human ,rights1 and ,sovereignty ,act of #bjbj and inserting the ,belarus ,democracy1 ,human ,rights1 and ,sovereignty ,act of #bjbe2 and 7ii7 in subparagraph 7,b71 by adding at the end before the period the following3 1 and whether the ,united ,states has imposed sanctions with respect to such senior foreign political figures2 7,b7 by striking paragraph 7#b72 and 7,c7 by redesignating paragraph 7#c7 as paragraph 7#b72 and 7#d7 by adding at the end the following3 7b7 ,report on crimes and other actions committed by belarus in support of russia's unprovoked war of aggression in ukraine 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #ij days after the date of the enactment of the ,belarus ,democracy1 ,human ,rights1 and ,sovereignty ,act of #bjbe1 the ,director of ,national ,intelligence1 in consultation with the ,secretary of the ,treasury and the ,secretary of ,state1 shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the following3 7,a7 ,an assessment of the ,russian military presence in ,belarus1 including the presence of ,russian nuclear forces1 and the impact this presence has on ,north ,atlantic ,treaty ,organization 7,,nato7 security4 7,b7 ,the degree to which the ,government of ,belarus1 led illegally by ,alyaksandr ,lukashenka1 continues to provide support to and harbor the forces of the ,wagner ,group or other ,russian paramilitary groups and enables their destabilizing actions on the borders of ,,nato allies1 such as ,latvia1 ,lithuania1 and ,poland4 7,c7 ,which actors in the ,government of ,belarus1 led illegally by ,alyaksandr ,lukashenka1 are most responsible for the illegal abduction and deportation of ,ukrainian children from ,ukrainian territory occupied by the ,russian ,federation to the territory of ,belarus1 as well as to what extent organizations such as the now-suspended ,belarus branch of the ,red ,cross are involved in these transfers1 and provide a strategy for holding those involved in these crimes accountable including through the use of sanctions4 7,d7 ,the degree to which the ,government of ,belarus1 led illegally by ,alyaksandr ,lukashenka1 has purchased weapons from the governments of the ,russian ,federation and the ,islamic ,republic of ,iran1 and whether any purchases of such weapons violate the provisions of section #ajg or #bca of the ,countering ,america's ,adversaries ,through ,sanctions ,act 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #idjf or #iebe74 7,e7 ,the extent to which the ,government of ,belarus1 led illegally by ,alyaksandr ,lukashenka1 is aiding the ,russian ,federation in circumventing export controls and evading sanctions1 including with an accounting and estimated value of dual-use goods and an identification of the officials or other persons involved in facilitating this sanctions evasion4 7,f7 ,the impact of the ,government of ,belarus' use of illegal migrants to destabilize the borders of ,,nato countries1 such as ,latvia1 ,lithuania1 and ,poland1 on ,,nato security4 7#b7 ,form ,the report required under this subsection shall be transmitted in unclassified form1 but may contain a classified annex4 4 #i4 ,definitions ,section #i of the ,belarus ,democracy ,act of #bjjd 7,public ,law #aji-dhj2 #bb ,u4,s4,c4 #ehaa note7 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#c77;,a71 by adding at the end before the semicolon the following3 1 led illegally by ,alyaksandr ,lukashenka2 and 7#b7 by adding at the end the following3 7#d7 ,union state ,the term ,union ,state means the supranational union of the ,republic of ,belarus and the ,russian ,federation as outlined in the ,december #aiii ,treaty on the establishment of the ,union ,state between the governments of the ,republic of ,belarus and the ,russian ,federation4 4