,,ii  #aaith ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #cfba  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,january #ac1  
#bjbf,mr4 ,merkley 7for himself1 ,mr4   
,kaine1 ,mr4 ,sanders1 ,mr4 ,wyden1 ,mr4
 ,van ,hollen1 ,ms4 ,alsobrooks1 and    
,mr4 ,welch7 introduced the following   
bill2 which was read twice and referred 
to the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations
  ,a ,,bill  ,to prohibit the ,united   
,states ,government from funding        
,venezuela's oil and petroleum          
infrastructure1 and for other purposes4 
#a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited
 as the ,protecting ,taxpayers from     
,risky ,investments in ,venezuela ,act4 
#b4 ,defined term ,in this ,act1 the    
term appropriate congressional          
committees means-- 7#a7 the ,committee  
on ,foreign ,relations of the ,senate2  
7#b7 the ,committee on ,appropriations  
of the ,senate2  7#c7 the ,committee on 
the ,budget of the ,senate2  7#d7 the   
,committee on ,foreign ,affairs of the  
,house of ,representatives2  7#e7 the   

,committee on ,appropriations of the    
,house of ,representatives2 and  7#f7   
the ,committee on the ,budget of the    
,house of ,representatives4  #c4        
,prohibition on the use of ,federal     
funds to support ,venezuela's oil and   
petroleum infrastructure  7a7           
,prohibition ,except as provided in     
subsection 7b71 none of the funds       
appropriated or otherwise made available
 for any department or agency of the    
,united ,states ,government or for any  
account owned1 controlled1 or accessible
 by the ,united ,states1 or a person    
acting on behalf of the ,united ,states1
 may be used to finance1 subsidize1     
insure1 guarantee1 contract for1 or     
otherwise support the development1      
maintenance1 or expansion of oil        
infrastructure or the petroleum sector  
in ,venezuela1 including-- 7#a7 the     
construction1 installation1 manufacture1
 development1 modernization1 repair1 or 
permanent improvement of any oil or gas 
infrastructure in ,venezuela2  7#b7 the 

purchase of real property1 including a  
reimbursement for any such purchase2    
7#c7 insurance costs1 loan guarantees1  
tax incentives1 and royalty relief2     
7#d7 any payments made to individuals or
 domestic1 international1 or            
multinational corporations2 and  7#e7   
any form of advocacy1 promotion1 or     
support provided by officers or         
employees of the ,united ,states        
,government for the benefit of          
,venezuela's oil infrastructure or      
petroleum sector1 including at          
international financial institutions1   
multilateral organizations1 or          
diplomatic forums4  7b7 ,exception ,the 
prohibition under subsection 7a7 shall  
not apply to any expenditure explicitly 
authorized by an ,act of ,congress after
 the date of the enactment of this ,act4
  #d4 ,annual report ,not later than    
#ahj days after the date of the         
enactment of this ,act1 and annually    
thereafter1 the ,secretary of ,state    
shall submit a report to the appropriate

 congressional committees that-- 7#a7   
describes any expenditures or activities
 related to ,venezuela's oil            
infrastructure or petroleum sector2 and 
7#b7 certifies compliance with this     
,act4