119-hr1422

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1422 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 1422

 To impose sanctions with respect to persons engaged in logistical 
 transactions and sanctions evasion relating to oil, gas, liquefied 
 natural gas, and related petrochemical products from the Islamic 
 Republic of Iran, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 February 18, 2025

 Mr. Lawler (for himself and Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, 
 and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
 of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
 concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To impose sanctions with respect to persons engaged in logistical 
 transactions and sanctions evasion relating to oil, gas, liquefied 
 natural gas, and related petrochemical products from the Islamic 
 Republic of Iran, and for other purposes.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Enhanced Iran Sanctions Act of 
2025''.

SEC. 2. STATEMENT OF POLICY.

 It is the policy of the United States--

    (1) that, in accordance with the Iran Nuclear 2 Weapons 
 Capability and Terrorism Monitoring Act of 2022 (22 U.S.C. 8701 
 note; Public Law 117-4263), the United States must--
        (A) ensure that the Islamic Republic of Iran does 
 not acquire a nuclear weapons capability;
        (B) protect against aggression from the Islamic 
 Republic of Iran manifested through its missiles and 
 drone programs; and
            (C) counter regional and global terrorism of the 
 Islamic Republic of Iran in a manner that minimizes the 
 threat posed by state and non-state actors to the 
 interests of the United States;

    (2) to fully enforce sanctions against all persons involved 
 in the international logistical chain that provide support to 
 the energy sector of the Islamic Republic of Iran;

    (3) through such sanctions, to deny the Islamic Republic of 
 Iran the financial resources required--
        (A) to fund and facilitate international terrorism;
        (B) to finance the development of weapons of mass 
 destruction;
            (C) to engage in destabilizing efforts abroad; and
            (D) to repress the rights of Iranian citizens; and

    (4) to strengthen coherence among members of the 
 international community in enforcing sanctions on the malign 
 activity of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

 In this Act:

    (1) Admitted; alien.--The terms ``admitted'' and ``alien'' 
 have the meanings given those terms in 

section 101

    (a) of the 
 Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101

    (a) ).

    (2) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
 ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
        (A) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the 
 Committee on the Judiciary, and the Committee on 
 Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate; and
        (B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee 
 on the Judiciary, and the Committee on Financial 
 Services of the House of Representatives.

    (3) Foreign person.--The term ``foreign person'' means a 
 person that is not a United States person, including the 
 government of a foreign country.

    (4) Knowingly.--The term ``knowingly'', with respect to 
 conduct, a circumstance, or a result, means that a person has 
 actual knowledge, or should have known, of the conduct, the 
 circumstance, or the result.

    (5) Property; interest in property.--The terms ``property'' 
 and ``interest in property'' have the meanings given the terms 
 ``property'' and ``property interest'', respectively, in 
 

section 576.312 of title 31, Code of Federal Regulations, as in 
 effect on the day before the date of the enactment of this Act.

    (6) United states person.--The term ``United States 
 person'' means--
        (A) an individual who is a United States citizen or 
 an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence to 
 the United States;
        (B) an entity organized under the laws of the 
 United States or any jurisdiction within the United 
 States, including a foreign branch of such an entity; 
 or
            (C) any person in the United States.

SEC. 4. IMPOSITION OF SANCTIONS WITH RESPECT TO PERSONS ENGAGED IN 
 LOGISTICAL TRANSACTIONS OF OIL, GAS, LIQUEFIED NATURAL 
 GAS, AND PETROCHEMICAL PRODUCTS FROM THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC 
 OF IRAN.

    (a) In General.--On and after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the President shall impose the sanctions described in subsection

    (b) with respect to any foreign person, including any bank or foreign 
financial institution, insurance provider, flagging registry, pipeline 
construction or operation facility for liquefied natural gas, that--

    (1) the President determines knowingly engaged in, on or 
 after such date of enactment, any transaction involved in, 
 relating or incident to the processing, export, or sale of oil, 
 condensates, gas, liquefied natural gas, or other petrochemical 
 products in whole or in part from the Islamic Republic of Iran;

    (2) is a subsidiary, successor, or alias of a foreign 
 person described in paragraph

    (1) ;

    (3)
        (A) directly or indirectly owns or controls a 50 percent 
 or greater interest in or is owned or controlled by a 50 
 percent or greater interest of a foreign person or foreign 
 persons subject to sanctions pursuant to paragraph

    (1) or

    (2) ; 
 and
        (B) directly or indirectly conducts a significant 
 transaction with, for, or on behalf of a foreign person 
 described in paragraph

    (1) ,

    (2) , or

    (3) of 

section 3

    (b) of the 
 Stop Harboring Iranian Petroleum Act (22 U.S.C. 8572);

    (4) the President determines is a corporate officer of a 
 foreign person described paragraph

    (1) ,

    (2) , or

    (3) ; or

    (5) is an immediate family member of a foreign person 
 described in paragraph

    (1) ,

    (2) , or

    (3) .

    (b) Sanctions Described.--The sanctions described in this 
subsection are the following:

    (1) Blocking of property.--The President shall, pursuant to 
 the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 
 et seq.), block and prohibit all transactions in property and 
 interests in property of a foreign person subject to sanctions 
 pursuant to subsection

    (a)

    (1) if such property and interests in 
 property are in the United States, come within the United 
 States, or are or come within the possession or control of a 
 United States person.

    (2) Aliens inadmissible for visas, admission, or parole.--
        (A) Visas, admission, or parole.--In the case of an 
 alien subject to sanctions pursuant to subsection

    (a) , 
 the alien is--
            (i) inadmissible to the United States;
            (ii) ineligible to receive a visa or other 
 documentation to enter the United States; and
            (iii) otherwise ineligible to be admitted 
 or paroled into the United States or to receive 
 any other benefit under the Immigration and 
 Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.).
        (B) Current visas revoked.--
            (i) In general.--The visa or other entry 
 documentation of an alien described in 
 subparagraph
        (A) shall be revoked, regardless 
 of when such visa or other entry documentation 
 was issued.
            (ii) Immediate effect.--A revocation under 
 clause
            (i) shall--
            (I) take effect immediately; and
            (II) automatically cancel any other 
 valid visa or entry documentation that 
 is in the alien's possession.
            (c) Exceptions.--

    (1) Exception relating to importation of goods.--
        (A) In general.--The requirement to impose 
 sanctions under this section shall not include the 
 authority or a requirement to impose sanctions on the 
 importation of goods.
        (B) Good defined.--In this paragraph, the term 
 ``good'' means any article, natural or manmade 
 substance, material, supply, or manufactured product, 
 including inspection and test equipment, and excluding 
 technical data.

    (2) Exception to comply with international obligations and 
 law enforcement activities.--Sanctions under subsection

    (b)

    (2) shall not apply with respect to an alien if admitting or 
 paroling the alien into the United States is necessary--
        (A) to permit the United States to comply with the 
 Agreement regarding the Headquarters of the United 
 Nations, signed at Lake Success June 26, 1947, and 
 entered into force November 21, 1947, between the 
 United Nations and the United States, or other 
 applicable international obligations; or
        (B) to carry out or assist authorized law 
 enforcement activity in the United States.

    (3) Exception for humanitarian assistance.--
        (A) In general.--Sanctions under this section shall 
 not apply to--
            (i) the conduct or facilitation of a 
 transaction for the provision of agricultural 
 commodities, food, medicine, medical devices, 
 or humanitarian assistance, or for humanitarian 
 purposes; or
            (ii) transactions that are necessary for or 
 related to the activities described in clause
            (i) .
        (B) === Definitions. ===
-In this paragraph--
            (i) the term ``agricultural commodity'' has 
 the meaning given that term in 

section 102 of 
 the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 
 5602);
            (ii) the term ``medical device'' has the 
 meaning given the term ``device'' in 

section 201 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act 
 (21 U.S.C. 321); and
            (iii) the term ``medicine'' has the meaning 
 given the term ``drug'' in 

section 201 of the 
 Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 
 321).

    (4) Exception for safety of vessels and crew.--Sanctions 
 under this section shall not apply with respect to a person 
 providing provisions to a vessel otherwise subject to sanctions 
 under this section if such provisions are intended for the 
 safety and care of the crew aboard the vessel, the protection 
 of human life aboard the vessel, or the maintenance of the 
 vessel to avoid any environmental or other significant damage.
            (d) Waiver.--

    (1) In general.--The President may, on a case-by-case basis 
 for a period of not more than 180 days, waive the application 
 of sanctions imposed with respect to a foreign person under 
 this section if the President--
        (A) certifies to the appropriate congressional 
 committees that the waiver is vital to the national 
 interests of the United States; and
        (B) submits with the certification required under 
 subparagraph
        (A) a detailed justification explaining 
 the reasons for the waiver.

    (2) Renewal of waiver.--The President may, on a case-by-
 case basis, renew a waiver issued under paragraph

    (1) for 
 additional periods of not more than 180 days if the President--
        (A) determines that the renewal of the waiver is 
 vital to the national interests of the United States; 
 and
        (B) not less than 15 days before the waiver 
 expires, submits to the appropriate congressional 
 committees a report on the renewal of the waiver that 
 includes--
            (i) a justification for the renewal of the 
 waiver; and
            (ii) a detailed plan to phase out the need 
 for any such waiver issued with respect to such 
 foreign person.

    (e) Implementation; Penalties.--

    (1) Implementation.--The President may exercise all 
 authorities provided under sections 203 and 205 of the 
 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1702 and 
 1704) to carry out subsection

    (b)

    (1) .

    (2) Penalties.--A person that violates, attempts to 
 violate, conspires to violate, or causes a violation of 
 subsection

    (b)

    (1) or any regulation, license, or order issued 
 to carry out that subsection shall be subject to the penalties 
 set forth in subsections

    (b) and
            (c) of 

section 206 of the 
 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1705) to 
 the same extent as a person that commits an unlawful act 
 described in subsection

    (a) of that section.

    (f) Rules of Construction.--

    (1) Subsection

    (a)

    (3)
        (A) shall be construed to be 
 consistent with Frequently Asked Questions 398 through 402, 
 published by the Office of Foreign Assets Control on August 11, 
 2020, and August 13, 2014, or any successors to such frequently 
 asked questions.

    (2) For purposes of determinations under subsection

    (a) that a foreign person engaged in activities described in such 
 subsection

    (a) , a foreign person shall not be determined to 
 know that petroleum or petroleum products originated from Iran 
 if such person relied on a certificate of origin or other 
 documentation confirming that the origin of the petroleum or 
 petroleum products was a country other than Iran, unless such 
 person knew or had reason to know that such documentation was 
 falsified.

    (3) Nothing in this section may be construed to affect the 
 availability of any existing authorities to issue waivers, 
 exceptions, exemptions, licenses, or other authorization.

SEC. 5. INTERAGENCY WORKING GROUP ON IRANIAN SANCTIONS.

    (a) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall establish a working 
group to be known as the ``Interagency Working Group on Iranian 
Sanctions'' (referred to in this section as the ``Working Group'').

    (b) Membership.--The Working Group shall be composed one or more 
representatives from each of the following:

    (1) The Department of State.

    (2) The Department of the Treasury.

    (3) The Department of Justice. Such other Federal 
 departments or agencies as the Secretary of State determines 
 appropriate.
            (c) Chair.--The President shall designate a Chair of the Working 
Group.
            (d) Multilateral Contact Group.--

    (1) Establishment.--The Working Group shall endeavor to 
 establish a multilateral contact group with like-minded nations 
 to coordinate international efforts to enforce sanctions 
 imposed with respect to the Islamic Republic of Iran.

    (2) Duties.--The multilateral contact group shall--
        (A) share information on evolving sanctions 
 frameworks to identify areas of difference or 
 enforcement gaps;
        (B) share information on newly-designated entities;
            (C) raise awareness of new sanctions evasion 
 practices; and
            (D) coordinate on new measures to curb Iranian 
 malign activity, including uranium enrichment 
 activities, ballistic missile production, and support 
 for terrorism.

SEC. 6. PRIVATE SECTOR REPORTING ON PERSONS ENGAGED IN SANCTIONABLE 
 ACTIVITIES OR SANCTIONS EVASION.

 

Section 36

    (b) of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 
(22 U.S.C. 2708

    (b) ) is amended--

    (1) in paragraph

    (13) , by striking ``; or'' and inserting a 
 semicolon;

    (2) in paragraph

    (14) , by striking the period at the end 
 and inserting ``; or''; and

    (3) by adding at the end the following paragraph:
 ``

    (15) the identification a person described in 

section 4

    (a) of the Enhanced Iran Sanctions Act of 2025 or any person 
 that has attempted or is attempting to evade sanctions imposed 
 under such Act with proceeds generated by the sale of 
 intercepted oil, gas, liquefied natural gas, petrochemical 
 products, or related products from the Islamic Republic of 
 Iran.''.
 <all>