119-hr3225

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3225 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 3225

 To reauthorize and modify the Belarus Democracy Act of 2004.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 May 7, 2025

 Mr. Smith of New Jersey (for himself, Mr. Keating, and Mr. Wilson of 
 South Carolina) introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on 
Financial Services, and 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 reauthorize and modify the Belarus Democracy Act of 2004.

 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 ``Belarus Democracy, Human Rights, and 
Sovereignty Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

 

Section 2 of the Belarus Democracy Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-347; 
22 U.S.C. 5811 note) is amended to read as follows:

``

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

 ``Congress finds the following:
 ``

    (1) The International Covenant on Civil and Political 
 Rights, done in New York December 19, 1966, was ratified by 
 Belarus in 1973, guaranteeing Belarusians the freedom of 
 expression and the freedom of association.
 ``

    (2) Alyaksandr Lukashenka has ruled Belarus as an 
 undemocratic dictatorship since the first presidential election 
 in Belarus in 1994, and subsequent presidential elections have 
 been neither free nor fair, failing to meet minimal 
 international electoral standards.
 ``

    (3) In response to the repression and violence during the 
 2006 presidential election, Congress passed the Belarus 
 Democracy Reauthorization Act of 2006 (Public Law 109-480).
 ``

    (4) In 2006, President George W. Bush issued Executive 
 Order 13405, titled `Blocking Property of Certain Persons 
 Undermining Democratic Processes or Institutions in Belarus', 
 which authorized the imposition of sanctions against persons 
 responsible for--
 ``
        (A) undermining democratic processes in Belarus; 
 or
 ``
        (B) participating in human rights abuses related 
 to political repression in Belarus.
 ``

    (5) In March 2011, the Senate unanimously passed Senate 
 Resolution 105, which--
 ``
        (A) condemned the December 2010 election in 
 Belarus as `illegitimate, fraudulent, and not 
 representative of the will or the aspirations of the 
 voters in Belarus'; and
 ``
        (B) called on the Lukashenka regime `to 
 immediately and unconditionally release all political 
 prisoners in Belarus who were arrested in association 
 with the December 19, 2010, election'.
 ``

    (6) The Government of Belarus continues to engage in a 
 pattern of clear and persistent gross violations of 
 internationally recognized human rights, and basic principles 
 of democratic governance.
 ``

    (7) The Government of Belarus continues to subject 
 thousands of pro-democracy political activists and peaceful 
 protesters to harassment, beatings, and imprisonment, 
 particularly as a result of their attempts to peacefully 
 exercise their right to freedom of assembly and association.
 ``

    (8) The Government of Belarus continues to suppress 
 independent media and journalists and to restrict access to the 
 internet, including social media and other digital 
 communication platforms, in violation of the right to freedom 
 of speech and expression of those dissenting from the 
 dictatorship of Alyaksandr Lukashenka.
 ``

    (9) The Government of Belarus continues a systematic 
 campaign of harassment, repression, and closure of 
 nongovernmental organizations, including independent trade 
 unions and entrepreneurs, creating a climate of fear that 
 inhibits the development of civil society and social 
 solidarity.
 ``

    (10) The Government of Belarus has pursued a policy 
 undermining the country's sovereignty and independence by 
 making Belarus' political, economic, cultural, and societal 
 interests subservient to those of Russia.
 ``

    (11) 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 Russia.
 ``

    (12) In advance of the August 2020 presidential elections 
 in Belarus, authorities acting on behalf of President 
 Lukashenka arrested journalists, bloggers, political activists, 
 and the leading political opposition candidates, leading to 
 demonstrations in support of democracy.
 ``

    (13) On August 9, 2020, the Government of Belarus 
 conducted a presidential election that was held under 
 undemocratic conditions, did not meet international standards, 
 involved government malfeasance and serious irregularities with 
 ballot counting and the reporting of election results, 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

    (OSCE) to allow for the OSCE to monitor the elections, as is 
 customary.
 ``

    (14) Illegitimate president Alyaksandr Lukashenka 
 declared a landslide victory in the election and claimed to 
 have received more than 80 percent of the votes cast in the 
 election.
 ``

    (15) The leading opposition candidate, Sviatlana 
 Tsikhanouskaya, formally disputed the reported results and was 
 detained by government authorities before being forced into 
 exile in Lithuania.
 ``

    (16) Later in August, 2020, the United States Deputy 
 Secretary of State, Stephen Biegun, and European Union High 
 Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, 
 issued statements declaring the Belarus elections to be 
 fraudulent and neither free nor fair.
 ``

    (17) Following the illegitimate election results, tens of 
 thousands of Belarusian protestors took to the streets, led 
 predominately by women, resulting in the largest protest 
 rallies in Belarus' modern history, with over 1,400 reported as 
 injured by Belarusian police in August and September 2020, over 
 37,000 detained by May 2021, and several killed for protesting 
 the fraudulent election.
 ``

    (18) 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 protestors, including through the suppression of 
 independent media and journalists, and disruption of free 
 internet access.
 ``

    (19) After the employees of state media outlets walked 
 off the job in protest rather than help report misleading 
 government propaganda, Lukashenka confirmed that he `asked the 
 Russians' to send teams of Russian journalists to replace local 
 employees.
 ``

    (20) Following Alyaksandr Lukashenka's September 23, 
 2020, inauguration, the United States, the European Union, 
 numerous European states, the United Kingdom, and Canada 
 announced that they cannot consider Mr. Lukashenka as the 
 legitimately elected leader of Belarus.
 ``

    (21) As a result of the Lukashenka regime's violence 
 against the Belarusian people and deprivation of their 
 fundamental rights, the United States Congress passed and the 
 President signed into law the Belarus Democracy, Human Rights, 
 and Sovereignty Act of 2020 to demand the rights of the 
 Belarusian people be respected and to hold accountable those 
 who undermine them.
 ``

    (22) As a result of the Lukashenka regime's violence 
 against its own people, in December 2020, Members of Congress 
 and transatlantic parliamentarians wrote a letter to the 
 International Ice Hockey Federation President demanding the 
 championship be relocated from Belarus.
 ``

    (23) In response to the Government of Belarus' repressive 
 actions following the 2020 election, the United States, along 
 with the European Union, imposed various sanctions packages on 
 individuals and entities involved with the suppression of 
 democracy in Belarus, including--
 ``
        (A) the Central Election Commission of the 
 Republic of Belarus and officials determined to be 
 responsible for undermining democracy in Belarus;
 ``
        (B) entities and persons determined to be 
 involved in the violent suppression of protestors, such 
 as the Minsk Special Purpose Police Unit, the Main 
 Internal Affairs Directorate of the Minsk City 
 Executive Committee, and KGB Alpha; and
 ``
            (C) state-owned enterprises that provide revenue 
 to support Lukashenka's authoritarian regime.
 ``

    (24) In April 2021, the House of Representatives passed 
 House Resolution 124 reaffirming that the August 2020 elections 
 were neither free nor fair and that the House of 
 Representatives does not recognize Alyaksandr Lukashenka as 
 Belarus' legitimate president.
 ``

    (25) On May 23, 2021, the Government of Belarus forced 
 Ryanair Flight 4978 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 girlfriend, 
 threatening the safety of every passenger aboard the civilian 
 flight, and ultimately detaining Pratasevich as a political 
 prisoner.
 ``

    (26) In May 2021, the European Union pledged a 
 comprehensive plan of economic support worth up to 3 billion 
 euros to assist in the development of a future, democratic 
 Belarus following a democratic transition.
 ``

    (27) As of May 2025, the Government of Belarus, led 
 illegally by Alyaksandr Lukashenka, unlawfully holds nearly 
 1,300 people as political prisoners, including dozens of 
 journalists, peaceful protestors, business leaders, and 
 democracy activists, including Siarhei Tsikhanouski, a former 
 opposition leader who is held incommunicado, Ilhar Losik and 
 Ihar Karney, journalists with Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty, 
 Andrzej Poczubut, a Polish-Belarusian journalist, and Artsiom 
 Liabedzka, the son of exiled former opposition leader Anatol 
 Liabedzka.
 ``

    (28) Since August 2020, the the Government of Belarus, 
 led illegally by Alyaksandr Lukashenka, has targeted religious 
 communities who raised their voices against the undemocratic 
 rule and violent repression committed by the authorities, and 
 has unlawfully detained nearly 90 members of the clergy, 
 including 39 Catholic priests and religious, 30 Protestant 
 ministers, and 20 Orthodox priests and religious, including 5 
 priests who are currently remain behind bars and are recognized 
 as political prisoners.
 ``

    (29) The now-suspended Belarusian branch of the Red Cross 
 has publicly confirmed its involvement in transferring children 
 from Ukraine to the territory of Belarus, and the illegitimate 
 leader of the Government of Belarus, Alyaksandr Lukashenka, has 
 publicly confirmed that he permitted these transfers.
 ``

    (30) In Spring 2023, the Government of Belarus announced 
 plans for the deployment of nuclear weapons from the Russian 
 Federation to the territory of Belarus, which reportedly began 
 in the summer of this same year.
 ``

    (31) The Government of Belarus has harbored the Wagner 
 Group, a private military company the United States has 
 designated as a Transnational Criminal Organization, and 
 provided facilities, resources, and a staging ground for the 
 group's criminal operations.
 ``

    (32) 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 Ukraine.
 ``

    (33) As a result of the Government of Belarus' support to 
 the Russian Federation during its unprovoked war of aggression 
 against Ukraine, the United States, the European Union, 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 
 sector, restrictions on entities in Belarus' defense and 
 industrial sectors, and entities that provide support to 
 Belarus' military and industrial sectors.
 ``

    (34) The Government of Belarus is reportedly engaging in 
 the purchase of significant amounts of military equipment from 
 the sanctioned Islamic Republic of Iran.
 ``

    (35) On August 6, 2023, the Belarusian democratic 
 opposition issued a declaration expressing their objective of 
 developing democracy in Belarus and pursuing membership in the 
 European Union and, by extension, joining the Trans-Atlantic 
 community.
 ``

    (36) The democratic opposition of Belarus have called on 
 the Government of Belarus, led illegally by Alyaksandr 
 Lukashenka, to end its complicity and involvement in the war in 
 Ukraine, and urged against the conscription of men into the 
 Belarusian military.
 ``

    (37) On February 28, 2022, the Department of State 
 ordered the departure of United States Government employees and 
 the suspension of operations of the United States Embassy in 
 Minsk.
 ``

    (38) On August 21, 2023, 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 
 Ukraine, and the risk of detention and arbitrary enforcement of 
 local laws against United States citizens.
 ``

    (39) In September 2023, 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 exiles, critics, and 
 expats to return to Belarus for document renewal and possibly 
 face persecution.
 ``

    (40) In December 2023, 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 crimes, a commitment to supporting 
 Belarusian culture, sovereignty, and national identity, as well 
 as the need for future working groups with the democratic 
 opposition.
 ``

    (41) On February 25, 2024, the Government of Belarus 
 administered fraudulent parliamentary elections in an 
 environment marked by censorship, persecution of political 
 opposition, illegal manipulation of the vote, and the lack of 
 any international observers from credible organizations.
 ``

    (42) In December 2024 Lukashenka announced that Belarus 
 is hosting dozens of Russian nuclear weapons and will prepare 
 facilities for hosting Russian hypersonic missiles.
 ``

    (43) On January 26, 2025, the Government of Belarus 
 administered fraudulent presidential elections in an 
 environment marked by censorship, persecution of political 
 opposition, illegal manipulation of the vote, the lack of any 
 international observers from credible organizations, and 
 declared victory for Lukashenka.
 ``

    (44) The Russian Federation has facilitated and the 
 Belarusian government is complicit in the illegal abduction and 
 transfer of more than 2,400 Ukrainian children from Russian-
 occupied regions of Ukraine to facilities in Belarus where they 
 undergo political and cultural reeducation and military 
 training.
 ``

    (45) The United States has imposed sanctions on hundreds 
 of Belarusian individuals and entities, including visa 
 restrictions against Belarusan government officials for 
 undermining democracy in Belarus and supporting Russia's 
 illegal war of aggression in Ukraine, and their complicity in 
 the abduction of Ukrainian children from Russian-occupied 
 territories of Ukraine.''''

SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY.

 

Section 3 of the Belarus Democracy Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-347; 
22 U.S.C. 5811 note) is amended to read as follows:

``

SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY.

 ``It is the policy of the United States--
 ``

    (1) to condemn--
 ``
        (A) the conduct of the August 9, 2020, 
 presidential election in Belarus, which was neither 
 free nor fair;
 ``
        (B) the Belarusian authorities' unrelenting 
 crackdown on, arbitrary arrests of, and violence 
 against opposition candidates, democratic opposition, 
 peaceful protestors, human rights activists, employees 
 from state-owned enterprises participating in strikes, 
 independent election observers, and independent 
 journalists and bloggers; and
 ``
            (C) the unjustified detention and forced or 
 attempted deportation of members of the Coordination 
 Council and United Transitional Cabinet in Belarus;
 ``

    (2) to condemn the illegitimate Belarusian authorities' 
 allowance of Russian nuclear weapons to be deployed to 
 Belarusian territory, their continued political and material 
 support for Russia's unprovoked war of aggression in Ukraine, 
 and their continued participation in abducting and deporting 
 Ukrainian children from territory occupied by the Russian 
 Federation to the territory of Belarus;
 ``

    (3) 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 illegal, full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine 
 or for the prevention of a peaceful democratic transition in 
 Belarus;
 ``

    (4) to demand accountability for the illegal Lukashenka 
 regime's complicity in the crime of aggression against Ukraine 
 through international justice mechanisms;
 ``

    (5) to condemn the weaponization of migrants wherein the 
 Government of Belarus, led illegally by Alyaksandr Lukashenka, 
 has sent thousands of migrants to the borders of Poland and 
 Lithuania in an attempt to destabilize the border region;
 ``

    (6) to continue demanding the immediate release without 
 preconditions of all political prisoners in Belarus and those 
 arrested for peacefully protesting, including all those 
 individuals detained in connection with the August 9, 2020, 
 fraudulent presidential election;
 ``

    (7) to stand in solidarity with the people of Belarus, 
 including human rights defenders, bloggers, and journalists, 
 who are exercising their right to freedom of assembly, freedom 
 of expression, and rule of law and to continue supporting the 
 aspirations of the people of Belarus for democracy, human 
 rights, and the rule of law;
 ``

    (8) to continue actively supporting the aspirations of 
 the people of the Republic of Belarus to preserve the 
 independence and sovereignty of their country;
 ``

    (9) 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

    (OSCE) standards and under the supervision of OSCE observers and 
 independent domestic observers, including in the 2025 
 presidential elections;
 ``

    (10) 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 Nations;
 ``

    (11) to recognize the Coordination Council and the United 
 Transitional Cabinet as legitimate institutions to participate 
 in a dialogue on a peaceful transition of power, and to support 
 these institutions prior to and during such a transition should 
 it take place;
 ``

    (12) to condemn the deprivation of consular services to 
 Belarusian citizens living abroad, including representatives of 
 the Belarusian democratic opposition, and urge the United 
 States to raise this to the United Nations High Commissioner 
 for Refugees, the International Organization for Migration, the 
 Council of Europe, and the Organization for Security and 
 Cooperation in Europe;
 ``

    (13) to encourage the United States Government to 
 continue working closely with the European Union, the United 
 Kingdom, Canada, and other countries and international 
 organizations to continue to impose targeted sanctions against 
 officials in Belarus who are responsible for--
 ``
        (A) undermining democratic processes in Belarus;
 ``
        (B) participating in gross violations of 
 internationally recognized human rights related to 
 political repression in Belarus and undermining rule of 
 law for the people of Belarus; or
 ``
            (C) enabling or facilitating Russia's war in 
 Ukraine;
 ``

    (14) to call on the Government of Belarus to uphold its 
 human rights obligations, including those rights enumerated in 
 the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights;
 ``

    (15) to encourage the United States to expeditiously 
 appoint a U.S. Special Envoy for Belarus to fill the role 
 vacated in June 2022; and
 ``

    (16) 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 objectives, 
 including--
 ``
        (A) accountability for the Lukashenka regime's 
 gross violations of internationally recognized human 
 rights and domestic repressions; and
 ``
        (B) increasing partnerships with the Belarusian 
 people by supporting investments; and
 support for the protection of Belarusian language, culture, and 
 national identity.''.

SEC. 4. ASSISTANCE TO PROMOTE DEMOCRACY, CIVIL SOCIETY, AND SOVEREIGNTY 
 IN BELARUS.

 

Section 4 of the Belarus Democracy Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-347; 
22 U.S.C. 5811 note) is amended--

    (1) in subsection

    (a) --
        (A) in paragraph

    (1) , by inserting ``, the United 
 Transitional Cabinet, and the Coordination Council'' 
 after ``the Republic of Belarus''; and
        (B) by adding at the end the following:
 ``

    (5) To assist in the cessation of Belarus' support for 
 the Government of Russia in Russia's unprovoked war of 
 aggression in Ukraine.'';

    (2) in subsection

    (b) , by adding at the end before the 
 period the following ``, including political party 
 strengthening'';

    (3) by amending subsection
            (c) to read as follows:
 ``
            (c) Activities Supported.--Activities that may be supported by 
assistance under subsection

    (b) include--
 ``

    (1) expanding independent radio and television 
 broadcasting to and within Belarus;
 ``

    (2) facilitating the development of independent 
 broadcast, print, and internet media working within Belarus and 
 from locations outside the country and supported by nonstate-
 controlled printing facilities;
 ``

    (3) countering internet censorship and repressive 
 surveillance technology that seek to limit free association, 
 control access to information, and prevent citizens from 
 exercising their rights to free speech;
 ``

    (4) raising awareness both within Belarus and globally 
 about Lukashenka's complicity in Russia's unprovoked war of 
 aggression in Ukraine, including how the Lukashenka regime is 
 providing support to the Russian military and committing crimes 
 against Ukrainian children;
 ``

    (5) aiding the development of civil society through 
 assistance to nongovernmental organizations promoting democracy 
 and supporting human rights, including youth groups, 
 entrepreneurs, and independent trade unions;
 ``

    (6) supporting programming that contributes to the 
 defense of Belarusian sovereignty and independence from 
 encroachment by the Russian Federation;
 ``

    (7) supporting the work of human rights defenders;
 ``

    (8) enhancing the development of democratic political 
 parties;
 ``

    (9) assisting the promotion of free, fair, and 
 transparent electoral processes;
 ``

    (10) 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 society;
 ``

    (11) supporting the work of women advocating for freedom, 
 human rights, and human progress in Belarus given the 
 significant and vital role women have played in the Belarus 
 democracy movement;
 ``

    (12) supporting the development of Belarusian language 
 and cultural education and exchanges to preserve and protect 
 Belarusian national identity;
 ``

    (13) 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 concern;
 ``

    (14) enhancing the development of the private sector, 
 particularly the information technology sector, and its role in 
 the economy of Belarus, including by increasing the capacity of 
 private sector actors, developing business support 
 organizations, offering entrepreneurship training, and 
 expanding access to finance for small and medium enterprises;
 ``

    (15) supporting political refugees in neighboring 
 European countries fleeing the crackdown in Belarus;
 ``

    (16) supporting the education of Belarusians in exile;
 ``

    (17) supporting the gathering of evidence on and 
 investigating of gross violations of internationally recognized 
 human rights in Belarus; and
 ``

    (18) other activities consistent with the purposes of 
 this Act.'';

    (4) in subsection

    (f) --
        (A) by striking ``the Belarus Democracy, Human 
 Rights, and Sovereignty Act of 2020'' and inserting 
 ``the Belarus Democracy, Human Rights, and Sovereignty 
 Act of 2025''; and
        (B) by adding at the end before the period the 
 following: ``as well as the methodology and benchmarks 
 used to assess the effectiveness of such funds''; and

    (5) by amending subsection

    (g) to read as follows:
 ``

    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the President to carry out this section--
 ``

    (1) for fiscal year 2026 an amount equal to not less than 
 the amount made available to carry out this section for fiscal 
 year 2025; and
 ``

    (2) for fiscal year 2027 an amount equal to not less than 
 the amount made available to carry out this section for fiscal 
 year 2026.''.

SEC. 5. INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING, INTERNET FREEDOM, AND ACCESS TO 
 INFORMATION IN BELARUS.

 

Section 5 of the Belarus Democracy Act of 2004 (Public Law 109-480; 
22 U.S.C. 5811 note) is amended--

    (1) in subsection

    (a) --
        (A) By striking ``

    (a) sense of congress.--;
        (B) in paragraph

    (4) , by striking ``and'' at the 
 end;
            (C) in paragraph

    (5) , by striking the period at the 
 end and inserting the following: ``and advocate for the 
 release of journalists that are detained by political 
 reasons; and''; and
            (D) by adding at the end the following:
 ``

    (6) 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 Ukraine, and the illegitimate Lukashenka 
 regime's complicity in Russia's crimes of aggression.''; and

    (2) by striking subsection

    (b) .

SEC. 6. SANCTIONS AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT OF BELARUS.

 

Section 6 of the Belarus Democracy Act of 2004 (Public Law 109-480; 
22 U.S.C. 5811 note) is amended--

    (1) in subsection

    (a) --
        (A) by striking ``The sanctions'' and inserting the 
 following:
 ``

    (1) In general.--The sanctions''; and
        (B) by adding at the end the following:
 ``

    (2) Maintenance of existing sanctions.--
 ``
        (A) In general.--Any sanctions imposed pursuant 
 to the Executive orders described in subparagraph
        (B) that were imposed in connection with conduct relating 
 to, concerning, 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
            (c) .
 ``
        (B) Executive orders described.--The Executive 
 orders described in this subparagraph are the 
 following:
 ``
            (i) Executive Order 13405 (71 Fed. Reg. 
 35485; relating to blocking property of certain 
 persons undermining democratic processes or 
 institutions in Belarus).
 ``
            (ii) Executive Order 14024 (86 Fed. Reg. 
 20249; relating to blocking property with 
 respect to specified harmful foreign activities 
 of the Government of the Russian Federation).
 ``
            (iii) Executive Order 14038 (86 Fed. Reg. 
 43905; relating to blocking property of 
 additional persons contributing to the 
 situation in Belarus).'';

    (2) in subsection

    (b) --
        (A) in the matter preceding paragraph

    (1) , by 
 striking ``subsection

    (a) '' and inserting ``paragraphs

    (1) and

    (2) of subsection

    (a) '';
        (B) by striking paragraph

    (2) ;
            (C) by redesignating paragraphs

    (3) ,

    (4) , and

    (5) as paragraphs

    (2) ,

    (3) , and

    (4) , respectively; and
            (D) by adding at the end the following:
 ``

    (5) 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 
 Ukraine.
 ``

    (6) The return of all Ukrainian children abducted and 
 deported to Belarus from the territory of Ukraine illegally 
 occupied by the Russian Federation.'';

    (3) in subsection
            (c) --
        (A) in the subsection heading, by striking 
 ``complicit in the crackdown that occurred after the 
 august 9, 2020, election'';
        (B) in the matter preceding paragraph

    (1) , by 
 striking ``may'' and inserting ``shall'';
            (C) in paragraph

    (2) , by striking ``inadmissible 
 under'' and inserting ``described in'';
            (D) in paragraph

    (4) , by adding at the end before 
 the semicolon the following: ``, or future elections in 
 Belarus should they be determined to be neither free 
 nor fair'';
        (E) in paragraph

    (5) , by adding at the end before 
 the semicolon the following: ``, or future elections in 
 Belarus should they be determined to be neither free 
 nor fair'';
        (F) by striking paragraphs

    (6) ,

    (7) ,

    (8) , and

    (9) and inserting the following:
 ``

    (6) 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 groups, human rights 
 defenders, democratic opposition groups, or independent media 
 or journalists;
 ``

    (7) 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 Federation;
 ``

    (8) is an official who provides for, facilitates, 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 Belarus;
 ``

    (9) is an official who provides for, facilitates, or 
 otherwise enables the Russian Federation to use the territory 
 or Belarus to further its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine;
 ``

    (10) is an official of the so-called `Union State' 
 between Russia and Belarus (regardless of nationality of the 
 individual) or works toward the furtherance of such Union 
 State; or
 ``

    (11) is a Russian individual that has significantly 
 participated in the crackdown on independent press or human 
 rights abuses related to political repression in Belarus, 
 including the Russian propagandists sent to replace local 
 employees at Belarusian state media outlets.'';

    (4) by amending subsection

    (f) to read as follows:
 ``

    (f) Blocking of Assets and Other Prohibited Activities.--
 ``

    (1) Mandatory sanction.--The President shall impose the 
 sanction described in paragraph

    (3) with respect to each 
 foreign person that the President determines--
 ``
        (A) 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 9, 2020;
 ``
        (B) 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 groups, human rights defenders, democratic 
 opposition groups, or independent media or journalists;
 ``
            (C) 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 Federation;
 ``
            (D) 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 Belarus;
 ``
        (E) is an official who knowingly supports and 
 provides for, the Russian Federation's use of the 
 territory or Belarus to further its unprovoked invasion 
 of Ukraine; or
 ``
        (F) is an official in the so-called `Union State' 
 between Russia and Belarus (regardless of nationality 
 of the individual) or works toward the furtherance of 
 such `Union State'.
 ``

    (2) Discretionary sanction.--The President may impose the 
 sanction described in paragraph

    (3) with respect to each 
 foreign person that the President determines--
 ``
        (A) holds a position in the senior leadership of 
 the Government of Belarus;
 ``
        (B) is an immediate family member of a person 
 described in subparagraph
        (A) ; or
 ``
            (C) through his or her business dealings with a 
 person described in subparagraph
        (A) derives 
 significant financial benefit from policies or actions, 
 including electoral fraud, gross violations of 
 internationally recognized human rights, or corruption, 
 that undermine or injure democratic institutions or 
 impede the transition to democracy in Belarus.
 ``

    (3) Sanction described.--The President shall exercise all 
 of the powers granted to the President under the International 
 Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) 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 
 States, come within the United States, or are or come within 
 the possession or control of a United States person.
 ``

    (4) Exceptions.--
 ``
        (A) Exception relating to the provision of 
 humanitarian assistance.--The sanction described in 
 paragraph

    (3) may not be imposed with respect to 
 transactions or the facilitation of transactions for--
 ``
            (i) the sale of agricultural commodities, 
 food, medicine, or medical devices;
 ``
            (ii) the provision of humanitarian 
 assistance;
 ``
            (iii) financial transactions relating to 
 humanitarian assistance; or
 ``
            (iv) transporting goods or services that 
 are necessary to carry out operations relating 
 to humanitarian assistance.
 ``
        (B) Exception for intelligence, law enforcement, 
 and national security activities.--The sanction 
 described in paragraph

    (3) shall not apply to any 
 authorized intelligence, law enforcement, or national 
 security activities of the United States.
 ``

    (5) Waiver.--The President may, on a case-by-case basis 
 and for periods not to exceed 180 days each, waive the 
 application of the sanction described in paragraph

    (3) imposed 
 with respect to a foreign person under this subsection if the 
 President certifies to the appropriate congressional committees 
 not later than 15 days before such waiver is to take effect 
 that the waiver is important to the national security interests 
 of the United States.
 ``

    (6) Penalties.--Any person who violates, attempts to 
 violate, or causes a violation of this subsection or any 
 regulation, license, or order issued to carry out this 
 subsection shall be subject to the penalties under 

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 under that Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.).
 ``

    (7) === Definitions. ===
-In this subsection--
 ``
        (A) the term `air carrier' has the meaning given 
 that term in 

section 40102 of title 49, United States 
 Code;
 ``
        (B) the term `foreign person' means a person that 
 is not a United States person; and
 ``
            (C) the term `United States person' means--
 ``
            (i) any United States citizen or alien 
 admitted for permanent residence to the United 
 States;
 ``
            (ii) any entity organized under the laws 
 of the United States; and
 ``
            (iii) any person in the United States.''.

SEC. 7. MULTILATERAL COOPERATION.

 

Section 7 of the Belarus Democracy Act of 2004 (Public Law 109-480; 
22 U.S.C. 5811 note) is amended--

    (1) in paragraph

    (1) , by striking ``and'' at the end;

    (2) in paragraph

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

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

    (3) to halt the Government of Belarus, led illegally by 
 Alyaksandr Lukashenka, from supporting and assisting the 
 Russian Federation's unprovoked war of aggression against 
 Ukraine including the abduction and deportation of Ukrainian 
 children.''.

SEC. 8. REPORTS.

 

Section 8 of the Belarus Democracy Act of 2004 (Public Law 109-480; 
22 U.S.C. 5811 note) is amended--

    (1) by striking subsection

    (a) ;

    (2) by redesignating subsection

    (b) as subsection

    (a) ;

    (3) in subsection

    (a) (as so redesignated)--
        (A) in paragraph

    (1) --
            (i) in the matter preceding subparagraph
        (A) , by striking ``the Belarus Democracy, Human 
 Rights, and Sovereignty Act of 2020'' and 
 inserting ``the Belarus Democracy, Human 
 Rights, and Sovereignty Act of 2025''; and
            (ii) in subparagraph
        (B) , by adding at the 
 end before the period the following: ``, and 
 whether the United States has imposed sanctions 
 with respect to such senior foreign political 
 figures'';
        (B) by striking paragraph

    (2) ; and
            (C) by redesignating paragraph

    (3) as paragraph

    (2) ; and

    (4) by adding at the end the following:
 ``

    (b) Report on Crimes and Other Actions Committed by Belarus in 
Support of Russia's Unprovoked War of Aggression in Ukraine.--
 ``

    (1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
 the enactment of the Belarus Democracy, Human Rights, and 
 Sovereignty Act of 2025, the Director of National Intelligence, 
 in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury and the 
 Secretary of State, shall submit to the appropriate 
 congressional committees a report on the following:
 ``
        (A) An assessment of the Russian military 
 presence in Belarus, including the presence of Russian 
 nuclear forces, and the impact this presence has on 
 North Atlantic Treaty Organization

    (NATO) security.
 ``
        (B) The degree to which the Government of 
 Belarus, led illegally by Alyaksandr Lukashenka, 
 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 allies, such as Latvia, Lithuania, and 
 Poland.
 ``
            (C) Which actors in the Government of Belarus, 
 led illegally by Alyaksandr Lukashenka, are most 
 responsible for the illegal abduction and deportation 
 of Ukrainian children from Ukrainian territory occupied 
 by the Russian Federation to the territory of Belarus, 
 as well as to what extent organizations such as the 
 now-suspended Belarus branch of the Red Cross are 
 involved in these transfers, and provide a strategy for 
 holding those involved in these crimes accountable 
 including through the use of sanctions.
 ``
            (D) The degree to which the Government of 
 Belarus, led illegally by Alyaksandr Lukashenka, has 
 purchased weapons from the governments of the Russian 
 Federation and the Islamic Republic of Iran, and 
 whether any purchases of such weapons violate the 
 provisions of 

section 107 or 231 of the Countering 
 America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (22 U.S.C. 
 9406 or 9525).
 ``
        (E) The extent to which the Government of 
 Belarus, led illegally by Alyaksandr Lukashenka, is 
 aiding the Russian Federation in circumventing export 
 controls and evading sanctions, 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 evasion.
 ``
        (F) The impact of the Government of Belarus' use 
 of illegal migrants to destabilize the borders of NATO 
 countries, such as Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland, on 
 NATO security.
 ``

    (2) Form.--The report required under this subsection 
 shall be transmitted in unclassified form, but may contain a 
 classified annex.''.

SEC. 9. DEFINITIONS.

 

Section 9 of the Belarus Democracy Act of 2004 (Public Law 109-480; 
22 U.S.C. 5811 note) is amended--

    (1) in paragraph

    (3)
        (A) , by adding at the end before the 
 semicolon the following: ``, led illegally by Alyaksandr 
 Lukashenka''; and

    (2) by adding at the end the following:
 ``

    (4) Union state.--The term `Union State' means the 
 supranational union of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian 
 Federation as outlined in the December 1999 Treaty on the 
 establishment of the Union State between the governments of the 
 Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation.''.
 <all>