HR 5632
PEACE Act
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Bill overview
The PEACE Act aims to impose sanctions on Azerbaijan in response to renewed aggression against Armenia. It requires the President to certify such aggression to Congress and, upon certification, to implement sanctions targeting Azerbaijani government officials, military units, and foreign entities aiding hostile actions. The act also seeks to restrict financial transactions with certain Azerbaijani and foreign financial institutions and includes provisions for potential waivers and eventual termination of sanctions based on verifiable steps taken to end hostile actions.
Key provisions
- Requires the President to certify Azerbaijan’s engagement in hostile actions against Armenia.
- Imposes sanctions on Azerbaijani government officials, military units, and foreign entities aiding hostile actions.
- Restricts financial transactions with Azerbaijani and designated foreign financial institutions.
- Allows for waivers of sanctions under specific circumstances.
- Provides a mechanism for the eventual termination of sanctions based on verifiable steps to end hostile actions.
- Includes exceptions for agricultural commodities, humanitarian assistance, and international obligations.
- Establishes reporting requirements for the President and Congress regarding sanctions and hostile actions.
- Sets a sunset provision, expiring after 7 years.
Who is affected
- Republic of Armenia
- Republic of Azerbaijan
- Azerbaijani Government officials
- Azerbaijani military units
- Foreign financial institutions
Sponsors
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Primary sponsor
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119th CONGRESS — 1st Session
H. R. 5632
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
A BILL
To impose sanctions with respect to Azerbaijan upon renewed acts of aggression, and for other purposes.
This Act may be cited as the Preventing Escalation and Advancing Caucasus Engagement Act PEACE Act
or the
.
It is the policy of the United States to—
support the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence of the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan;
utilize sanctions and related measures to deter the use of force as an alternative to constructive negotiations; and
welcome and support initiatives of the Armenian Government, led by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, to secure a long-standing peace agreement with the Republic of Azerbaijan, expel malign Russian influence from the Republic of Armenia, and strengthen ties between the Republic of Armenia and the United States.
In this Act—
the term agricultural commodity has the meaning given such term in section 102 of the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 5602);
the term appropriate congressional committees means—
the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives; and
the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate;
the term good means any article, natural or man-made substance, material, supply, or manufactured product, including inspection and test equipment and excluding technical data;
the term hostile action means an act of military aggression taken by a country that results in significant loss of life, the disabling of military systems, materiel, or personnel, the incapacitation of major utility or transportation infrastructure, or a material breach of another country’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, or political independence;
the term immediate family members has the meaning given the term immediate relatives in section 201(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1201(b)(2)(A)(i));
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;
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);
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);
the term military aggression means the deliberate initiation of armed force or other coercive military conduct by a country, not undertaken in response to an armed attack, that is reasonably expected to cause substantial harm to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of another country; and
the term United States person means—
a United States citizen or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence to the United States;
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
any person within the United States.
shall immediately issue a certification to Congress to that effect; and
shall impose against each person described in subsection (b) the sanctions described in subsection (c); and
is—
a senior Azerbaijani Government official responsible for the policy and operations of branches of the Azerbaijani Government directly involved in hostile actions against the Republic of Armenia; or
an immediate family member of an individual described in subparagraph (A);
is an Azerbaijani military unit or civilian agency that has engaged in hostile actions against the Republic of Armenia; or
is a foreign person that has substantially and knowingly aided, abetted, taken part in, or otherwise facilitated hostile actions taken by persons described in paragraph (1) or (2) against the Republic of Armenia.
An alien described in subsection (a) is—
inadmissible to the United States;
ineligible to receive a visa or other documentation to enter the United States; and
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.).
An alien described in subsection (a) is subject to revocation of any visa or other entry documentation regardless of when the visa or other entry documentation is or was issued.
A revocation under clause (i) shall take effect immediately and automatically cancel any other valid visa or entry documentation that is in the alien’s possession.
publish a list of Azerbaijani financial institutions determined to have facilitated the trade of Azerbaijani petroleum or petroleum products; and
publish a list of designated foreign financial institutions subject to prohibitions or conditions pursuant to paragraph (1).
Any activity subject to the reporting requirements under title V of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3091 et seq.), or to any authorized intelligence activities of the United States.
The admission of an alien to the United States if such admission is necessary to comply with United States obligations under the Agreement between the United Nations and the United States of America regarding the Headquarters of the United Nations, signed at Lake Success June 26, 1947, and entered into force November 21, 1947, or under the Convention on Consular Relations, done at Vienna April 24, 1963, and entered into force March 19, 1967, or other applicable international obligations of the United States.
determines that the waiver is in the national interests of the United States; and
submits to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the waiver and the reasons for the waiver.
The President may terminate the application of such sanctions with respect to—
any person that—
has taken genuine and verifiable steps to end their participation in or facilitation of hostile actions against the Republic of Armenia for a period of not less than one year after the application of sanctions under section 4; and
the President determines does not pose a substantial risk of re-engaging in hostile actions against the Republic of Armenia for a period of not less than one year after the application of sanctions under section 4; and
any foreign financial institution upon the President’s certification that the Republic of Azerbaijan has ceased all hostile actions against the Republic of Armenia for a period of not less than one year after the application of sanctions under section 4.
Upon a Presidential certification under subsection (a)(2) with respect to a foreign financial institution, the President may authorize the release of any funds to Azerbaijan which were owed but had been instead credited to an account pursuant to section 4(d)(5).
Not later than 15 days prior to the termination of sanctions with respect to a person under subsection (a), the President shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees that includes—
the name and nationality of the person against whom sanctions are being terminated;
the hostile actions previously committed or facilitated by such person that led to the imposition of sanctions against the person;
the genuine and verifiable steps taken by the person to end the person’s participation in or facilitation of hostile actions against the Republic of Armenia; and
the President’s determination that the person does not pose a substantial risk of re-engaging in hostile actions against the Republic of Armenia.
Not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and every 90 days thereafter, the President shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees that contains a determination as to whether the Republic of Azerbaijan has engaged in hostile actions against the sovereign territory of Armenia.
The report submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form but may contain a classified annex.
Not later than one year after the imposition of sanctions pursuant to this Act, and no less frequently than annually thereafter, the President shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees describing the status of any sanctions imposed pursuant to section 4, including an assessment of the effectiveness of the sanctions.
The provisions of this Act shall expire on the date that is 7 years after the date of the enactment of this Act.
If any provision of this Act, or the application thereof, is held invalid, the remainder of this Act and the application of such provision to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby.