S 2934
Protecting Americans from Russian Litigation Act of 2025
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Bill overview
This bill, the Protecting Americans from Russian Litigation Act of 2025, aims to limit the ability to enforce foreign judgments and arbitral awards in U.S. courts if those judgments or awards stem from claims related to actions taken to comply with U.S. sanctions or export controls. Specifically, it restricts the enforcement of such foreign judgments when the underlying conduct involved complying with U.S. sanctions, preventing foreign entities from seeking compensation for actions taken in good faith to adhere to these sanctions. The bill also provides a mechanism for removing related lawsuits from state courts to federal district court for dismissal.
Key provisions
- Prevents enforcement of foreign judgments or arbitral awards related to U.S. sanctions compliance.
- Applies to claims where jurisdiction was based, in part, on U.S. sanctions.
- Allows defendants to remove related cases to U.S. district courts for dismissal.
- Defines ‘United States sanctions’ broadly to include various U.S. laws and regulations.
- Excludes the imposition of duties on imported goods from the definition of ‘United States sanctions.’
- Preserves certain rights and remedies, including those related to international terrorism and sanctions against Iran and Syria.
- Maintains the President’s authority to impose sanctions.
- Requires disputes to be resolved through litigation or arbitration within the United States, unless otherwise agreed.
Who is affected
- Individuals and businesses subject to U.S. sanctions.
- Foreign entities seeking to enforce judgments against U.S. persons.
Sponsors
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Primary sponsor
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119th CONGRESS — 1st Session
S. 2934
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
A BILL
To limit the availability of civil actions affected by United States sanctions.
This Act may be cited as the Protecting Americans from Russian Litigation Act of 2025
.
It is the policy of the United States—
to ensure that United States persons are not disadvantaged for actions or omissions undertaken to comply with United States sanctions or export controls; and
to ensure that foreign persons, or persons acting on their behalf, cannot obtain compensation for any action related to United States persons attempting in good faith to comply with their obligations under United States sanctions or export controls.
Chapter 111 of title 28, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
Notwithstanding any provision of law, no person (other than the United States or a person acting on behalf of the United States) may bring a civil action in Federal or State court to enforce any foreign judgment or foreign arbitral award arising from a claim where—
the underlying conduct or circumstances giving rise to the claim resulted from actions to comply with United States sanctions impeding the performance of a contract; or
the court or tribunal issuing the judgment or arbitral award asserted jurisdiction based, in whole or in part, on the imposition of United States sanctions or export controls (or any foreign law enacted in response to the imposition of United States sanctions or export controls).
An action to recognize or enforce a foreign judgment or foreign arbitral award described in subsection (a) may be removed by any defendant to the appropriate United States district court, which shall dismiss the action.
Nothing in this section may be construed to limit—
the authority of the President, any delegate of the President (including the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the Department of the Treasury), or any other officer or official of the United States to bring any action or exercise any responsibility under any applicable State or Federal law;
any right, remedy, or cause of action available to a victim of international terrorism, torture, extrajudicial killing, aircraft sabotage, or hostage taking, who is, or was at the time of the victim’s injury, a national of the United States, a member of the United States Armed Forces, an employee of the United States Government, or an individual performing a contract awarded by the United States Government acting within the scope of the individual's employment, or a family member of any such victim, under any applicable State or Federal law, including—
chapter 97 of this title;
chapter 113B of title 18; and
the Iran Threat Reduction and Syria Human Rights Act of 2012 (22 U.S.C. 8701 et seq.) and any other laws providing for the application of sanctions with respect to Iran or Syria;
any right, remedy, or cause of action available to any party arising under or relating to the party’s contractual rights (other than an action to enforce a foreign judgment or foreign arbitral award described in subsection (a)) where the parties agreed to resolve all disputes by litigation in a State or Federal court within the United States or by arbitration within the United States; or
any other right, remedy, or cause of action available to any party arising under State or Federal law (other than an action to enforce a foreign judgment or foreign arbitral award described in subsection (a)) where the underlying conduct or circumstances giving rise to the claim resulted from the imposition of United States sanctions or export controls.
In this section:
section 203 of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1702); or
any other provision of law, including any provision of law relating to export controls.
The table of sections for such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 1659 the following new item:
Section 1660 of title 28, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), applies with respect to civil actions pending on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.