H.R. 9450: Countering Russian Trafficking Act

This bill would require the President to impose sanctions on people and entities tied to the alleged forced transfer, deportation, indoctrination, or re-education of Ukrainian children by Russian government actors or related groups.

What the bill says happened

The bill states that, since February 2022, Russian state actors and related non-state groups have abducted and moved thousands of Ukrainian children from occupied areas of Ukraine into Russia or Russian-controlled territory. It says this conduct amounts to severe human trafficking under U.S. law and is also described as a war crime and a human-rights violation.

It also says the network involved includes Russian ministries and regional authorities, the office of the commissioner for children’s rights, certain camps and education programs, parts of the Russian Orthodox Church, and private adoption or foster networks operating in occupied territory.

Required sanctions

Within 180 days after enactment, the President would have to apply existing sanctions tools to “covered persons” identified under the bill. Those sanctions tools are:

• Executive Order 13581, which blocks property of transnational criminal organizations;
• Section 111 of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act.

The bill does not limit the President’s current authority to impose other sanctions under other laws.

Who could be targeted

The bill defines covered persons broadly. They could include any person or entity the President determines:

• participated in, tried to participate in, or conspired in the transfer, deportation, indoctrination, or re-education of Ukrainian children;
• provided material support for those activities;
• was a Russian federal ministry, regional administration, or agency involved in the conduct;
• ran or funded a “rehabilitation” or “patriotic education” camp or similar program that received transferred children;
• was part of or affiliated with the Russian Orthodox Church and helped with placement, adoption, foster care, or ideological re-education of such children;
• was a private adoption agency, foster network, or intermediary in occupied Ukrainian territory that helped remove or transfer children;
• profited from these activities;
• materially assisted, sponsored, financed, supplied, or served such persons; or
• is owned or controlled by, or acts on behalf of, such persons.

Reporting and implementation

Within 120 days, the President would have to give Congress an interim unclassified list of persons who meet the bill’s criteria, with a classified annex allowed if needed. If certain House or Senate committee leaders ask whether a foreign person meets the criteria, the President would have 120 days to make a determination and provide a written explanation of whether sanctions were imposed or intended.

Within 180 days, the President would also have to issue any regulations, guidance, and advisories needed to carry out the law.

Relevant Companies

None found