§8910 Mandatory imposition of sanctions with respect to transactions with persons responsible for human rights abuses

Summary

The President must impose sanctions on foreign people who, on or after August 2, 2017, carried out, helped with, ordered, controlled, or acted for people who committed serious human rights abuses in territory taken or controlled by the Russian government, or who are owned or controlled by them. The sanctions block and freeze all their property and stop transactions in property that are in the United States, come into the United States, or are controlled by U.S. persons. For non-U.S. citizens, the President must deny visas, keep them out of the United States, and can cancel existing visas. The President can delay applying the sanctions only if he sends the appropriate congressional committees a written finding that the delay is vital to U.S. national security or will help enforce the law, and a certification that the Russian government has made efforts to reduce the abuses. The President may use authorities in the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to carry out the blocks, and violators face penalties under section 206(b) and (c) of that act (50 U.S.C. 1705). The President can lift sanctions if he notifies the appropriate congressional committees with reasons and shows the person stopped the activity or took major verifiable steps and gave reliable assurances, or if the President finds the original basis for sanctions was insufficient.