# 119-s-1478: Countering Wrongful Detention Act of 2025

119-s-1478, Countering Wrongful Detention Act of 2025, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Risch, James E. [R-ID] (R-ID); status in_committee; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2025-12-21).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1478
- As of: 2025-12-21
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-1478
- Congress: 119
- Title: Countering Wrongful Detention Act of 2025
- Status: in_committee
- Introduced: 2025-04-10
- Sponsor: Sen. Risch, James E. [R-ID] (R-ID)
- Cosponsors: 2
- Policy area: International Affairs
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2025-12-21

## Summary

**This bill would create a statutory system to protect U.S. nationals from wrongful or unlawful detention abroad** by allowing the government to label offending countries and coordinate a federal response. It would also add mandatory travel-certification rules and an advisory council to guide policy and reporting. - Families and detained individuals: Would strengthen services and formalize federal coordination for hostages and wrongful detainees, and require annual briefings to key congressional committees. - Travelers and airlines: Would require passengers traveling to destinations flagged for wrongful-detention risk to certify they reviewed the State Department advisory. Carriers and ticket agents would need to collect that certification while consular services remain available. - Designated countries and federal tools: Would create a “State Sponsors of Unlawful or Wrongful Detention” designation and trigger a comprehensive review of response tools such as sanctions, visa limits, export controls, and travel restrictions.

## Cosponsors (2)

- Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE] (D-DE), 2025-04-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Warnock, Raphael G. [D-GA] (D-GA), 2025-12-18T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Naming countries that detain U.S. nationals: benefit, medium. If enacted, the Secretary of State could name a country a 'State Sponsor of Unlawful or Wrongful Detention.' The Secretary would tell Congress at least 7 days before a designation. The Department of State would publish and update a public list. After designation the Secretary would review sanctions…
- Advisory council for hostage affairs: benefit, low. If enacted, the President would create an Advisory Council on Hostage Taking and Unlawful or Wrongful Detention. Members would include formerly detained U.S. nationals, family members, and experts. Members would serve three-year terms and would not be federal employees. They would not get pay but c…
- Protects U.S. travel and recognition rules: benefit, low. If enacted, the bill would say nothing in it may be read to stop U.S. citizens from traveling. It would also say the designation rules do not mean the U.S. formally recognizes any foreign government. This is a legal clarification that keeps travel rights and recognition rules separate.
- Passenger certification for risky travel: cost, low. If enacted, airlines and ticket agents who sell tickets in the U.S. to destinations with a D or K travel advisory would require the passenger to certify they read the advisory and understand the risks. The bill defines D as a risk of wrongful detention and K as a threat or use of violence or hostag…

## Related bills

- 119-s-5066: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026
- 119-s-3257: John A. Hauser Mental Health in Aviation Act
- 119-s-3940: Access to Fair Financing for Opportunity and Resilient Development Act
- 119-s-1241: Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025
- 119-s-199: A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide special rules for the taxation of certain residents of Taiwan with income from sources within the…
- 119-s-2858: SHINE for Autumn Act of 2025

## Sources
- [119-s-1478 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/1478)

## Related
- [119-s-5066: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5066)
- [119-s-3257: John A. Hauser Mental Health in Aviation Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3257)
- [119-s-3940: Access to Fair Financing for Opportunity and Resilient Development Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3940)
- [119-s-1241: Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1241)
- [119-s-199: A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide special rules for…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-199)
- [119-s-2858: SHINE for Autumn Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2858)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1478 (as of 2025-12-21).