Russia’s War on Faith Act
Sponsored By: Senator Kennedy, John [R-LA]
Introduced
Summary
Sanctions on people who target religious groups in Russian-occupied Ukraine. This bill would require the State and Defense Departments to document religious freedom abuses and would push the President to sanction those responsible.
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- Religious communities in occupied Ukraine, including Christians, Jews, Muslims and Crimean Tatars, would get an official U.S. accounting of detentions, killings, abductions, forced re-registration, and seized or damaged houses of worship.
- Individuals and entities named in the reports could be designated for U.S. sanctions, including blocking of property, under existing Treasury Department regulations.
- The Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense, working with the Director of National Intelligence, would deliver a detailed joint report within 120 days and then annually for three years to specified congressional committees, with an unclassified report and an optional classified annex.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
U.S. reports and sanctions on religious persecution
This bill would require the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense to write joint reports. Reports would focus on Russian actions that target religious groups in occupied Ukrainian territories. The first report would be due within 120 days after enactment. Then the agencies would send annual reports for three years. Each report would list religious sites that were destroyed, damaged, seized, or repurposed; count persecuted, imprisoned, or displaced Christians, Jews, Muslims (including Crimean Tatars), and other minorities; and name people and groups responsible. Within 30 days after each report, the President would certify whether there are reasonable grounds to sanction any listed foreign person. If the President affirms, the bill would require sanctions under specified Treasury regulations, including blocking property, and it would allow the President to later waive or end sanctions if justified.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Kennedy, John [R-LA]
LA • R
Cosponsors
Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI]
RI • D
Sponsored 4/22/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov