Sponsors (9)
The bill strengthens U.S. tools to deter and punish projects that consolidate Russia's hold on Crimea and enables rapid sanctions enforcement, but it concentrates executive power and creates real costs, legal risks, and commercial uncertainty for businesses, travelers, and taxpayers.
All Americans (taxpayers and the general public) benefit because the bill strengthens U.S. ability to deter and punish projects that physically link Russia to Crimea by authorizing sanctions and creating a clearer congressional record to support coordinated diplomatic pressure.
U.S. enforcement agencies (Treasury and other executive bodies) gain authority to act quickly because the bill authorizes broad IEEPA-based sanctions and asset-blocking powers, enabling rapid implementation and enforcement against violators.
Civilians in Crimea and recipients of humanitarian aid are protected because the bill preserves exceptions for food, medicine, and other humanitarian transactions despite sanctions.
U.S. taxpayers and the broader economy risk higher costs because the bill's sanctions posture and findings could escalate geopolitical tensions and lead to increased defense spending or economic fallout.
U.S. businesses, humanitarian actors, and government contractors face legal and financial risks because the bill authorizes asset blocking, criminal penalties, and creates compliance burdens and uncertainty when transactions approach sanctions thresholds.
U.S. governance and oversight are weakened because granting broad IEEPA authorities and a national-security waiver concentrates power in the executive branch with limited pre-implementation congressional review.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Requires the President to sanction foreign persons who knowingly participate in building, maintaining, or repairing a tunnel or bridge linking Russia to Crimea, including asset blocks and visa bans.
Introduced January 16, 2025 by Gregory W. Meeks · Last progress January 16, 2025
Imposes mandatory U.S. sanctions on any foreign person who knowingly participates in building, maintaining, or repairing a tunnel or bridge connecting the Russian mainland with the Crimean peninsula. Sanctions include blocking property under IEEPA and making such persons inadmissible to the United States, with visa revocations and bans. The President may exempt actions required by U.S. obligations to the United Nations or other international agreements, humanitarian transactions, and authorized U.S. intelligence or law enforcement activities; a national security waiver is allowed with advance congressional notice. The bill authorizes use of established emergency economic authorities and applies IEEPA civil/criminal penalties for violations of implementing regulations.