Sponsors (4)
Introduced June 25, 2025 by Ann Wagner · Last progress June 25, 2025
The bill gives the U.S. stronger tools and clearer authorities to support Bosnia's sovereignty and punish actors who undermine peace—potentially strengthening regional stability—but it does so at the cost of higher economic and compliance burdens, diplomatic friction, risks of politicized listings and reduced oversight, and programmatic uncertainty due to a seven-year sunset.
State and local governments and U.S. interests benefit because the bill affirms U.S. support for Bosnia and Herzegovina's sovereignty and Euro-Atlantic integration, strengthening regional stability and U.S. deterrence against destabilizing actors.
Taxpayers, financial institutions, and civilians in the region benefit from a suite of targeted tools—sanctions, visa restrictions, and correspondent-account limits—to deter and penalize individuals who undermine Bosnia's peace, while explicit humanitarian and agricultural exemptions protect aid and basic services.
Federal employees, Congress, and the public gain greater transparency and oversight because the bill requires timely determinations and classified/unclassified reports and specifies which congressional committees receive briefings.
Banks, businesses, and potentially consumers face higher costs and legal risk because sanctions, correspondent-account restrictions, broad 'knowingly' standards, and potential civil/criminal penalties increase compliance burdens and liability exposure.
Taxpayers and U.S. foreign-policy interests could face heightened diplomatic tensions and possible retaliatory measures—particularly vis-à-vis Russia and states that prefer different approaches—because of public condemnation and expanded sanctioning authorities.
Implementing agencies, nonprofits, contractors, states, and private partners face uncertainty and planning difficulties because all programs and authorities created by the Act sunset after seven years, which may also discourage long-term investment.
Based on analysis of 7 sections of legislative text.
Requires repeated lists and targeted sanctions on foreign persons who threaten Bosnia and Herzegovina’s sovereignty or democratic institutions, keeps existing relevant EOs, and sunsets after seven years.
Creates a recurring U.S. sanctions and reporting regime targeting foreign persons who threaten the sovereignty, territorial integrity, or democratic institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, including those who form or lead illegal parallel institutions or engage in related corruption. It requires the President to list and sanction such persons every 180 days, preserves certain existing Bosnia-related executive order sanctions, and allows targeted financial-account restrictions against foreign banks that facilitate sanctioned transactions. Sets timelines for executive action and congressional reporting (including a 60-day determination requirement on request), defines key terms, and includes a seven-year sunset for the act’s authorities (and a five-year sunset for one reporting requirement). It also directs U.S. diplomatic and international action to support Bosnia and Herzegovina’s sovereignty and Euro-Atlantic integration and condemns foreign destabilizing activity.