Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Belarus Aggression Accountability Act of 2022”.
Belarus Aggression Accountability Act of 2022
A BILL
To require the imposition of sanctions with respect to persons that aid or assist the Russian Federation in acts of military aggression toward Ukraine.
Sec. 2 Sense of Congress
It is the sense of Congress that—
the buildup of Russian forces in Belarus along its southern border with Ukraine is of great concern to the United States and not consistent with regularly scheduled joint military exercises between the militaries of Belarus and the Russian Federation;
the United States should make no distinction between the Russian Federation and any other government that aids or assists Russian forces in any acts of military aggression that violate the sovereignty or territorial integrity of Ukraine;
the Government of Belarus should incur significant penalties for any actions that aid or assist the Government of the Russian Federation in acts of military aggression towards Ukraine; and
the penalties imposed by the United States on the Government of Belarus for such actions should be comparable to the penalties incurred by the Government of the Russian Federation for any acts of military aggression that violate the sovereignty or territorial integrity of Ukraine.
Sec. 3 Reports to Congress on support for Russian aggression toward Ukraine by Belarus
Interim reports—
In general— Not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and every 30 days thereafter until the date that is 180 days after such date of enactment, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on support for Russian aggression toward Ukraine by the Government of Belarus.
Contents— The report required by paragraph (1) shall include—
an assessment of the activities of the armed forces of Belarus that aid or assist the Government of the Russian Federation in any act of military aggression that violates the sovereignty or territorial integrity of Ukraine, including the extent to which the armed forces of Belarus—
provide material, tactical, or other support to any such act of military aggression;
serve as a host to any Russian forces that participate in any such act of military aggression;
operate for or on behalf of the defense or intelligence sectors of the Government of the Russian Federation in any such act of military aggression; or
participate jointly with the Government of Russian Federation in any such act of military aggression;
an identification of persons in Belarus that engage in any activity described in paragraph (1); and
an identification of persons in Belarus that engage in a significant transaction with the Russian Federation described in section 231(a) of the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (22 U.S.C. 9525(a)), including persons that procure lethal capabilities that are used in an act of military aggression that violates the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.
Annual report—
In general— Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to Congress a report on military cooperation between Belarus and the Russian Federation.
Elements— The report required by paragraph (1) shall include—
a description of developments in military cooperation between Belarus and the Russian Federation;
an assessment of threats to the security of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization resulting from the developments described in subparagraph (A); and
a plan to adjust the force posture of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the United States to adequately respond to the threats described in subparagraph (B).
Appropriate congressional committees defined— In this section, the term “appropriate congressional committees” means—
the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate; and
the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives.
Sec. 4 Imposition of sanctions
Sanctions with respect to persons that engage in certain activities— Not later than 30 days after the date of the submission of a report required by section 3(a), the President shall impose the sanctions described in section 8(b) of the Support for the Sovereignty, Integrity, Democracy, and Economic Stability of Ukraine Act of 2014 (22 U.S.C. 8907(b)) with respect to not fewer than 5 persons identified pursuant to section 3(a)(2)(B).
Sanctions with respect to persons that engage in certain transactions— Not later than 30 days after the date of the submission of a report required by section 3(a), the President may impose the sanctions described in section 235 of the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (22 U.S.C. 9529) with respect to the persons identified pursuant to section 3(a)(2)(C).