House Passes Two Sanctions-Related Bills

The House of Representatives on Sept. 20 passed two sanctions bills, including one that could lead to more designations of Russian officials and oligarchs. The bills were grouped as part of a broader legislative package that passed 361-69.

One bill would require the president to assess whether a range of Russian officials and oligarchs meet the criteria for sanctions “relating to corruption or human rights violations.” They include Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, Russian politician Anton Alikhanov and others.

Another bill would require the U.S. to sanction any person threatening the peace, security or territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It also includes a reporting requirement to establish stronger congressional oversight over the administration’s use of sanctions to hold accountable those undermining stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina.