[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 779 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
115th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 779
To restrict United States nationals from traveling to countries in
which foreign governments or anti-government forces allow foreign
terrorist organizations to engage in armed conflict for purposes of
participating in such armed conflict or from providing material support
to entities that are engaged in such armed conflict, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 31, 2017
Mr. Wittman introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Foreign Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To restrict United States nationals from traveling to countries in
which foreign governments or anti-government forces allow foreign
terrorist organizations to engage in armed conflict for purposes of
participating in such armed conflict or from providing material support
to entities that are engaged in such armed conflict, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``International Conflicts of Concern
Act''.
SEC. 2. IDENTIFICATION OF COUNTRIES OF CONFLICT CONCERN.
(a) Identification.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the President shall submit to Congress a report
that identifies each country the government of which or anti-government
forces in which the President believes, based on all information
available to the President, is allowing one or more foreign terrorist
organizations to engage in armed conflict that is occurring in such
country.
(b) Updates.--The President shall update the report required under
subsection (a)--
(1) as new information becomes available; and
(2) not less frequently than semi-annually.
(c) Form.--The report required under subsection (a) and the updates
required under subsection (b) shall be submitted in unclassified form,
but may contain a classified annex if necessary.
SEC. 3. DESIGNATION OF COUNTRIES OF CONFLICT CONCERN.
(a) Designation.--
(1) In general.--The President shall designate a country as
a ``Country of Conflict Concern'' if the President determines
that--
(A) the government of such country or anti-
government forces in the country is allowing one or
more foreign terrorist organizations to engage in armed
conflict that is occurring in such country as
identified in the report required under section 2(a) or
any update to the report required under section 2(b);
and
(B) it is in the national security interest of the
United States to restrict travel by any United States
national to such country and to restrict material
support provided by United States nationals to entities
that are engaged in armed conflict in such country.
(2) Initial designation.--Syria shall be deemed to have
been designated by the President under paragraph (1) as of the
date of the enactment of this Act and the President is not
required to notify Congress of such designation of Syria under
subsection (b).
(b) Report on Designation.--Upon designating a country as a Country
of Conflict Concern under subsection (a), the President shall submit to
Congress a report notifying Congress of the designation of the country.
(c) Licensing Requirement.--
(1) In general.--With respect to any country designated as
a Country of Conflict Concern under subsection (a), the
President shall exercise the authorities of the International
Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1705 et seq.) without
regard to section 202 of such Act to require a United States
national to obtain a license--
(A) to travel to such country; or
(B) to provide material support to entities that
are engaged in armed conflict in such country.
(2) Exception.--The requirement to obtain a license under
paragraph (1) shall not apply with respect to a United States
national who is a full-time officer or employee of the United
States Government for purposes of carrying out official
business of the United States Government.
(d) Penalties.--The penalties provided for in subsections (b) and
(c) of section 206 of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act
(50 U.S.C. 1705) shall apply to a person who violates paragraph (1) or
(2) of subsection (c), or a regulation prescribed under this Act, to
the same extent that such penalties apply to a person that commits an
unlawful act described in section 206(a) of that Act (50 U.S.C.
1705(a)).
(e) Termination of Designation.--The designation of a country as a
Country of Conflict Concern under subsection (a) shall terminate on the
date on which the President submits to Congress a report that
contains--
(1) a determination and certification that subparagraph (A)
or (B) of subsection (a)(1) (as the case may be), or both, no
longer applies with respect to the country; and
(2) a justification for the determination and
certification.
SEC. 4. REGULATIONS.
The President is authorized to promulgate such regulations as may
be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act, including the
promulgation of such regulations under the authority of section 205 of
the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1704).
SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Foreign terrorist organization.--The term ``foreign
terrorist organization'' means any organization so designated
by the Secretary of State under section 219 of the Immigration
and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189).
(2) United states national.--The term ``United States
national'' means--
(A) a national of the United States (as defined in
section 101(a)(22) of the Immigration and Nationality
Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(22)); or
(B) an alien who is lawfully present in the United
States.
<all>