Venezuelan Human Rights and Democracy Protection Act
Latest action. Referred to the subcommitteeA smaller panel inside a standing committee with jurisdiction over a slice of its subject matter. Most hearings and the first markup usually happen here.Read the full definition (opens a new tab) on Immigration and Border Security.
Venezuelan Human Rights and Democracy Protection Act - (Sec. 4) Directs the Secretary of State (Secretary) to require the U.S. Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States (OAS) to use U.S. influence at the OAS to protect the Inter-American Democratic Charter, and strengthen efforts by international and multilateral organizations to protect human rights throughout the Western Hemisphere, especially in Venezuela.
(Sec. 5) Directs the President to impose asset blocking sanctions and the Secretary or the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to impose U.S. exclusion sanctions against any person, including a current or former official of the government of Venezuela or a person acting on behalf of such government, who has: (1) perpetrated or is responsible for directing acts of violence or human rights abuses against individuals participating in protests in Venezuela that began on February 12, 2014; (2) directed or ordered the arrest or prosecution of a person primarily because of the person's exercise of freedom of expression or assembly in relation to such protests; (3) knowingly assisted, sponsored, or provided significant financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services in support of, the commission of such acts; or (4) engaged in censorship against individuals or media outlets disseminating information in relation to such protests.
Sets forth related penalty requirements.
States that U.S. exclusion sanctions shall not apply if necessary to permit the United States to comply with the Agreement regarding the Headquarters of the United Nations or other applicable international obligations.
Authorizes the President to waive sanctions if: (1) in the U.S. national security interests, or (2) conditions in Venezuela have improved with regard to respect for peaceful protest and basic human rights.
(Sec. 6) Directs the President to transmit to Congress a list of, and impose sanctions against, persons who: (1) transfer or facilitate the transfer of goods or technologies that are likely to be used to commit serious rights abuses to Venezuela, to any person organized under the laws of Venezuela, or to any national of Venezuela, for use in Venezuela; or (2) provide services with respect to such goods or technologies after their transfer to Venezuela.
The summary continues for 8 more paragraphs. Read it in full on Congress.gov
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Passed House amended" stage on May 28, 2014. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on July 21, 2014: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the House
- Passage by the Senate
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 113th Congress (2013-14), 296 of the 9,091 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 3.3 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN (R-FL) introduced it on May 7, 2014, and 22 members have since signed on as cosponsors.
They come from both major parties: 9 Democrats, 13 Republicans.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on May 7, 2014, 4509 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 4434 days ago, on July 21, 2014.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 113th Congress has not finished by January 3, 2015 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- HouseIn committee, no floor vote yet
- SenateAwaits House passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers