Defending American Security from Kremlin Aggression Act of 2019
Latest action. Placed on Senate legislative calendarThe list of measures reported out of committee and eligible for floor action. Being on the calendar is not a promise of a vote.Read the full definition (opens a new tab) under General Orders. Calendar No. 389.
Defending American Security from Kremlin Aggression Act of 2019
This bill imposes limits on any U.S. withdrawal from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), amends provisions related to cybercrimes, and imposes sanctions on Russian individuals involved in various activities.
No funds may be used to withdraw the United States from NATO unless the Senate passes a resolution consenting to the withdrawal. The bill also authorizes expedited transfers of excess defense articles to NATO member countries.
This bill establishes in the Department of State the Office of Cyberspace and the Digital Economy, to serve as the lead policy body on issues including international cybersecurity and Internet freedom.
Offenses relating to the manufacture, distribution, and possession of communication-intercepting devices shall be unlawful under federal anti-money laundering laws. It shall also be a crime to intentionally traffic in the means to access protected computers, including computers that are part of a voting system. Property related to such crimes, including proceeds gained from the crime, shall be subject to criminal and civil forfeiture.
The President shall impose sanctions on (1) Russian individuals and entities that facilitate or benefit from Russian President Vladimir Putin's corruption, and (2) those that knowingly engage in significant financial transactions with individuals that support or facilitate Russian malicious cyber activities. The bill also imposes sanctions for supporting various other Russia-related activities, including Russian interference in democratic processes.
The bill permanently reauthorizes the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, which authorizes the President to impose sanctions against foreign persons responsible for gross violations of human rights.
The bill establishes requirements for reporting on a wide variety of matters concerning Russian economic, military, and political activities.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Reported to Senate" stage on December 18, 2019. 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 December 18, 2019: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 389.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the Senate
- Passage by the House
- 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 116th Congress (2019-20), 344 of the 14,345 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 2.4 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?
Lindsey Graham (R-SC) introduced it on February 13, 2019, and 4 members have since signed on as cosponsors.
They come from both major parties: 3 Democrats, 1 Republican.
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 February 13, 2019, 2766 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 2458 days ago, on December 18, 2019.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 116th Congress has not finished by January 3, 2021 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
- SenateIn committee, no floor vote yet
- HouseAwaits Senate passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers