H.R. 4202

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4202 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4202

To direct the Secretary of State to establish a strategy for monitoring 
the general elections in the Republic of Honduras to take place on 
November 30, 2025, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

June 26, 2025

Ms. Salazar (for herself, Mr. Castro of Texas, Mr. Smith of New Jersey, 
Mrs. Torres of California, Mr. Lawler, and Mr. Green of Tennessee) 
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for 
a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To direct the Secretary of State to establish a strategy for monitoring 
the general elections in the Republic of Honduras to take place on 
November 30, 2025, 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 ``Protect Honduran Democracy Act''.

SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) the 2025 election process in the Republic of Honduras 
raises serious concerns about the fairness of the electoral 
process, including irregularities with the March 2025 primary 
election, violence against candidates and the actions 
undertaken by security and defense forces under the ongoing 
state of emergency, including serious human rights violations 
which undermine the conditions of the election;
(2) there is a need for the United States to support 
efforts to ensure elections in the Republic of Honduras to take 
place on November 30, 2025, are free and fair; and
(3) the Armed Forces of Honduras and other relevant 
institutions with a role in the electoral process should 
respect their role within the confines of the constitution of 
Honduras and protect the democratic process.

SEC. 3. STRATEGY.

(a) In General.--The Secretary of State shall establish a strategy 
to promote free and fair elections in Honduras to take place on 
November 30, 2025.
(b) Matters To Be Included.--The strategy required by subsection 
(a) shall include support for monitoring the elections by credible and 
internationally recognized elections monitoring bodies, such as the 
Organization of American States, the European Union, the United 
Nations, and experienced civil society observers and others to achieve 
the following:
(1) Ensure that candidates to public office are not subject 
to harassment, undue legal persecution or other efforts to 
misuse State resources to dissuade them or undermine their 
candidacies.
(2) Avoid the misuse of State resources aimed at 
influencing voter preferences.
(3) Avoid the use of violence and intimidation, including 
by transnational criminal organizations, local gangs, or 
political parties and their proxies.
(4) Guarantee freedom of speech and assembly.
(5) Ensure transparent and credible transmission of 
elections results.

SEC. 4. ASSISTANCE.

The President, acting through the Secretary of State, is authorized 
to provide assistance on a grant basis to nongovernmental organizations 
for activities--
(1) to monitor the national elections in Honduras to take 
place on November 30, 2025; and
(2) to assess the extent to which these elections are held 
on a free and fair basis.

SEC. 5. SANCTIONS.

(a) In General.--The President shall impose the sanctions described 
in subsection (b) with respect to any foreign person, including any 
current or former official of the Government of Honduras or any person 
acting on behalf of that Government, that the President determines--
(1) has unduly prevented, or is responsible for ordering or 
otherwise directing the undue prevention of, any candidate, or 
prospective candidate, in the general elections in Honduras to 
take place on November 30, 2025;
(2) has knowingly materially assisted, sponsored, or 
provided significant financial, material, or technological 
support for, or goods or services in support of, the commission 
of the acts described in paragraph (1); or
(3) has carried out acts of intimidation or harassment 
toward candidates, election officials, or election observers, 
including through the use of spurious legal action.
(b) Sanctions Described.--
(1) In general.--The sanctions described in this subsection 
are, in the case of an alien determined by the President to be 
subject to subsection (a), denial of a visa to, and exclusion 
from the United States of, the alien, and revocation in 
accordance with section 221(i) of the Immigration and 
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1201(i)), of any visa or other 
documentation of the alien.
(2) Exceptions.--The sanctions described in paragraph (1) 
shall not apply with respect to a foreign person that--
(A) the President determines is the subject of 
other sanctions equivalent to those described in 
paragraph (1); or
(B) is an alien, if admitting the alien into the 
United States is necessary to permit the United States 
to comply with the Agreement regarding the Headquarters 
of the United Nations, signed at Lake Success June 26, 
1947, and entered into force November 21, 1947, between 
the United Nations and the United States, or other 
applicable international obligations.
(c) Waiver.--The President may waive the application of sanctions 
under subsection (b) with respect to a foreign person if the 
President--
(1) determines that such a waiver is in the national 
interest of the United States; and
(2) on or before the date on which the waiver takes effect, 
submits to the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee 
on Appropriations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign 
Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
Representatives a notice of and justification for the waiver.
(d) Regulatory Authority.--The President shall issue such 
regulations, licenses, and orders as are necessary to carry out this 
section.

SEC. 6. PROMOTION OF MIGRANT PARTICIPATION IN ELECTIONS.

Congress encourages the Secretary of State to promote the ability 
of citizens of Honduras residing in the United States to vote in the 
general elections in Honduras to take place on November 30, 2025.

SEC. 7. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

It is the sense of Congress that the President should continue to 
seek to coordinate with other countries, particularly Central American 
countries, a comprehensive, multilateral strategy to further the 
purposes of this Act, including, as appropriate, encouraging other 
countries to take measures with respect to Honduras that are similar to 
measures described in this Act.

SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

(a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated to carry 
out this Act $1,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2026 and 2027.
(b) Availability of Funds.--Amounts appropriated pursuant to the 
authorization of appropriations under subsection (a) are authorized to 
remain available until expended.
<all>