H.R. 8704

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8704 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8704

To impose sanctions with respect to any foreign person that violates or 
knowingly undermines the Washington Accords.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 7, 2026

Mr. Olszewski 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 impose sanctions with respect to any foreign person that violates or 
knowingly undermines the Washington Accords.

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 ``Sanctioning Threats and Aggression 
to Bolster Lasting Enforcement and Disrupt Regional Conflict Act'' 
or``STABLE DRC Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress makes the following findings:
(1) The Rwandan Defense Forces have provided sustained 
military support for the March 23rd Movement's (M23) ongoing 
revolt in the Democratic Republic of the Congo's North and 
South Kivu provinces.
(2) The armed forces of the Democratic Republic of the 
Congo continue to support the Democratic Forces for the 
Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), an armed group whose founders took 
part in the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
(3) Both the FDLR and M23 have committed numerous war 
crimes and human rights abuses. This includes forcibly 
recruiting children into their ranks and engaging in ethnic 
cleansing, rape, and summary executions.
(4) The June 2025 Peace Agreement between the Democratic 
Republic of the Congo and Rwanda (in this Act referred to as 
the ``Washington Accords'') stipulates that each party will 
respect the other's sovereignty and territorial integrity, as 
well as refrain from engaging in hostile acts that threaten the 
peace and security of the other signatory state.

SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY.

It shall be the policy of the United States Government--
(1) to recognize the independence, sovereignty, and 
territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of the Congo 
and Rwanda;
(2) to regard the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic 
of the Congo as a direct threat to regional peace and 
stability, as well as to United States strategic interests in 
Central Africa; and
(3) to use sanctions as a tool to support the Washington 
Accords and to fully end the conflict between the Democratic 
Republic of the Congo, M23, and Rwanda.

SEC. 4. SANCTIONS.

(a) Authorization.--Beginning on the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the President is authorized to impose the sanctions described in 
subsection (b) with respect to any foreign person that violates or 
knowingly undermines the Washington Accords.
(b) Sanctions Described.--The sanctions described in this 
subsection are the following: --
(1) Asset blocking.--Notwithstanding the requirements of 
section 202 of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act 
(50 U.S.C. 1701), the President may exercise of all powers 
granted to the President by that Act to the extent necessary to 
block and prohibit all transactions in all property and 
interests in property of the foreign person if such property 
and interests in property are in the United States, come within 
the United States, or are or come within the possession or 
control of a United States person.
(2) Aliens inadmissible for visas, admission, or parole.--
(A) Visas, admission, or parole.--In the case of an 
alien subject to sanctions pursuant to subsection (a), 
the alien is--
(i) inadmissible to the United States;
(ii) ineligible to receive a visa or other 
documentation to enter the United States; and
(iii) otherwise ineligible to be admitted 
or paroled into the United States or to receive 
any other benefit under the Immigration and 
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.).
(B) Current visas revoked.--
(i) In general.--The visa or other entry 
documentation of an alien described in 
subparagraph (A) shall be revoked, regardless 
of when such visa or other entry documentation 
was issued.
(ii) Immediate effect.--A revocation under 
clause (i) shall--
(I) take effect in accordance with 
section 221(i) of the Immigration and 
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1201(i)); and
(II) cancel any other valid visa or 
entry documentation that is in the 
alien's possession.
(c) Exceptions.--
(1) Exception to comply with international obligations.--
Sanctions under subsection (b)(2) shall not apply with respect 
to the admission of an alien if admitting or paroling 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.
(2) Exception relating to the provision of humanitarian 
assistance.--Sanctions under this section may not be imposed 
with respect to transactions or the facilitation of 
transactions for--
(A) the sale of agricultural commodities, food, 
medicine, or medical devices;
(B) the provision of humanitarian assistance;
(C) financial transactions relating to humanitarian 
assistance; or
(D) transporting goods or services that are 
necessary to carry out operations relating to 
humanitarian assistance.
(3) Exception for intelligence, law enforcement, and 
national security activities.--Sanctions under this section 
shall not apply to any authorized intelligence, law 
enforcement, or national security activities of the United 
States.
(d) Sanctions Program.--
(1) In general.--The President shall establish or direct 
the establishment of a program to carry out the authority under 
this section.
(2) Existing authorities.--The President is authorized to 
impose sanctions under this section with respect to any foreign 
person described in subsection (a) that is also subject to 
sanctions under any other provision of law.
(e) Implementation; Penalties.--
(1) Implementation.--The President may exercise all 
authorities provided to the President under sections 203 and 
205 of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 
U.S.C. 1702 and 1704) to carry out this section.
(2) 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 
that violates, attempts to violate, conspires to violate, or 
causes a violation of regulations promulgated to carry out this 
section to the same extent that such penalties apply to a 
person who commits an unlawful act described in section 206(a) 
of that Act.
(f) Sunset.--The authority to impose sanctions under this section 
shall terminate on the date that is seven years after the date of the 
enactment of this Act.
(g) Definitions.--In this section--
(1) the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means 
the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
Senate;
(2) the term ``foreign person'' means an individual or 
entity that is not a United States person; and
(3) the term ``United States person'' means--
(A) a United States citizen;
(B) a permanent resident alien of the United 
States;
(C) an entity organized under the laws of the 
United States or of any jurisdiction within the United 
States, including a foreign branch of such an entity; 
or
(D) a person in the United States.
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