HouseH.R. 9450119th Congress
Countering Russian Trafficking Act
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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9450 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 9450
To counter Russian trafficking in persons.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 24, 2026
Mr. Wilson of South Carolina (for himself and Mr. Panetta) introduced
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign
Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To counter Russian trafficking in persons.
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 ``Countering Russian Trafficking
Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Since February 2022, elements of the Russian Federation
have engaged in the systematic abduction and forcible transfer
of thousands of Ukrainian children from temporarily occupied
areas of Ukraine to the territory of the Russian Federation or
to areas under Russian control, in a pattern that meets the
definition of a ``severe form of trafficking in persons'' under
section 103 of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000.
(2) These operations have been coordinated and facilitated
by a network of Russian state actors--including Federal
ministries, regional administrations, the Office of the
Commissioner for Children's Rights, and affiliated
``rehabilitation'' and ``patriotic education'' camps--as well
as non-state actors, including segments of the Russian Orthodox
Church and its subordinate dioceses and charitable foundations,
and private adoption and foster networks operating in occupied
Ukrainian territory, that together constitute transnational
organized criminal activity.
(3) The forced transfer, deportation, indoctrination, and
re-education of these children is intended to erase their
Ukrainian national identity and integrate them into Russian
society, constituting both a war crime under international law
and a continuing violation of the human rights of the victims
and their families.
(4) The network of state and non-state actors described in
paragraph (2) has generated documented financial benefits from
the forced transfer, placement, and illegal adoption of
Ukrainian children, and the conditions created by these
operations have been reported to facilitate the sex trafficking
of displaced Ukrainian women and children by organized criminal
networks operating in Russian-controlled territories, the
proceeds of which flow to persons within the scope of section
4(c).
SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that the systematic abduction and
forcible transfer of Ukrainian children by the Russian Federation
constitutes one of the most egregious ongoing human-trafficking crimes
of the 21st century and demands an immediate, aggressive, and
coordinated sanctions response.
SEC. 4. DESIGNATIONS.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the President shall apply the measures described
in subsection (b) to the covered persons described in subsection (c).
(b) Measures Described.--
(1) In general.--The measures described in this subsection
are the following:
(A) Executive Order 13581 (Blocking Property of
Transnational Criminal Organizations).
(B) Section 111 of the Trafficking Victims
Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7108).
(2) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this Act may be
construed to limit the President's authority to impose
sanctions under any provision of law.
(c) Covered Persons.--The persons described in this subsection are
persons determined by the President to have participated in, attempted
to engage in, conspired to engage in, or provided material support for
or otherwise facilitated the transfer, deportation, indoctrination, or
re-education of Ukrainian children, including--
(1) any Federal ministry, regional administration, or
agency of the Russian Federation;
(2) any ``rehabilitation,'' ``patriotic education,'' or
similar camp, facility, or program operated or funded by the
Russian Federation that has received or processed transferred
Ukrainian children;
(3) any entity or instrumentality of the Russian Orthodox
Church, or any diocese, foundation, or charitable organization
subordinate to or affiliated with it, to the extent such entity
has participated in or facilitated the placement, adoption,
foster care, or ideological re-education of transferred
Ukrainian children;
(4) any private adoption agency, foster network, or
intermediary operating in territory of Ukraine occupied by the
Russian Federation that has facilitated the removal or transfer
of Ukrainian children;
(5) any person who knowingly deals in or otherwise directly
or indirectly benefits from the proceeds of the activities of
the persons described in paragraphs (1) through (4);
(6) any person that has knowingly materially assisted,
sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological
support for, or goods or services to or in support of, any
person described in paragraphs (1) through (5); or
(7) any person that is owned or controlled by, owns or
controls, or acts or has acted for or on behalf of, any person
described in paragraphs (1) through (6).
(d) List.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 120 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the President shall submit to the
appropriate congressional committees an interim unclassified
list of persons that meet the criteria in subsection (c).
(2) Form.--The list required by paragraph (1) shall be
submitted in unclassified form and may contain a classified
annex.
(e) Congressional Requests.--Not later than 120 days after
receiving a request from the chairman or ranking member of one of the
appropriate congressional committees with respect to whether a foreign
person meets the criteria of a person described in subsection (c), the
President shall--
(1) determine if the person meets such criteria; and
(2) submit a written justification to the chairman and
ranking member detailing whether or not the President imposed
or intends to impose sanctions described in subsection (c) with
respect to such person.
(f) Regulatory Updates.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the President shall issue such regulations,
guidance, and advisories as may be necessary to implement this Act.
(g) Definition.--In this section, the term ``appropriate
congressional committees'' means--
(1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on
Financial Services of the House of Representatives; and
(2) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on
Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate.
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