WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) introduced the Special Russian Sanctions Authority Act of 2022. This bill provides a complete approach to respond to Putin’s war in Ukraine. Cassidy’s bill places U.S. sanctions on senior military and government officials in Russia, puts Vladimir Putin on the U.S. terrorist list, provides $10 billion in military aid to Ukraine, and creates a Russian sanctions coordination unit to work with U.S. government agencies to coordinate seizure of Russian assets.
“The Biden administration’s half measures on Russia do not go far enough. We need our full economic and diplomatic powers to deter Putin and stop his war in Ukraine. This bill provides a complete approach to combat Putin’s war. We should take immediate action to strengthen U.S. sanctions, go after Putin and his cronies, and aid the Ukrainian people,” said Dr. Cassidy.
Cassidy’s Special Russian Sanctions Authority Act of 2022 would:
- Create a joint coordination unit to effectively sanction Russia
- Sanction all senior level members of the Russian government
- Sanction all flag officers of the Russian military
- Designate Vladimir Putin as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist
- Designate Wagner Group as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist Organization
- Close Russia’s consulates in the United States
- Restrict Russian Ambassador to DC area
- Empower the Department of the Treasury Financial Crimes and Enforcement Network to increase anti-money laundering capabilities, including in the crypto and real estate space
- Mark any Western Hemisphere government that enters into a military cooperation agreement with Russia as having engaged in a “grave act of a hostile power”
- Recognize the current Ukrainian government even if they are deposed
- Send seized oligarch money to Ukraine
- Send $10,000,000,000 military assistance to Ukraine
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