RESCUE Act

Key Points

• The RESCUE Act would impose strict financial sanctions on Rosatom, Russia's state-owned nuclear energy corporation, and any foreign person operating in Russia's nuclear energy sector that is owned or controlled by the Russian government. These sanctions would block all property and transactions in the U.S.
• The bill also targets any foreign person who signs contracts for or provides services related to building new nuclear reactors that would be constructed, operated, or maintained by Russian-controlled entities. This aims to cut off Rosatom's ability to expand its global nuclear infrastructure footprint.
• Within 180 days of becoming law, the President would need to submit a strategy to Congress for permanently decoupling the U.S. from Russia's nuclear energy industry and helping allies find alternative nuclear energy suppliers.
• The bill carves out important exceptions for medical and industrial isotopes, reactor safety operations where no alternatives exist, and humanitarian assistance. The President can waive sanctions for isotope production for up to 7 years if domestic supply is insufficient.
• Sanctions can only be lifted if Russia fully withdraws from Ukraine, restores Ukraine's territorial integrity to its pre-2014 borders, and Rosatom stops contributing to nuclear weapons proliferation. The sanctions authority sunsets after 7 years.