Countering Russia’s War on Faith Act

Key Points

• The bill requires the State Department and Defense Department, working with the Director of National Intelligence, to produce a detailed report within 120 days on how Russia is persecuting religious groups in occupied Ukrainian territories. This report must be updated annually for three years.
• The report must identify specific individuals and entities responsible for religious persecution, including those who destroyed or seized religious sites, imprisoned clergy, or forced religious organizations to align with Moscow-based institutions.
• Once people are identified and certified by the President, the government must impose sanctions including freezing their assets and blocking them from doing business in the U.S. under multiple existing sanctions authorities including the Global Magnitsky Act and Ukraine/Russia-related sanctions.
• Congress documents that Russia has damaged or destroyed over 600 religious sites, killed more than 50 religious leaders, and subjected Protestant, Catholic, Muslim, Jewish, Latter-day Saint, and Crimean Tatar communities to raids, forced re-registration, and criminal prosecution.
• The bill is bipartisan, introduced by Rep. Wilson of South Carolina with five co-sponsors from both parties, and has been referred to the Foreign Affairs, Financial Services, and Ways and Means committees.

Impact Analysis

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