H.R. 2619 — No Paydays for Hostage-Takers Act

This section states congressional findings that (1) Iran has a history of hostage-taking and wrongful detention of U.S. nationals, including the 1979-1981 detention of 52 American diplomats; and (2) the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act authorizes sanctions against foreign persons responsible for or complicit in hostage-taking or wrongful detention of U.S. nationals abroad.

This section declares it to be the policy of the United States to undertake additional actions and impose strict penalties to deter the Government of Iran and other hostile governments and non-state actors from hostage-taking or wrongfully detaining United States nationals.

This section requires the President to submit to the House Committees on Foreign Affairs and Financial Services and the Senate Committees on Foreign Relations and Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, not later than 90 days after enactment and every 180 days thereafter for six years, (1) a report on the $6 billion in restricted Iranian funds transferred from accounts in South Korea to restricted accounts in Qatar on or after August 9, 2023; (2) a certification as to whether credible evidence or intelligence exists that any funds have been used for non-humanitarian purposes; and (3) a certification as to whether credible evidence or intelligence exists that the funds have enabled increased Iranian spending on defense, intelligence, or malign foreign activities. The report must include (1) an itemized list of all transactions involving the funds (including value, parties, financial institutions, goods purchased, destinations and end users, U.S. notification date, and transaction date); (2) the quantity of funds in Qatari accounts at the beginning and end of each reporting period; and (3) a description of the U.S. government process used to verify transactions were humanitarian in nature.

This section directs the President, not later than 180 days after enactment and annually thereafter for six years, to (1) review all cases of hostage-taking or unlawful or wrongful detention of U.S. nationals in Iran or at the direction of the government of Iran occurring during the preceding 10-year period and (2) determine, based on credible evidence, whether any foreign persons are responsible for, complicit in, or provide financial, material, technological, or other support to such acts. The section further requires the President to submit corresponding reports to the appropriate congressional committees identifying all such foreign persons, stating whether sanctions under the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act (22 U.S.C. 1741d)—which authorizes visa ineligibility or revocation and blocking of property—have been or will be imposed within 30 days of the report, and providing justification for any waiver or non-imposition of those sanctions.

This section amends Section 407(a)(1) of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1990 and 1991 (8 U.S.C. 1102 note)—which requires visa denial for Iranian diplomats, consular officers, and certain other nationals seeking U.S. admission for United Nations activities if engaged in specified espionage or terrorist activities—to add as an additional ground for denial any such individual sanctioned under Executive Order 13224 (relating to blocking property and prohibiting transactions with persons who commit, threaten to commit, or support terrorism) or Executive Order 13382 (relating to blocking property of weapons of mass destruction proliferators and their supporters) as of enactment. It expresses the sense of Congress that Iran's hostage-taking, wrongful detentions, assassination plots, and intelligence activities constitute security or terrorist threats warranting primary consideration in limiting travel by such Iranian diplomats and their family members. The section also requires the President to submit to the appropriate congressional committees, not later than 180 days after enactment and annually thereafter for three years, a report detailing actions taken to restrict such travel, including instances of visa denials.

This section requires the President to submit to the appropriate congressional committees, not later than 180 days after enactment of this Act and annually thereafter for three years, a report on blocked Iranian assets that includes (1) an itemized list of identifiable assets valued at more than $100,000 belonging to Iranian individuals and entities that are or have been blocked or frozen under any global sanctions program in the prior two years; (2) any changes to the status of such assets, including unblocking, unfreezing, or transferring them, in the prior two years; and (3) for any such changes, whether the U.S. government took related action such as waiving sanctions and a justification for any such action.

This section expresses the sense of Congress that the Secretary of State, Secretary of the Treasury, and Attorney General coordinate international efforts to identify, freeze, and seize assets of Iran-sanctioned individuals and entities involved in malign activities (including hostage-taking, wrongful detention, and human rights violations) and work with foreign governments to share intelligence, oversee such assets, and provide technical assistance for asset forfeiture frameworks. It further requires the President to submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on these actions not later than 180 days after enactment of this Act and annually thereafter for three years.

This section states congressional findings on the Secretary of State's authority under 22 CFR 51.63 to invalidate U.S. passports for travel to countries posing imminent danger to U.S. travelers' health or safety—including the 2017 North Korea passport ban, renewed in 2023, following the death of U.S. citizen Otto Warmbier—and expresses the sense of Congress that the Secretary should invalidate U.S. passports for travel to, in, or through Iran due to risks of wrongful detention or hostage-taking by the Iranian regime. The section further requires the Secretary of State, not later than 90 days after enactment and annually thereafter for three years, to determine and report to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on (1) whether U.S. travel to Iran presents such imminent danger and (2) whether the Secretary is exercising authority to invalidate U.S. passports for such travel.

This section directs the President to develop and submit to Congress, not later than 180 days after enactment, a strategy to deter and prevent wrongful detention and hostage-taking by United States adversaries. The strategy must identify penalties for such acts, United States Government policies barring ransom payments or transactions viewed as ransom, and plans to coordinate with United States allies and partners.

This section defines, for purposes of the Act— (1) appropriate congressional committees as the House Committees on Foreign Affairs and Judiciary and the Senate Committees on Foreign Relations and Judiciary (from the current broader definition that also includes the Appropriations Committees, Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, House Financial Services Committee, Armed Services Committees, and Intelligence Committees of each chamber); (2) foreign person as an individual or entity that is not a United States person, including a foreign state (i.e., as defined in 28 U.S.C. 1603); and (3) United States national as that term is defined in current law (i.e., a U.S. national or lawful permanent resident alien with significant ties to the United States).