H.R. 7415 — HARM Act 2.0

This section states congressional findings that, following the August 2023 death of Wagner Group leader Yevgeniy Prigozhin, its personnel and operations were absorbed into the Russian Ministry of Defense under successor entities including the Africa Corps, Redut PMC, and Patriot PMC, which continue Wagner's activities (e.g., mercenary operations, human rights abuses, resource extraction) and constitute a terrorist group engaging in terrorism (22 U.S.C. 2656f(d)) and terrorist activity (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(3)(B)). It declares it the policy of the United States to designate the Wagner Group's successor and associated entities as foreign terrorist organizations and specially designated global terrorists.

This section requires the Secretary of State to submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report identifying (1) successor and affiliated entities to the Wagner Group (e.g., Africa Corps, Redut PMC, Patriot PMC, and Ministry of Defense-affiliated paramilitary formations inheriting Wagner personnel, operations, or assets); (2) individuals directing those organizations; (3) entities operating under Russian Ministry of Defense direction, employing ex-Wagner personnel, and conducting Wagner-like operations; and (4) related conduct that may warrant designation under E.O. 13224 (i.e., blocking property of terrorism supporters) or constitute terrorist activity under INA §212(a)(3)(B). Within 60 days after that report, the Comptroller General must submit an evaluation of its accuracy and completeness, including assessment of methodologies and data sources used; both reports must be unclassified but may include a classified annex. Not later than 30 days after the Comptroller General's report, the Secretary of State—in coordination with the Secretaries of the Treasury and Defense, the Attorney General, and the Director of National Intelligence—must determine whether persons identified in the Secretary of State's report meet the designation criteria in paragraph (4) thereof, apply relevant E.O. 13224 or other measures to those affirmatively determined, and periodically review and update such designations for newly identified entities. This section further requires the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretaries of Defense and the Treasury and the Director of National Intelligence, to submit annual unclassified reports (with possible classified annex) to the appropriate congressional committees for five years—beginning one year after enactment—on Wagner Group and successor entities' international activities, including operations by region; ties to the Russian Ministry of Defense; human rights abuses and war crimes; financial networks; sanctions effectiveness; counteraction recommendations; international cooperation; and Russian paramilitary activities in Venezuela and the Western Hemisphere. Appropriate congressional committees are defined to include the Senate Committees on Foreign Relations and Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; and the House Committees on Financial Services, Foreign Affairs, and the Judiciary.