H.R. 969 — Taliban Rare Earth Minerals Sanctions Act

This section requires the President, beginning 180 days after enactment, to impose sanctions described in subsection (d) on foreign persons who knowingly engage in a significant transaction, on or after the date of enactment, with a person that is part of or operates for or on behalf of Afghanistan's rare earth mineral sector. The section excepts from these sanctions requirements any authority or requirement to impose sanctions on the importation of goods (i.e., any article, natural or man-made substance, material, supply, or manufactured product, including inspection and test equipment, but excluding technical data). Violators of this section or related regulations, licenses, or orders are subject to the civil and criminal penalties under section 206(b) and (c) of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1705(b), (c))—civil penalties up to the greater of $250,000 or twice the amount of the underlying transaction; and criminal penalties, upon conviction for willful violations, of up to a $1,000,000 fine, up to 20 years' imprisonment (if a natural person), or both. (Thus, the existing 10-year statute of limitations under 50 U.S.C. 1705(d) applies to both civil and criminal enforcement.) The required sanctions are (1) blocking all property and interests in property of sanctioned persons that are in the United States, come within the United States, or are or come within the possession or control of a U.S. person, in accordance with the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.); and (2) denial of U.S. visas to, and exclusion from the United States of, any alien subject to sanctions.