S. 1490 — GHOST Act of 2025

This section establishes in the Treasury the Russia Sanctions Enforcement Fund to pay expenses relating to seizures and forfeitures of property for violations of U.S. sanctions by the Russian Federation or covered merchant ships, with an administrator to be appointed by the Secretary of Homeland Security (in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury) not later than 15 days after enactment. The administrator may authorize Fund expenditures, without further appropriation or fiscal-year limitation, for specified costs of covered seizures or forfeitures—including investigative expenses, property detention and disposal, contracts and expert services, informer awards, equitable sharing, and overtime for state/local law enforcement—and for additional purposes directed by the Secretary of Homeland Security, such as evidence purchases, equipment acquisitions, and cooperation reimbursements; expenditures must prioritize seizures of oil, petroleum products, or commodities funding Russian evasive acts. The section authorizes $150 million for the Fund in FY2026 (to remain available until expended), requires repayment of that amount (as adjusted) to the Treasury by September 30, 2036 without terminating the Fund, and directs Fund management as a trust fund under IRC §9602.

This section requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to operate and maintain the Export Enforcement Coordination Center within Homeland Security Investigations, as previously established by Executive Order 13558. The Center serves as the primary federal hub for export enforcement coordination among specified agencies—including State, Treasury, Defense, Justice, Commerce, Energy, Homeland Security, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence—with duties to (1) facilitate information exchange between law enforcement and the intelligence community on export control violations; (2) act as the primary point of contact with export licensing agencies; (3) coordinate public outreach; (4) provide deconfliction and support for investigations; (5) develop governmentwide statistical tracking and targeting; and (6) perform additional enforcement duties as assigned by the Secretary. The Executive Associate Director of Homeland Security Investigations administers the Center; it is led by a Director (a Senior Executive Service special agent in Homeland Security Investigations designated by the Secretary), two Deputy Directors (one full-time Commerce employee appointed by the Secretary of Commerce; one full-time Justice employee appointed by the Attorney General), an intelligence community liaison designated by the Director of National Intelligence, and liaisons detailed from agencies including Customs and Border Protection, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Industry and Security, and military criminal investigative organizations.