The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“Introductory Statement on S. 126” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the in the Senate section section on page S148 on Jan. 30.
The State Department is responsibly for international relations with a budget of more than $50 billion. Tenure at the State Dept. is increasingly tenuous and it's seen as an extension of the President's will, ambitions and flaws.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
By Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Ms. Hirono, and Mr. Sanders):
S. 126. A bill to make individuals responsible for undermining free and fair democratic elections inadmissible to the United States; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows:
S. 126
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Fortifying Lawful Elections and Democracy Accountability Act of 2023'' or the ``FLED Accountability Act of 2023''.
SEC. 2. INADMISSIBILITY OF INDIVIDUALS RESPONSIBLE FOR
UNDERMINING FREE AND FAIR DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS.
(a) Determination.--
(1) In general.--If the Secretary of State determines, on the basis of credible information, that an individual who is not a citizen of the United States knowingly took significant action to inhibit or attempt to inhibit, while serving as an official of the government of a foreign country, the lawful democratic transition of power or the lawful functioning of democratic electoral processes in that country, the Secretary shall designate the individual as inadmissible to the United States as described in subsection (b).
(2) Designation.--The Secretary shall publicly or privately designate under paragraph (1) an individual about whom the Secretary has made a determination under that paragraph without regard to whether the individual has applied for a visa.
(b) Inadmissibility of Certain Individuals.--
(1) Ineligibility for visas and admission to the united states.--An individual designated under subsection (a) is--
(A) inadmissible to the United States;
(B) ineligible to receive a visa or other documentation to enter the United States; and
(C) otherwise ineligible to be admitted or paroled into the United States or to receive any other benefit under the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.).
(2) Current visas revoked.--
(A) In general.--The visa or other entry documentation of any individual designated under subsection (a) is subject to revocation regardless of the issue date of the visa or other entry documentation.
(B) Immediate effect.--A revocation under subparagraph (A) shall--
(i) take effect immediately; and
(ii) cancel any other valid visa or entry documentation that is in the possession of the individual.
(3) Exception to comply with international obligations.-- This subsection shall not apply with respect to an individual if admitting or paroling the individual into the United States is necessary to permit the United States to comply with the Agreement regarding the Headquarters of the United Nations, signed at Lake Success June 26, 1947, and entered into force November 21, 1947, between the United Nations and the United States, or other applicable international obligations.
(c) Waiver.--The Secretary may waive the application of subsection (b) with respect to an individual designated under subsection (a) if the Secretary determines that such a waiver is in the national interest of the United States.
(d) Report Required.--
(1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the committees specified in paragraph (3) a report--
(A) identifying individuals designated under subsection (a) during the year preceding submission of the report;
(B) listing the waivers issued under subsection (c) during that year; and
(C) setting forth a justification for each such waiver.
(2) Form of report; availability.--
(A) Form.--Each report required by paragraph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form but may include a classified annex.
(B) Availability.--The unclassified portion of each report required by paragraph (1) shall posted on a publicly accessible website of the Department of State.
(3) Committees specified.--The committees specified in this paragraph are--
(A) the Committee on the Judiciary and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate; and
(B) the Committee on the Judiciary and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives.
(e) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section may be construed to apply to actions taken--
(1) to provide assistance to promote democratic elections or public participation in democratic processes; or
(2) to support a democratic transition.
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