S. 5074

Referred to Committee

Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act

Introduced 12/19/2020•116th Congress•Senate

Congress.gov

Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

12/19/2020 • Senate

Summary

Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act

This bill establishes various entities and procedures to address the wrongful detainment of U.S. nationals abroad.

The President shall appoint a Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs. The envoy's duties shall include leading diplomatic engagement on U.S. hostage policy and coordinating diplomatic engagements in support of hostage recovery efforts.

The President shall establish an interagency Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell, which shall assess and track all hostage cases of U.S. nationals and coordinate agency efforts to safely recover hostages. The President shall also establish the Hostage Recovery Group, which shall make recommendations regarding hostage recovery options and coordinate the development and implementation of U.S. hostage recovery policies.

The President is authorized to impose visa- and property-blocking sanctions against any foreign person responsible for or complicit in the unlawful or wrongful detention of a U.S. national abroad.

The Department of State shall review cases where U.S. nationals are detained abroad and refer instances of wrongful or unlawful detainment to the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs.

Introduced in Senate • 12/19/2020

Enter your district to see how this bill affects your community

Topics & Subjects

Policy Area: International Affairs

Congressional oversightCorrectional facilities and imprisonmentCriminal procedure and sentencingDepartment of StateDetention of personsDiplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroadDue process and equal protectionExecutive agency funding and structureForeign propertyGovernment information and archivesHuman rightsIntergovernmental relationsSanctionsVisas and passports