Upholding the Dayton Peace Agreement Through Sanctions Act

Bill Number

H.R. 4149

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

International Affairs

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-06-25: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Financial Services, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Last Updated

2025-07-17T21:26:00Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation

The "Upholding the Dayton Peace Agreement Through Sanctions Act" (H.R. 4149) aims to promote peace and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina by authorizing and requiring the U.S. President to impose sanctions on foreign individuals or entities (referred to as "foreign persons") who undermine the Dayton Peace Agreement—a 1995 treaty that ended the Bosnian War—or threaten the country's security, territorial integrity, or democratic institutions. It supports Bosnia and Herzegovina's sovereignty, multi-ethnic structure, and path toward European and NATO integration while condemning external interference, particularly from Russia.

Key Provisions

• Statement of U.S. Policy: Outlines nine policy goals, including supporting Bosnia and Herzegovina's territorial unity (encompassing the Republika Srpska, Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Brcko District), encouraging government reforms, implementing European Court of Human Rights rulings, urging the European Union to sanction figures like Milorad Dodik (a Bosnian presidency member), exposing Russian destabilization efforts, and using U.S. influence in international bodies like the United Nations and Peace Implementation Council to back the Office of the High Representative (an international overseer of the peace agreement).

• Sanctions Imposition Process:
• The President must submit a list to Congress every 180 days (starting 180 days after enactment) identifying foreign persons responsible for or complicit in actions like threatening Bosnia and Herzegovina's stability, undermining state institutions (e.g., creating illegal parallel structures at the entity level), obstructing the Dayton Agreement, engaging in corruption (e.g., bribery or asset misappropriation), or providing support to such activities.
• The list includes adult family members of sanctioned individuals (unless they publicly condemn and oppose the actions), facilitators of transactions, and entities owned or controlled by them.
• Sanctions include blocking U.S.-based assets and interests (using powers under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, or IEEPA—a law allowing the President to regulate international economic transactions during emergencies) and barring entry to the U.S. (revoking visas and making individuals ineligible under immigration law).
• The Treasury Secretary may restrict U.S. bank accounts of foreign financial institutions that facilitate significant transactions for listed persons.

• Exceptions and Flexibility:
• Sanctions do not apply to U.S. intelligence, law enforcement, or national security activities; humanitarian aid (e.g., food, medicine); or compliance with U.N. agreements.
• No sanctions on importing goods (defined as articles or products, excluding technical data).
• The President can waive sanctions case-by-case for up to 180 days if vital to U.S. national security, with congressional notification.
• Sanctions can end if the person is cleared, prosecuted, or shows significant behavioral change and commitments.

• Codification of Existing Sanctions: Permanently enacts sanctions from two prior executive orders (EO 13219 from 2001 and EO 14033 from 2021) related to Western Balkans instability, unless terminated based on changed behavior or assurances against future violations.

• Additional Requirements:
• Within 60 days of a congressional request, the President must assess if a person meets sanction criteria and report (classified or unclassified) on actions taken; this provision sunsets after 5 years.
• The President must issue implementing regulations within 180 days, with congressional notice.
• Violations carry penalties under IEEPA (fines up to $1 million or imprisonment up to 20 years for willful acts).
• The entire act sunsets after 7 years.

• Definitions: Key terms include "foreign person" (non-U.S. individuals or entities), "illegal parallel institution" (entity-level structures in Republika Srpska that disrupt national authority), and standard immigration and banking terms.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Mandatory Listing and Sanctions: Unlike prior executive orders, which were discretionary, this bill requires periodic lists and automatic sanctions, expanding criteria to include corruption, family members, and facilitators—potentially broadening the scope beyond immediate threats to international stabilization efforts.
• Codification: Converts temporary executive actions (EO 13219 and EO 14033) into statutory law, making them harder to reverse without congressional action, while adding termination options based on behavior changes.
• Enhanced Oversight: Introduces congressional requests for sanction assessments and explicit policy statements urging international coordination (e.g., with the EU and UK), which were not formalized in prior measures.
• No new import sanctions, preserving existing trade flexibilities under IEEPA.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: The President, State Department, and Treasury must dedicate resources to list compilation, enforcement, and reporting every 180 days, potentially straining diplomatic and financial monitoring efforts. Immigration authorities (e.g., Department of Homeland Security) will handle visa revocations.
• On Citizens: Bosnian citizens, particularly officials or family members involved in undermining activities, face asset freezes and travel bans, limiting personal and economic opportunities. U.S. citizens or businesses are indirectly affected if dealing with sanctioned entities, facing compliance risks.
• On International Relations: Strengthens U.S. pressure on Russia for its alleged role in instability and encourages allies (EU, UK, Serbia, Croatia) to align on sanctions, potentially improving Bosnia and Herzegovina's Euro-Atlantic progress but risking tensions with non-compliant nations. It bolsters the Office of the High Representative and EU Force (Operation Althea), supporting regional stability amid broader Balkans geopolitical shifts.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Primary Targets: Foreign persons like Bosnian leaders (e.g., Milorad Dodik), officials creating parallel institutions, corrupt actors, and their supporters or family members; Russian entities fueling instability.
• Bosnia and Herzegovina: National and entity-level governments, benefiting from reinforced territorial integrity but facing internal pressures on officials.
• U.S. Government: Executive branch (President, State, Treasury) for implementation; congressional committees (Foreign Affairs, Financial Services, Foreign Relations, Banking) for oversight.
• International Actors: European Union and United Kingdom (urged to join sanctions); regional states like Serbia and Croatia (encouraged to support stability); United Nations and Peace Implementation Council (influenced by U.S. positions).
• Financial Sector: Foreign banks risking U.S. account restrictions for facilitating sanctioned transactions.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Relies on IEEPA for asset blocking, affirming broad presidential emergency powers without needing a new declaration of national emergency; includes due process via waivers, terminations, and exceptions to avoid overreach (e.g., no humanitarian impacts). Aligns with immigration law (Immigration and Nationality Act) for entry bans, but sunsets ensure temporary nature.
• Constitutional: Enhances congressional foreign policy role through mandatory reporting and codification, balancing executive flexibility with legislative checks, consistent with separation of powers in sanctions law.
• Political: Signals U.S. commitment to post-Yugoslav stability, countering Russian influence in the Balkans amid global tensions (e.g., Ukraine); could deter separatism in Bosnia and Herzegovina but provoke backlash from sanctioned parties, influencing U.S. credibility in multilateral forums like the U.N. No partisan bias is evident in the bill text, focusing on bipartisan stability goals.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Wagner, Ann [R-MO-2]

Cosponsors (3)

Rep. Turner, Michael R. [R-OH-10], Rep. Auchincloss, Jake [D-MA-4], Rep. Bell, Wesley [D-MO-1]

Recent Actions

• 2025-06-25: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Financial Services, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-06-25: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Financial Services, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-06-25: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Financial Services, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-06-25: Introduced in House
• 2025-06-25: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Upholding the Dayton Peace Agreement Through Sanctions Act — issued 2025-06-25 — PDF (17 pages)