Peace Through Strength Against Russia Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- H.R. 6856
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- International Affairs
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-12-18: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Financial Services, Ways and Means, Oversight and Government Reform, Energy and Commerce, and Rules, 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
- 2026-06-24T08:09:02Z
AI-Generated Summary
Summary of H.R. 6856: Peace Through Strength Against Russia Act of 2025
Purpose
This bill aims to pressure the Russian Federation to negotiate and adhere to a peace agreement with Ukraine by imposing comprehensive economic sanctions and other measures if Russia refuses to negotiate peace, violates any such agreement, or launches another military invasion. It mandates immediate and ongoing sanctions upon enactment, with termination linked to verified peace and cessation of hostilities.
Key Provisions
- Sanctions on Persons and Entities (Sec. 102-104): Requires the President to periodically review and sanction (e.g., asset blocking, visa ineligibility) Russian government officials, military leaders, oligarchs, supporters of Russia's defense sector, entities aiding Ukraine's destabilization, vessels evading sanctions (especially oil transports), and government-affiliated financial institutions and companies.
- Financial Restrictions (Sec. 103, 105, 110): Targets Russia's Central Bank, Sberbank, VTB, Gazprombank, and others with asset freezes, correspondent account bans, and prohibitions on U.S. persons processing fund transfers. Bans services by global messaging systems like SWIFT to sanctioned banks if they circumvent restrictions.
- Investment and Trade Bans (Sec. 106-109, 111-112, 115): Prohibits U.S. persons from investing in Russia, buying Russian sovereign debt, exporting energy to Russia, listing Russian entities on U.S. exchanges, and importing Russian uranium or refined energy products from refineries using Russian crude. Increases tariffs on all Russian imports up to 500%.
- Sector-Specific Measures:
- Energy: Bans new investments and U.S. energy exports to Russia; sanctions foreign enablers.
- Russia-North Korea Ties (Sec. 113): Sanctions arms transfers, logistics support; requires reports on North Korean involvement.
- Ukrainian Child Kidnapping (Sec. 114): Sanctions participants.
- Exceptions and Flexibility (Sec. 116-117): Allows humanitarian aid, intelligence activities, nuclear cooperation, wind-down operations (270 days), vessel safety, and waivers (renewable every 2 years) with congressional reports.
- Termination (Sec. 119): Ends sanctions upon presidential certification of peace agreement and end to hostilities, subject to 30-day congressional review (extendable); requires a joint resolution of disapproval (3/5 Senate vote) to block termination.
- Title II: Repeals the sunset clause of the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 (making it permanent); includes severability clause.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Expands Energy Bans: Closes "Russian oil import loophole" by prohibiting U.S. imports of any refined products (e.g., under HS Chapter 27) from refineries using Russian crude, amending the Ending Importation of Russian Oil Act.
- Uranium Import Ban: Fully implements and enforces existing prohibitions under the USEC Privatization Act on Russian uranium imports.
- Iran Sanctions: Removes the sunset provision, ensuring permanent authority.
- Maintains Prior Measures: Preserves sanctions from Executive Orders on Russian harmful activities.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: President, Treasury, State, Commerce, SEC, and others must conduct reviews every 180-210 days, impose sanctions, and report to Congress, increasing administrative workload.
- U.S. Citizens and Businesses: Bans dealings with Russia (e.g., investments, trade), affecting investors, banks, energy firms, and importers; allows wind-down periods to mitigate abrupt disruptions.
- International Relations: Heightens U.S.-Russia tensions; coordinates with allies (e.g., Price Cap Coalition, G7, EU, UK) via shared sanction evidence; pressures third countries (e.g., North Korea) and ports aiding Russia; supports Ukraine via immobilized Russian assets for loans.
- Economic Effects: Disrupts global energy markets, Russian finances, and trade; raises costs for Russian goods in U.S.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Russian Government and Affiliates: Officials, military, banks (e.g., Sberbank), energy firms (e.g., Rosatom, Yamal LNG), oligarchs, and vessels face asset blocks, visa bans, trade restrictions.
- U.S. Persons: Individuals, firms, banks prohibited from Russian transactions; energy and finance sectors heavily impacted.
- Foreign Entities: Banks, shippers, insurers, ports, and suppliers aiding Russia (including North Korean arms facilitators) risk secondary sanctions.
- Ukraine: Benefits from pressure on Russia and support via asset-funded loans.
- Global Actors: Allies (G7, EU) aligned; neutral countries' firms at risk if enabling evasion.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Relies on International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) for enforcement and penalties (fines up to $1M, imprisonment); defines terms like "military invasion" (includes cyber attacks) and "knowingly" (actual or should-have-known standard).
- Constitutional: Uses congressional oversight via termination review procedures (fast-track joint resolutions), balancing executive flexibility with legislative check; severability protects overall Act if parts are invalidated.
- Political: Bipartisan sponsors (e.g., Fitzpatrick, Meeks); escalates "peace through strength" policy; requires unclassified reports with classified annexes for transparency; no impact on NASA space cooperation or Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant recovery efforts.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1]
Cosponsors (61)
Rep. Meeks, Gregory W. [D-NY-5], Rep. Bacon, Don [R-NE-2], Rep. Hoyer, Steny H. [D-MD-5], Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17], Rep. Keating, William R. [D-MA-9], Rep. Turner, Michael R. [R-OH-10], Rep. Kaptur, Marcy [D-OH-9], Rep. Suozzi, Thomas R. [D-NY-3], Rep. Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [D-FL-25], Rep. Case, Ed [D-HI-1], Rep. Quigley, Mike [D-IL-5], Rep. Scanlon, Mary Gay [D-PA-5], Rep. Thompson, Mike [D-CA-4], Rep. Stanton, Greg [D-AZ-4], Rep. Latimer, George [D-NY-16], Rep. Kean, Thomas H. [R-NJ-7], Rep. Mannion, John W. [D-NY-22], Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26], Rep. Auchincloss, Jake [D-MA-4], Rep. McBride, Sarah [D-DE-At Large], Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10], Rep. Maloy, Celeste [R-UT-2], Rep. Titus, Dina [D-NV-1], Rep. Hoyle, Val T. [D-OR-4], Rep. Magaziner, Seth [D-RI-2], Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9], Rep. Goodlander, Maggie [D-NH-2], Rep. Gillen, Laura [D-NY-4], Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5], Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2], Rep. Neguse, Joe [D-CO-2], Rep. Jackson, Jonathan L. [D-IL-1], Rep. Morelle, Joseph D. [D-NY-25], Rep. Gimenez, Carlos A. [R-FL-28], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Lee, Susie [D-NV-3], Rep. Ross, Deborah K. [D-NC-2], Rep. Pettersen, Brittany [D-CO-7], Rep. Levin, Mike [D-CA-49], Rep. Schrier, Kim [D-WA-8], Rep. Peters, Scott H. [D-CA-50], Rep. Kennedy, Timothy M. [D-NY-26], Rep. Garcia, Sylvia R. [D-TX-29], Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8], Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20], Rep. Larsen, Rick [D-WA-2], Rep. Meng, Grace [D-NY-6], Rep. Moore, Blake D. [R-UT-1], Rep. Pallone, Frank [D-NJ-6], Rep. Foushee, Valerie P. [D-NC-4] and 11 more
Recent Actions
- 2025-12-18: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Financial Services, Ways and Means, Oversight and Government Reform, Energy and Commerce, and Rules, 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.
- 2025-12-18: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Financial Services, Ways and Means, Oversight and Government Reform, Energy and Commerce, and Rules, 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.
- 2025-12-18: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Financial Services, Ways and Means, Oversight and Government Reform, Energy and Commerce, and Rules, 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.
- 2025-12-18: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Financial Services, Ways and Means, Oversight and Government Reform, Energy and Commerce, and Rules, 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.
- 2025-12-18: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Financial Services, Ways and Means, Oversight and Government Reform, Energy and Commerce, and Rules, 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.
- 2025-12-18: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Financial Services, Ways and Means, Oversight and Government Reform, Energy and Commerce, and Rules, 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.
- 2025-12-18: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Financial Services, Ways and Means, Oversight and Government Reform, Energy and Commerce, and Rules, 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.
- 2025-12-18: Introduced in House
- 2025-12-18: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Peace Through Strength Against Russia Act of 2025 — issued 2025-12-18 — PDF (60 pages)