Us Congress 2025-2026 Regular Session

Us Congress Senate Bill SB39

Introduced
1/9/25  

Caption

Securing Timely Opportunities for Payment and Maximizing Awards for Detaining Unlawful Regime Officials Act of 2025 or the STOP MADURO ActThis bill authorizes the Department of State to pay a reward of up to $100 million for certain information directly leading to the arrest and conviction of Nicolas Maduro Moros.For example, under the bill, the State Department may pay such a reward to one or more individuals who furnish information directly leading to Maduro's arrest and conviction in any country for specified narcotics-related offenses.The bill also requires that any such payment come solely from the liquidation of assets that the U.S. President or the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control has withheld pursuant to specified laws and executive orders from Maduro, officials of the Maduro regime, and their co-conspirators.

Impact

The bill's implementation is expected to significantly bolster U.S. enforcement actions against Maduro and his associates by incentivizing individuals to provide information related to their criminal activities. With the potential payout of such a large reward, it could encourage cooperation from those within Venezuela or linked to the regime, thereby enhancing the U.S. government's ability to address narco-terrorism. Additionally, the act underscores the U.S. commitment to holding Maduro accountable for the allegations of involvement in serious drug trafficking operations that have implications for U.S. national security.

Summary

SB39, known as the Securing Timely Opportunities for Payment and Maximizing Awards for Detaining Unlawful Regime Officials Act of 2025 or the STOP MADURO Act, proposes to increase the maximum reward amount for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Venezuela's leader, Nicolás Maduro Moros, to $100 million. The bill is framed within the context of ongoing efforts by the U.S. government to combat drug trafficking and corruption associated with Maduro's regime, particularly focusing on the allegations of narco-terrorism. Under this act, the Secretary of State would be authorized to pay these rewards funded exclusively through the liquidation of assets belonging to Maduro and his officials that are already being withheld by U.S. authorities due to sanctions.

Contention

While the act aims to combat significant drug-related crimes, it may face criticism regarding its efficacy and potential consequences for diplomatic relations with Venezuela. Opponents might argue that increasing the bounty on Maduro could escalate tensions and provoke retaliatory actions by his government, potentially endangering diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving ongoing conflicts. Furthermore, the use of such monetary rewards raises ethical questions about incentivizing informants in potentially unstable regions, highlighting the complexity of U.S. foreign policy in dealing with sanctioned regimes.

Congress_id

119-S-39

Policy_area

International Affairs

Introduced_date

2025-01-09

Companion Bills

US HB268

Identical bill STOP MADURO Act Securing Timely Opportunities for Payment and Maximizing Awards for Detaining Unlawful Regime Officials Act of 2025

Previously Filed As

US HB9692

STOP MADURO Act Securing Timely Opportunities for Payment and Maximizing Awards for Detaining Unlawful Regime Officials Act of 2024

US SB5126

STOP MADURO Act Securing Timely Opportunities for Payment and Maximizing Awards for Detaining Unlawful Regime Officials Act of 2024

US HR1313

Condemning the illegitimate regime of Nicolás Maduro in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

US SR741

A resolution condemning the illegitimate regime of Nicolas Maduro in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

US HR1403

Recognizing Edmundo González of Venezuela as the winner of the Venezuelan Election which took place on July 28th, 2024 and condemning the Maduro regime.

US HR1409

Standing in solidarity with the Venezuelan people and condemning Nicolás Maduro's attempt to steal the Venezuelan Presidential election.

US HB301

Unmasking the Origins of COVID-19 Act This bill authorizes the Department of State to pay a reward for information leading to the identification of the origins of COVID-19 or other related information, such as the identification of individuals or entities involved in a cover-up of the origins of COVID-19.

US HB457

Combating Global Corruption Act of 2023 This bill requires the Department of State to address corruption in foreign governments. The State Department must annually publish a ranking of foreign countries based on their government's efforts to eliminate corruption. Corruption, for the purposes of the bill, is the unlawful exercise of entrusted public power for private gain, including by bribery, nepotism, fraud, or embezzlement. The bill outlines the minimum standards that the State Department must consider when creating the ranking. These considerations include, for example, whether a country has criminalized corruption, adopted measures to prevent corruption, and complied with the United Nations Convention against Corruption and other relevant international agreements. Tier one countries meet the standards; tier two countries make some efforts to meet the standards; tier three countries make de minimis or no efforts to meet the standards. If a country is ranked in the second or third tier, the State Department must designate an anti-corruption contact at the U.S. diplomatic post in that country to promote good governance and combat corruption. The State Department must report annually to Congress a list of foreign persons (individuals or entities) (1) who have engaged in significant corruption in a tier three country, and (2) upon whom the President has imposed sanctions pursuant to this bill.

US SB3240

A bill to require senior Department of State officials to maintain security clearances and to require the Secretary of State to notify Congress when the security clearances of such officials are suspended or revoked.

US HB222

No Oil for CCP Act This bill bans exports of crude oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to China, North Korea, Iran, and other specified recipients. Specifically, the bill directs the Department of Energy to require as a condition of any sale of crude oil from the SPR that (1) the oil not be exported to such countries; and (2) the recipient of the oil is not under the ownership, control, or influence of the Chinese Communist Party.

Similar Bills

No similar bills found.