Justice for Ukrainian Children Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 10473 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 10473

To authorize amounts for the purpose of investigating, documenting, verifying, and preventing the Russian Federation's ongoing and systemic unlawful transfer, deportation, indoctrination, and militarization of Ukrainian children, and for other purposes.

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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

September 16, 2026

Mr. Walkinshaw (for himself, Mr. Bacon, Mr. Landsman, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Ms. Velazquez, Ms. Norton, Mr. Boyle of Pennsylvania, Ms. Ross, Mr. Latimer, Mr. Costa, Mrs. Torres of California, Ms. Garcia of Texas, Mr. Quigley, Ms. McBride, Mr. McGovern, Ms. Pelosi, Ms. Clarke of New York, Mr. Keating, Ms. Omar, Mr. Goldman of New York, Mr. Lynch, Mr. Kean, Mr. Wilson of South Carolina, Ms. Randall, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, Mr. Carson, Mrs. Ramirez, Ms. Dean of Pennsylvania, Ms. McClellan, Mr. Raskin, and Ms. Hoyle of Oregon) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on 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

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A BILL

To authorize amounts for the purpose of investigating, documenting, verifying, and preventing the Russian Federation's ongoing and systemic unlawful transfer, deportation, indoctrination, and militarization of Ukrainian children, and for other purposes.

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 ``Justice for Ukrainian Children Act''.

SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS; STATEMENT OF POLICY.

(a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that-- (1) according to the Ukrainian Government, as of February 2026, the Russian Federation has forcibly abducted, kidnapped, and deported more than 20,000 Ukrainian children; (2) the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine concluded that the Russian Federation's deportation and forcible transfer of Ukrainian children constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity; and (3) the Russian Federation poses an immediate and growing threat to Ukrainian children living under its control. (b) Statement of Policy.--It is the policy of the United States that the United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations shall veto resolutions proposed to the United Nations Security Council that absolve the Russian Federation of accountability for its illegal and unjust invasion of Ukraine and its unlawful transfer, deportation, indoctrination, and militarization of Ukrainian children.

SEC. 3. SUPPORT FOR UNLAWFULLY TRANSFERRED UKRAINIAN CHILDREN.

(a) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be appropriated for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2032 not less than $15,000,000 from funds made available for National Security Investment Programs to support-- (1) ongoing efforts to collect, analyze, and preserve evidence related to the forcible abduction and transfer of Ukrainian children to the Russian Federation; and (2) efforts to locate, rescue and rehabilitate abducted Ukrainian children. (b) Use of Funds.--Amounts authorized to be appropriated under subsection (a) may only be used for-- (1) documenting, identifying, tracking, and verifying the unlawful or forcible transfer, deportation, indoctrination, or militarization of Ukrainian children and related actions by the Government of the Russian Federation; (2) creating, maintaining, and operating a centralized database to preserve evidence related to such unlawful acts; (3) dissemination of gathered data to Europol, the Ukrainian Ministry of Justice, and civil society organizations working to ensure the return of Ukrainian children; (4) supporting efforts to hold the Government of the Russian Federation accountable for violations of international law arising from acts described in paragraph (1); and (5) assisting appropriate civil society and government stakeholders, as determined by the Secretary of State, in locating, rescuing and rehabilitating children forcibly transferred or held under occupation by the Russian authorities. (c) Conditions on Availability of Funds.--None of the amounts authorized to be appropriated under subsection (a) may be obligated or expended for the creation, maintenance, and operation of centralized database described in subsection (b)(2) unless the Secretary of State-- (1) enters into a formal agreement with civil society organizations and the Ukrainian Ministry of Justice to carry out the activities described in subsection (b); and (2) establishes protocols to ensure the integrity, security, and controlled access of such database, including appropriate access for the civil society organizations, the Ukrainian Ministry of Justice, and other designated entities. (d) Oversight and Reporting.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for five years, the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on-- (1) the use of amounts made available under subsection (a); (2) the status and functionality of the database described in subsection (b)(2); (3) actions taken to promote accountability for the unlawful transfer and deportation of Ukrainian children by the Russian Federation; and (4) actions taken to prioritize the immediate return of deported or forcibly transferred Ukrainian children and reunification of families in negotiations with the Russian Federation and Ukraine to end the war.

SEC. 4. SANCTIONS REGARDING UNLAWFUL TRANSFER AND DEPORTATION OF UKRAINIAN CHILDREN.

(a) Imposition of Sanctions.--The President shall impose the sanctions described in subsection (b) with respect to any foreign person the President determines has knowingly directed, participated in, or facilitated the unlawful transfer, deportation, indoctrination, or militarization of Ukrainian children. (b) Sanctions Described.--The sanctions described in this subsection are the following: (1) Property blocking.--Notwithstanding section 202 of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701), the President shall exercise all powers granted to the President under such Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) to the extent necessary to block and prohibit all transactions in property and interests in property of a person described in subsection (a) if such property and interests in property are in the United States, come within the United States, or come within the possession or control of a United States person. (2) Inadmissibility to the united states.-- (A) In general.--In the case of an alien described in subsection (a), the alien is-- (i) inadmissible to the United States; and (ii) ineligible for a visa or other documentation to enter the United States. (B) Current visas revoked.--The visa or other entry documentation of an alien described in subsection (a) shall be revoked, regardless of when such visa or other entry documentation was issued, in accordance with section 221(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1201(i)). (3) Exceptions.-- (A) Exception for authorized intelligence and law enforcement activities.--Sanctions under this subsection shall not apply with respect to activities subject to the reporting requirements under title V of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3091 et seq.) or any authorized intelligence, law enforcement, or national security activities of the United States. (B) Exception to comply with international agreements.--Sanctions under paragraph (2) shall not apply with respect to the admission of an alien to the United States if such admission is necessary to comply with the obligations of the United States under 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 the Convention on Consular Relations, done at Vienna April 24, 1963, and entered into force March 19, 1967, or other international obligations. (C) Humanitarian exception.--Sanctions under paragraph (1) shall not apply to-- (i) the conduct or facilitation of a transaction for the provision of agricultural commodities, food, medicine, medical devices, humanitarian assistance, or for humanitarian purposes; or (ii) transactions that are necessary for, or related to, these activities. (c) National Security Waiver.--The President may waive the application of sanctions under this section with respect to a foreign person if the President-- (1) determines that such waiver is vital to the national security of the United States; and (2) not fewer than 15 days before such waiver takes effect, submits to the appropriate congressional committees a notification of such waiver and an explanation of the reason for such waiver.

SEC. 5. ENSURING AVAILABILITY OF ACCURATE REPORTING TO COMBAT RUSSIAN DISINFORMATION.

(a) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be appropriated for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2032 not less than $10,000,000 to carry out surge programming in the Ukrainian, Balkan, Russian, and Tatar language services of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Voice of America for the purpose of bolstering existing United States programming to the people of Ukraine and neighboring regions and increasing programming capacity and jamming circumvention technology to overcome any disruptions to service. (b) Report.--Not later than 15 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Chief Executive Officer of the United States Agency for Global Media shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a detailed report on plans to increase broadcasts described in subsection (a).

SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act: (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--In this Act, the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means-- (A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives; and (B) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate. (2) Ukrainian children.--The term ``Ukrainian children'' means children born in Ukraine or who are inhabitants of Ukraine, regardless of whether the children are subsequently trafficked or forced to assume Russian citizenship. <all>