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This bill creates new tools to deter countries and non-state actors from wrongfully detaining or taking hostage American citizens for political leverage. The Secretary of State can designate countries as "State Sponsors of Unlawful or Wrongful Detention" based on their involvement in such cases, and the bill requires Congress to consider whether countries including Iran, China, Russia, Syria, Venezuela, Afghanistan, and Eritrea should receive this designation within 60 days of enactment. Once designated, the government can apply existing sanctions authorities and must publish a public list of these countries. The bill authorizes $4 million in funding for fiscal year 2026—$2 million for implementing sanctions and $2 million for advertising travel advisories to Americans about dangerous countries. The legislation also strengthens support for detainees by requiring the State Department to review and determine within 180 days whether people reported as wrongfully detained are actually in that status, creating timelines for notifying families, establishing a new advisory council that includes former detainees and hostages, and requiring airlines to verify that passengers traveling to high-risk countries acknowledge the travel warnings before boarding.

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