S. 3496 establishes a comprehensive federal strategy to combat illegal gold mining operations across the Western Hemisphere that fuel transnational crime, harm indigenous communities, and cause environmental damage. The bill requires the Secretary to develop a "Legal Gold and Mining Partnership Strategy" within 180 days that includes 15 specific elements ranging from disrupting criminal gold networks to supporting legitimate small-scale miners with mercury-free technologies and formalization programs. The legislation creates public-private partnerships with Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and other regional democracies to establish responsible gold supply chains and requires classified congressional briefings on Venezuelan gold trafficking linked to terrorist groups like FARC. The bill directs the President to use American influence at international institutions to build cooperation against illicit mining and amends federal money laundering laws to require consideration of precious metals transactions when identifying sanctions violations. Congress will receive semiannual briefings on implementation progress for three years after the strategy's submission.
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