119th (2025–2027)
H.R. 4179
This bill creates a new diplomatic tool allowing the U.S. State Department to officially designate foreign countries as "State Sponsors of Unlawful or Wrongful Detention" if they detain American citizens without legal basis or fail to release them within 30 days of being notified by the State Department. The designation can be based on direct government involvement, complicity, material support for detention, or patterns of hostage-taking that pose risks to American citizens abroad. Once designated, a country's designation lasts six months unless Congress approves it with a joint resolution; if Congress doesn't approve, the Secretary of State cannot re-designate that country for another six months without new congressional action. The bill requires the State Department to brief Congress within 60 days on whether nine specific countries—including Afghanistan, Iran, Russia, China, Venezuela, and others—should receive this designation, and mandates annual briefings for five years on efforts to deter wrongful detention. The legislation also directs the State Department to review existing authorities like economic sanctions, visa restrictions, and arms export controls that could be applied against designated countries, though no new funding is specified in the bill.