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S 712 116th Congress Senate International Affairs Congressional oversight Correctional facilities and imprisonment Criminal procedure and sentencing Department of State Detention of persons Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad Due process and equal protection Executive agency funding and structure Foreign property Government information and archives Human rights Intergovernmental relations Sanctions Visas and passports

Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act

Introduced: March 7, 2019 See on congress.gov
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This bill died when the 116th Congress ended
It never became law before the 116th Congress (2019–2020) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 10 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jun 18, 2020
Held at the desk.
Jun 18, 2020
Received in the House.
Jun 18, 2020
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Jun 15, 2020
Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S2977-2979; text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR S2977-2979)
Jun 15, 2020
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S2977-2979; text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR S2977-2979)
Jun 3, 2020
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 462.
Jun 3, 2020
Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported by Senator Risch with an amendment in the nature of a substitute and an amendment to the title. Without written report.
May 21, 2020
Committee on Foreign Relations. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Mar 7, 2019
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
Mar 7, 2019
Introduced in Senate
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act

This bill establishes various entities and procedures to address the wrongful detainment of U.S. nationals abroad.

The President shall appoint a Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs. The envoy's duties shall include leading diplomatic engagement on U.S. hostage policy and coordinating diplomatic engagements in support of hostage recovery efforts.

The President shall establish an interagency Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell, which shall assess and track all hostage cases of U.S. nationals and coordinate agency efforts to safely recover hostages. The President shall also establish the Hostage Recovery Group, which shall make recommendations regarding hostage recovery options and coordinate the development and implementation of U.S. hostage recovery policies.

The President is authorized to impose visa- and property-blocking sanctions against any foreign person responsible for or complicit in the unlawful or wrongful detention of a U.S. national abroad.

The Department of State shall review cases where U.S. nationals are detained abroad and refer instances of wrongful or unlawful detainment to the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs.

What's happening now June 18, 2020

Held at the desk.

 Related & companion bills 3
  • S 4049 Related bill National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021
  • S 5074 Related bill Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act
  • HR 1611 Identical bill Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act
 Bill text 3 versions

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
 Cosponsors 2
All 2 Democratic 2
D
Shaheen, Jeanne
New Hampshire · Dec 19, 2019
 D
Coons, Christopher A.
Delaware · Mar 7, 2019
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 712: Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act. 116th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/116-S-712/
MLA
"S. 712: Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act." 116th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/116-S-712/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 712, 116th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/116-S-712/.
Markdown link
[S. 712: Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/116-S-712/)
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