Sanction Sea Pirates Act of 2025
Foreign individuals and groups caught engaging in maritime piracy would face direct financial and travel bans imposed by the U.S. government. Their bank accounts, real estate, and other assets located in the United States or managed by American citizens would be frozen, and anyone violating these financial restrictions would face criminal or civil penalties. Accused pirates would also be blocked from entering the country and have any existing U.S. visas revoked immediately, though exceptions are provided for humanitarian aid such as food and medicine.
What this bill touches.
Who it helps · who it burdens.
Who it helps
- Humanitarian aid organizations and medical/agricultural exportersUnder Sec. 4(c)(2), organizations and individuals conducting or facilitating transactions for humanitarian assistance, food, agricultural commodities, medicine, and medical devices are shielded by explicit statutory exemptions from the sanctions.
- Federal intelligence, law enforcement, and national security agenciesUnder Sec. 4(c)(3), authorized federal intelligence, law enforcement, and national security activities are protected by an express statutory exemption from the sanctions.
Who it burdens
- Foreign persons engaging in piracyUnder Sec. 4(b)(1) and Sec. 4(b)(2), foreign individuals and entities determined by the President to knowingly engage in piracy have their U.S.-based property and financial transactions blocked and frozen, are barred from entering the United States, are disqualified from receiving visas or immigration benefits, and have any existing visas immediately revoked.
- Individuals and entities violating sanctions regulationsUnder Sec. 4(e)(2), any individual or business that violates, attempts to violate, or conspires to violate regulations implementing these sanctions is subject to civil and criminal penalties under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
The provisions, in plain language.
Show all 9 provisions
Requires the President to block and freeze all U.S.-based property and financial transactions of foreign individuals or entities determined to knowingly engage in piracy.
Bans foreign individuals involved in piracy from entering the United States, makes them ineligible for U.S. visas or immigration benefits, and revokes any existing visas immediately.
Exempts sales and transportation of food, agricultural commodities, medicine, medical devices, and humanitarian relief from the sanctions.
Applies federal civil and criminal penalties to anyone who violates, attempts to violate, or conspires to violate these sanctions.
Allows the President to waive sanctions against a person if the President notifies congressional committees at least 15 days in advance that the waiver is vital to U.S. national security.
Exempts foreign individuals from entry and visa bans if admitting them is necessary to comply with the United Nations Headquarters Agreement or other international treaties.
Exempts authorized U.S. intelligence, law enforcement, and national security activities from the sanctions.
Allows the federal government to submit classified evidence confidentially and in private to a judge during any legal challenge to a sanction decision.
Clarifies that the President cannot use this law to restrict the importation of physical goods.
Requires the President to block and freeze all U.S.-based property and financial transactions of foreign individuals or entities determined to knowingly engage in piracy.
Bans foreign individuals involved in piracy from entering the United States, makes them ineligible for U.S. visas or immigration benefits, and revokes any existing visas immediately.
Exempts sales and transportation of food, agricultural commodities, medicine, medical devices, and humanitarian relief from the sanctions.
Applies federal civil and criminal penalties to anyone who violates, attempts to violate, or conspires to violate these sanctions.
Allows the President to waive sanctions against a person if the President notifies congressional committees at least 15 days in advance that the waiver is vital to U.S. national security.
How your members of Congress line up
How members voted on Sanction Sea Pirates Act of 2025.
Recorded roll calls on this bill, most recent first. Open one to see each member's position.
How it moved.
Show all 12 actions
- Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
- Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 392 - 14 (Roll no. 172). (text: CR H2845-2846)
- Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 392 - 14 (Roll no. 172). (text: CR H2845-2846)
- At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
- DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1998.
- Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H2845-2846, H2877-2878)
- Mr. Burchett moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by Voice Vote.
- Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- 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.
- Introduced in House
- Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
- Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 392 - 14 (Roll no. 172). (text: CR H2845-2846)
- Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 392 - 14 (Roll no. 172). (text: CR H2845-2846)
- Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by Voice Vote.
- Introduced in House
Read it for yourself.
Sources & provenance
Cite this page
Civic Herald. “Sanction Sea Pirates Act of 2025 (H.R. 1998, 119th Congress).” https://civicherald.app/bills/119-hr-1998. Congress.gov record as of Jul 13, 2026.