---
kind: "section"
citation: "22 U.S.C. § 9754"
title: "22"
title_heading: "Foreign Relations and Intercourse"
number: "9754"
heading: "Restriction on export of covered articles and services to certain security forces of Venezuela"
release: "119-102"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/22/9754"
units:
  - "Chapter 104 — Venezuela Assistance"
  - "Subchapter VI — Restoring the Rule of Law in Venezuela"
---

# §9754. Restriction on export of covered articles and services to certain security forces of Venezuela

- (a) **Short title—** This section may be cited as the “Venezuela Arms Restriction Act”.
- (b) **Definitions—** In this section:
  - (1) **Appropriate congressional committees—** The term “appropriate congressional committees” means—
    - (A) the Committee on [Foreign](/usc/22/3146.md?p=1) Relations of the Senate;
    - (B) the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate;
    - (C) the Committee on [Foreign](/usc/22/3146.md?p=1) Affairs of the House of Representatives; and
    - (D) the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives.
  - (2) **Covered article or service—** The term “covered article or service”—
    - (A) for purposes of [subsection (c)](#c), means—
      - (i) a [defense article](/usc/22/8921.md?p=3) or [defense service](/usc/22/8921.md?p=3) (as such terms are defined in [section 2794 of this title](/usc/22/2794.md)); and
      - (ii) any article included on the Commerce Control List set forth in Supplement No. 1 to part 774 of the Export Administration Regulations under subchapter C of [chapter VII of title 15, Code of Federal Regulations](/cfr/15/chVII.md), and controlled for crime control purposes, if the end user is likely to use the article to violate the human rights of the citizens of Venezuela; and
    - (B) for purposes of [subsection (d)](#d), means—
      - (i) any [defense article](/usc/22/8921.md?p=3) or [defense service](/usc/22/8921.md?p=3) of the type described in [section 2794 of this title](/usc/22/2794.md); and
      - (ii) any article of the type included on the Commerce Control List set forth in Supplement No. 1 to part 774 of the Export Administration Regulations and controlled for crime control purposes.
  - (3) **Foreign person—** The term “foreign person” means a [person](#b-4) that is not a [United States person](#b-6).
  - (4) **Person—** The term “person” means an individual or entity.
  - (5) **Security forces of Venezuela—** The term “security forces of Venezuela” includes—
    - (A) the Bolivarian National Armed Forces, including the Bolivarian National Guard;
    - (B) the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service;
    - (C) the Bolivarian National Police; and
    - (D) the Bureau for Scientific, Criminal and Forensic Investigations of the Ministry of Interior, Justice, and Peace.
  - (6) **United States person—** The term “United States person” means—
    - (A) a [United States](/usc/22/1395.md?p=a-1) citizen or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence to the [United States](/usc/22/1395.md?p=a-1); or
    - (B) an entity organized under the laws of the [United States](/usc/22/1395.md?p=a-1) or of any jurisdiction within the [United States](/usc/22/1395.md?p=a-1), including a [foreign](/usc/22/3146.md?p=1) branch of such an entity.
- (c) **Restriction on export of covered articles and services to certain security forces of Venezuela—**
  - (1) **In general—** Notwithstanding any other provision of law, covered articles or services may not be exported from the [United States](/usc/22/1395.md?p=a-1) to any element of the security forces of the Maduro regime.
  - (2) **Determination—** Not later than 180 days after December 20, 2019, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the [Secretary](/usc/22/277d–43.md?p=5) of Commerce and the heads of other departments and agencies, as appropriate, shall—
    - (A) determine, using such information that is available to the Secretary of State, whether any [covered article or service](#b-2) has been transferred since July 2017 to the [security forces of Venezuela](#b-5) without a license or other authorization as required by law; and
    - (B) submit such determination in writing to the [appropriate congressional committees](#b-1).
- (d) **Report—**
  - (1) **In general—** Not later than 180 days after December 20, 2019, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the [Secretary](/usc/22/277d–43.md?p=5) of Commerce, as appropriate, shall submit a report to the [appropriate congressional committees](#b-1) regarding the transfer by [foreign persons](#b-3) of covered articles or services to elements of the [security forces of Venezuela](#b-5) that are under the authority of the Maduro regime.
  - (2) **Matters to be included—** The report required under [paragraph (1)](#d-1) shall include—
    - (A) a list of all significant transfers by [foreign persons](#b-3) of covered articles or services to such elements of the [security forces of Venezuela](#b-5) since July 2017;
    - (B) a list of all [foreign persons](#b-3) who maintain an existing defense relationship with such elements of the [security forces of Venezuela](#b-5); and
    - (C) any known use of covered articles or services by such elements of the [security forces of Venezuela](#b-5) or associated forces, including paramilitary groups, that have coordinated with such security forces to assault, intimidate, or murder political activists, protesters, dissidents, and other civil society leaders, including Juan Guaidó.
- (e) **Sunset—** This section shall terminate on the earlier of—
  - (1) the date that is 3 years after December 20, 2019; or
  - (2) the date on which the President certifies to the [appropriate congressional committees](#b-1) that the Government of Venezuela has returned to a democratic form of government with respect for the essential elements of representative democracy as set forth in Article 3 of the Inter-American Democratic Charter, adopted by the Organization of American States in Lima on September 11, 2001.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 116–94, div. J, title I, § 166, Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 3044.)