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As first reported by Fox News, U.S. Representatives Young Kim (CA-39) and Elissa Slotkin (MI-08) introduced the bipartisan Direct Investigations on China, Take Action to Oppose Russia (DICTATOR) Act of 2022 to investigate whether the Chinese government and affiliated entities are assisting Vladimir Putin’s regime in evading sanctions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The DICTATOR Act would require the Secretary of State and other officials to submit a report and brief Congress on the extent to which PRC and CCP-affiliated entities may have assisted the Russian Federation in evading sanctions, actions taken by the U.S. government in response and our strategy to prevent further support from the PRC to Russia to evade sanctions.
The PRC has refused to join the United States and other nations in sanctioning the Russian federation.
“While the United States, NATO allies and other nations have taken steps to hold Vladimir Putin accountable for his unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and to provide support to the Ukrainian people as they defend their freedoms, silence and deference from the People’s Republic of China toward the Russian Federation cannot be ignored,” said Kim. “In today’s world, a threat to freedom anywhere is a threat to freedom everywhere. The DICTATOR Act will ensure the U.S. sends a clear message to the PRC and CCP that any efforts to assist Russia in evading U.S.-imposed sanctions will not be tolerated and will be met with severe costs. As authoritarian regimes seek to undermine and destroy freedom and democracy around the world, the United States must demonstrate leadership, unity and strength.”
“As Russia’s unprovoked attack against Ukraine rages on, we need to continue working with our allies and partners to economically punish and isolate the Putin regime through sanctions and property seizure, but we need those punishments to stick,” Slotkin said. “The way Russia has cozied up to the Chinese in recent months is concerning, and we need to make sure China isn’t helping Putin and his cronies evade sanctions and, by extension, supporting this appalling, violent invasion of a sovereign country. The DICTATOR Act will make sure that the U.S. investigates whether Beijing is assisting Moscow and develops a clear strategy to block the Chinese government from helping Putin avoid the consequences of his actions.”
Congresswomen Kim and Slotkin were joined in introducing the DICTATOR Act by House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, Central Asia and Nonproliferation Steve Chabot (OH-01) and Reps. Randy Weber (TX-14), Burgess Owens (UT-04), Bill Huizenga (MI-02), Jake Ellzey (TX-06) and Andrew Garbarino (NY-02).
