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H.R. 2204House116th Congress (2019-2021)In Committee

Venezuelan Contracting Restriction Act

Sponsored by Michael WaltzRep. Michael Waltz (R-FL)
Introduced April 10, 2019

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 14, 2026 at 4:04 AM UTC

The Venezuelan Contracting Restriction Act bars U.S. federal agencies from awarding contracts for goods or services to any person that conducts business with the Maduro government of Venezuela, which the United States does not recognize as legitimate. It applies to all types of entities—including individuals, companies, NGOs, and foreign governments—when they have any commercial relationship with that regime. The rule takes effect for contracts entered into after the law is enacted.

Key Provisions

  • Federal agency heads may not enter contracts with any person that has business operations with the Maduro regime.
  • “Business operations” covers any commercial activity such as owning, leasing, selling, or operating equipment, facilities, products, services, or property.
  • “Person” is defined broadly to include natural persons, corporations, partnerships, NGOs, governmental entities, multilateral institutions, and related subsidiaries or affiliates.
  • The prohibition applies to all contracts entered into on or after the law’s effective date.

Legislative Activity

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HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.

Oversight and Government Reform Committee

April 10, 2019

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

April 10, 2019

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.

Oversight and Government Reform Committee

April 10, 2019

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued April 10, 2019

I

116th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 2204

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 10, 2019

Mr. Waltz (for himself and Mr. Diaz-Balart) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform

A BILL

To prohibit contracting with persons that have business operations with the Maduro regime, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Venezuelan Contracting Restriction Act.

2.

Prohibition on contracting with persons that have business operations with the Maduro regime

(a)

Prohibition

The head of an executive agency may not enter into a contract for the procurement of goods or services with any person that has business operations with an authority of the government of Venezuela that is not recognized as the legitimate government of Venezuela by the United States Government.

(b)

Definitions

In this section:

(1)

Business operations

The term business operations means engaging in commerce in any form, including acquiring, developing, maintaining, owning, selling, possessing, leasing, or operating equipment, facilities, personnel, products, services, personal property, real property, or any other apparatus of business or commerce.

(2)

Executive agency

The term executive agency has the meaning given the term in section 133 of title 41, United States Code.

(3)

Person

The term person means—

(A)

a natural person, corporation, company, business association, partnership, society, trust, or any other nongovernmental entity, organization, or group;

(B)

any governmental entity or instrumentality of a government, including a multilateral development institution (as defined in section 1701(c)(3) of the International Financial Institutions Act (22 U.S.C. 262r(c)(3))); and

(C)

any successor, subunit, parent entity, or subsidiary of, or any entity under common ownership or control with, any entity described in subparagraph (A) or (B).

(c)

Applicability

This section shall apply with respect to any contract entered into on or after the date of the enactment of this section.