H.R. 920House116th Congress (2019-2021)Passed House

Venezuela Arms Restriction Act

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Updated April 14, 2026 at 1:18 AM UTC

The Venezuela Arms Restriction Act bars the United States from exporting defense items, defense services, and certain crime‑control goods to any Venezuelan security force that operates under a government the U.S. does not recognize as legitimate. It also requires the State Department to report on any such transfers that have already occurred and on foreign entities that have supplied these items since July 2017. The law expires three years after enactment or sooner if the President certifies that Venezuela has returned to a democratic government.

Key Provisions

Prohibits export of defense articles, defense services, and crime‑control items to Venezuelan security forces under an unrecognized government.
Mandates a State Department report, within 180 days, on any U.S. transfers of covered items to those forces since July 2017 that lacked proper licensing.
Requires a separate report, also within 180 days, on foreign persons’ transfers of covered items to the same Venezuelan forces, including a list of significant transfers and any known misuse against political activists.
Sets the law to expire either three years after enactment or when the President certifies that Venezuela has restored a democratic system, whichever occurs first.

Legislative Activity

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11 earlier actions

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

Foreign Relations Committee

March 26, 2019

View full timeline

HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

January 30, 2019

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Foreign Affairs Committee

January 30, 2019

HouseCommittee

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

Foreign Affairs Committee

March 14, 2019

HouseCommittee

Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.

Foreign Affairs Committee

March 14, 2019

HouseCommittee

Committee Agreed to Seek Consideration Under Suspension of the Rules.

Foreign Affairs Committee

March 14, 2019

HouseFloor

Mr. Sires moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

March 25, 2019 • 4:45 PM

HouseFloor

Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H2767-2769)

March 25, 2019 • 4:46 PM

HouseFloor

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 920.

March 25, 2019 • 4:46 PM

HouseFloor

Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H2767-2768)

March 25, 2019 • 4:56 PM

HouseFloor

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2767-2768)

March 25, 2019 • 4:56 PM

HouseFloor

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

March 25, 2019 • 4:56 PM

SenateIntro Referral

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

Foreign Relations Committee

March 26, 2019

Floor Debate

3 members

What members said about H.R. 920 on the floor

1 Republican2 Democrats

Rep. Albio SiresD-NJ-8 · Mar 25, 2019

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 920) to restrict the transfer of defense articles, defense services, and crime control articles to any element of the security forces of Venezuela that is under the authority of a government of Venezuela that is not recognized as the legitimate government of Venezuela by the Government of the United States, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 920, the Venezuela Arms Restriction Act, as amended, currently under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 920.

I would like to begin by thanking Ms. Shalala for her leadership in authoring this important piece of legislation. She has been a leading voice in supporting the Venezuelan people.

Sadly, human rights violations in Venezuela are nothing new. In recent months, Nicolas Maduro and his cronies have intensified their brutal crackdown on those who have bravely and peacefully pushed for change.

With an increasing wave of demonstrations protesting the Maduro regime, Congress must do all it can to support efforts by the Venezuelan people to restore its democracy. This means making sure that weapons from the United States aren't being used to commit these horrific acts of violence against civilians. U.S. companies and individuals should not be able to profit from the repression of the Venezuelan people.

H.R. 920 codifies existing restrictions on arms exports to Venezuela's security forces and adds new restrictions on items like tear gas and riot gear that have been used to suppress peaceful protestors.

As the protests continue, you can be sure that the Maduro regime will do everything it can to silence the Venezuelan people; so Congress must do everything in its power to keep these dangerous items out of the hands of the Venezuelan security forces.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Shalala), the author of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume for the purpose of closing.

Mr. Speaker, I again thank Ms. Shalala for her strong and timely leadership on this legislation. It shows a strong commitment to the Venezuelan people and to our constituents who care so deeply about this issue.

The human rights situation in Venezuela is absolutely deplorable, and it is important that we take the commonsense steps in this legislation to help end the ongoing repression. Passing this measure will send an important message that Congress stands with the Venezuelan people.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Rep. Donna E. ShalalaD-FL-27 · Mar 25, 2019

Mr. Speaker, this evening, Congress will vote on a bill I introduced, H.R. 920, the Venezuela Arms Restriction Act. This bipartisan bill prohibits the export of defense articles and crime control…

Mr. Speaker, this evening, Congress will vote on a bill I introduced, H.R. 920, the Venezuela Arms Restriction Act. This bipartisan bill prohibits the export of defense articles and crime control materials from the United States to the security forces of Venezuela.

The United States should have no business selling these tools for oppression to the Maduro regime, as it punishes and kills those who are peacefully protesting and demanding a return to democracy.

Since Maduro usurped power in January, we have seen headline after headline:

``Maduro's Forces Kill, Injure Protestors as Standoff Over Aid in Venezuela Escalates'';

``Four Dead, Hundreds Detained After Venezuela Blackout''; and

``Venezuela Security Forces Kill, Punish Anti-Maduro Protestors.''

A few weeks ago, I traveled to the Venezuela-Colombia border, where I heard heartbreaking stories of friends and family members dying of starvation and treatable diseases, all while a brutal dictator does everything possible to prevent aid from being delivered.

I met with refugees at hospitals in Colombia and heard their harrowing stories of being on the verge of death due to a lack of medical care. There were a number of high-risk pregnancies as a result.

This is a humanitarian crisis that has bled through Venezuela's borders, and it continues to grow.

This is personal for us in south Florida, where thousands of Venezuelans who have fled the crisis now call home. We will continue to push for TPS, because our response to this crisis must include supporting our friends and neighbors in south Florida and around the country.

Today, in addition to the Venezuela Arms Restriction Act, we will vote on bills introduced by my south Florida colleagues to support the people of Venezuela as they demand free and fair elections. We will vote on bills to provide humanitarian aid directly to the Venezuelan people and a bill targeting Russian influence in Venezuela and its impact on the United States.

Today, Congress will not stand idly by as this humanitarian crisis rages on. With the passage of the Venezuela Arms Restriction Act, we will move one step closer to fulfilling our obligations to ensure that no weapons originating in the United States are used to silence dissent through intimidation, repression, and execution. Congress, today, will affirm its commitment to the women and men of Venezuela who are fighting for democracy and a brighter future.

Rep. Francis RooneyR-FL-19 · Mar 25, 2019

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Venezuela Arms Restriction Act introduced by my colleagues from Florida, Congresswoman Shalala and…

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Venezuela Arms Restriction Act introduced by my colleagues from Florida, Congresswoman Shalala and Congressman Diaz-Balart, to whom we are deeply grateful. I would also like to thank Chairman Sires for his support and leadership both of our committee and of this bill.

The criminal socialist dictatorship of Nicolas Maduro is systematically violating the human rights of the Venezuelan people through violence, intimidation, torture, and murder. According to local NGO Foro Penal, there are more than 850 political prisoners in Venezuela today.

Just last week, Maduro's intelligence services arrested Roberto Marrero, the chief of staff for the interim President and constitutional leader of Venezuela, Juan Guaido. The regime has made ludicrous claims that Marrero was leading a terrorist cell and it reportedly planted weapons and cash to try to frame him.

The Congress and the people of the United States must stand united with the people of Venezuela to help ensure that all individuals who violate their human rights are held accountable.

This bill supports these efforts by identifying and holding accountable any U.S. entities providing defense articles to Maduro's security forces, and it restricts all U.S. sales of defense articles to his socialist criminal dictatorship.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in demonstrating our commitment to defending the security and human rights of the Venezuelan people by supporting this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers.

In closing, I thank the authors of the bill. Congresswoman Shalala just spoke about the depth and breadth of the horrible humanitarian crisis that we see on our doorstep in Venezuela. I would like to comment that the average Venezuelan has lost over 20 kilos of weight in the last 2 years and they haven't had protein, so the whole country is starving to death, worse than any Warsaw Pact dictatorship has ever done.

Mr. Speaker, once again, I thank Congressman Diaz-Balart and certainly Chairman Sires for their leadership on this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I call on all of my colleagues to enthusiastically support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Bill Text

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Referred in SenateIssued March 26, 2019

IIB

116th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 920

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

March 26, 2019

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

AN ACT

To restrict the transfer of defense articles, defense services, and crime control articles to any element of the security forces of Venezuela that is under the authority of a government of Venezuela that is not recognized as the legitimate government of Venezuela by the Government of the United States, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Venezuela Arms Restriction Act.

Restriction on export of covered articles and services to certain security forces of Venezuela

(a)

In general

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, covered articles or services may not be exported from the United States to any element of the security forces of Venezuela that is under the authority of a government of Venezuela that is not recognized as the legitimate government of Venezuela by the Government of the United States.

(b)

Report

Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce and the heads of other departments and agencies as appropriate, shall—

(1)

determine, using such information that is available to the Secretary of State, whether any covered article or service has been transferred since July 2017 to the security forces of Venezuela without a license or other authorization as required by law; and

(2)

submit such determination in writing to the appropriate congressional committees.

Report

(a)

In general

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce as appropriate, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the transfer by foreign persons of covered articles or services to elements of the security forces of Venezuela that are under the authority of a government of Venezuela that is not recognized as the legitimate government of Venezuela by the Government of the United States.

(b)

Matters To be included

The report required by subsection (a) shall include the following:

(1)

A list of all significant transfers by foreign persons of covered articles or services to such elements of the security forces of Venezuela since July 2017.

(2)

A list of all foreign persons who maintain an existing defense relationship with such elements of the security forces of Venezuela.

(3)

Any known use of covered articles or services by such elements of the security forces of Venezuela 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 Guaido.

Termination

This Act shall expire on the earlier of—

(1)

the date that is 3 years after the date of the enactment of this Act; or

(2)

the date on which the President certifies to the appropriate congressional committees 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.

Definitions

In this Act:

(1)

Appropriate congressional committees

The term appropriate congressional committees means—

(A)

the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives; and

(B)

the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate.

(2)

Covered article or service

The term covered article or service—

(A)

for purposes of section 2, means—

(i)

a defense article or defense service, as such terms are defined in section 47 of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2794); 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, and controlled for crime control purposes, if it is determined that the end-user is likely to use the article to violate the human rights of the citizens of Venezuela; and

(B)

for purposes of section 3, means—

(i)

any defense article or defense service of the type described in section 47 of the Arms Export Control Act; 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 that is not a United States person.

(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 citizen or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence to the United States; or

(B)

an entity organized under the laws of the United States or of any jurisdiction within the United States, including a foreign branch of such an entity.

Passed the House of Representatives March 25, 2019.

Cheryl L. Johnson,

Clerk.