United States 119th Congress Status: In Committee Bipartisan · 2 R · 2 D cosponsors

S 2978 — Designating the Russian Federation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism Act

Last action — Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 246.

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed House
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced October 07, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee vote, then a floor vote in the Senate.

Odds of enactment

Low chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a low chance of becoming law.

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A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Advancing 38% · moderate confidence

  • In Committee

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 4 sponsors

    1 primary, 3 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (2 R · 2 D) — cross-party backing.

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

201 added · 15 removed

Plain-language change summary

The amended bill removes the sections that provided a short title and findings related to the Russian Federation's actions in Ukraine, such as the targeting of civilians and the displacement of children. Instead, the focus has been shifted to the designation process and regulations regarding such a designation as a state sponsor of terrorism. This change emphasizes the procedural aspects of the bill rather than the specific context of these findings.

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2978 Introduced in Senate (IS)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 1st Session S.
2978 Reported in Senate (RS)] <DOC> Calendar No.
246 119th CONGRESS 1st Session S.
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To provide for the designation of the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism.
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations October 30, 2025 Reported by Mr.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1.
Risch, with an amendment [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To provide for the designation of the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, <DELETED>SECTION 1.
SHORT TITLE.</DELETED> <DELETED> This Act may be cited as the ``Designating the Russian Federation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism Act''.</DELETED> <DELETED>SEC.
2.
FINDINGS.</DELETED> <DELETED> Congress finds the following:</DELETED> <DELETED> (1) The Russian Federation's aggression in Ukraine has targeted innocent civilians, including children.</DELETED> <DELETED> (2) The Government of Ukraine estimates that at least 648 Ukrainian children have been killed and at least 2,047 Ukrainian children have been wounded since the start of President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.</DELETED> <DELETED> (3) The Government of Ukraine estimates that the Russian Federation has kidnapped, deported, or displaced at least 19,546 Ukrainian children to the Russian Federation, Russian-occupied territories, and other locations since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and continues to practice such illegal and inhumane actions.</DELETED> <DELETED> (4) The Russian Federation has kidnapped, deported, or displaced Ukrainian children as young as a few months to 17 years of age according to reliable reports.</DELETED> <DELETED> (5) President Putin's regime seeks the ``Russification'' of Ukrainian children through kidnapping, deportation, or displacement to destroy their Ukrainian identity.</DELETED> <DELETED> (6) Many of these Ukrainian children are forced into ``re-education'' camps or youth paramilitary organizations in the Russian Federation and other locations, with the intent of training them for future deployment as service members in the Russian Armed Forces.</DELETED> <DELETED> (7) In November 2024, the United Kingdom stated that the Government of the Russian Federation seeks to accomplish ``Russification'' by ``expos[ing] Ukrainian children to a curriculum that rewrites Russian and Ukrainian history, glorifies Russian military actions, promotes allegiance to Russia, and in some cases involves military training''.</DELETED> <DELETED> (8) Ukraine has made efforts to repatriate these kidnapped and deported children, including during the peace talks that occurred in Istanbul, Turkey in June 2025, where Ukraine presented the Russian delegation with a list of 339 names of kidnapped children to return home.</DELETED> <DELETED> (9) In response to the proposal put forth by Ukraine in Istanbul, Turkey, the Russian delegation, led by Vladimir Medinsky, stated that these children were ``rescued'' by Russian soldiers and dismissed the request.</DELETED> <DELETED> (10) United States law authorizes the designation of countries as state sponsors of terrorism if they have repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism.</DELETED> <DELETED> (11) Section 2331(1) of title 18, United States Code, defines international terrorism as activities that-- </DELETED> <DELETED> ``(A) involve violent acts or acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State, or that would be a criminal violation if committed within the jurisdiction of the United States or of any State;</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(B) appear to be intended--</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population;</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(ii) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion;
or</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping;
and</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(C) occur primarily outside the territorial jurisdiction of the United States, or transcend national boundaries in terms of the means by which they are accomplished, the persons they appear intended to intimidate or coerce, or the locale in which their perpetrators operate or seek asylum;''.</DELETED> <DELETED> (12) At the direction of President Putin, the Government of the Russian Federation has promoted, and continues to promote, these acts of international terrorism, including the kidnapping of Ukrainian children, which would constitute a criminal violation if committed within the jurisdiction of the United States.</DELETED> <DELETED> (13) During the 117th Congress, the Senate unanimously adopted--</DELETED> <DELETED> (A) Senate Resolution 623, which called for the Secretary of State to designate the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism;
and</DELETED> <DELETED> (B) Senate Resolution 546, which condemned the actions of the Russian Federation, President Putin, members of the Russian Security Council, the Russian Armed Forces, and Russian military commanders for committing atrocities and alleged war crimes against the people of Ukraine.</DELETED> <DELETED> (14) The United States continues to have a range of tools available to hold the Russian Federation accountable for these egregious actions.</DELETED> <DELETED>SEC.
3.
DESIGNATION OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION AS A STATE SPONSOR OF TERRORISM.</DELETED> <DELETED> (a) Certification.--Not later than 60 days after the effective date of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit a report to Congress that certifies whether--</DELETED> <DELETED> (1) the Ukrainian children who were kidnapped, deported, or forcibly removed from Ukrainian territory or temporarily occupied Ukrainian territory since the Russian Federation's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 have been reunited with their families or guardians in a secure environment;
and</DELETED> <DELETED> (2) the process of full reintegration of such children into Ukrainian society is underway.</DELETED> <DELETED> (b) Designation.--If the Secretary of State cannot certify the actions described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsections (a) have occurred, the Secretary shall immediately designate the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism pursuant to--</DELETED> <DELETED> (1) section 1754(c) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (50 U.S.C.
4813(c));</DELETED> <DELETED> (2) section 40 of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C.
2780);</DELETED> <DELETED> (3) section 620A of the Foreign Assistance Act of (22 U.S.C.
2371);
and</DELETED> <DELETED> (4) any other relevant provision of law.</DELETED> <DELETED>SEC.
4.
RESCISSION OF THE DESIGNATION OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION AS A STATE SPONSOR OF TERRORISM.</DELETED> <DELETED> The Secretary of State may rescind the designation required under section 3(b) on or after the date that is 45 days after the date on which the Secretary certifies to Congress, pursuant to the provision of law under which such designation was made, that-- </DELETED> <DELETED> (1) the Government of the Russian Federation-- </DELETED> <DELETED> (A) has not provided support for international terrorism during the preceding 3-month period;
and</DELETED> <DELETED> (B) has provided assurances that such government will not support acts of international terrorism in the future;</DELETED> <DELETED> (2) all of the children kidnapped, deported, or forcibly transferred from Ukrainian territory or temporarily occupied Ukrainian territory since the Russian Federation's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 have been reunited with their families and guardians in a secure environment;
and</DELETED> <DELETED> (3) the process of full reintegration of such children into Ukrainian society is underway.</DELETED> <DELETED>SEC.
5.
EFFECTIVE DATE.</DELETED> <DELETED> This Act shall take effect on the date that is 1 day after the date of the enactment of this Act.</DELETED> SECTION 1.
(4) The Russian Federation has kidnapped, deported, or displaced Ukrainian children as young as a few months to 17 years of age according to reliable reports.
(4) The Russian Federation has kidnapped, deported, or displaced Ukrainian children as young as a few months old to 17 years of age according to reliable reports.
(10) United States law authorizes the designation of countries as state sponsors of terrorism if they have repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism.
(10) Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation, the Kremlin has intensified acts of sabotage, assassination, and other kinetic actions against civilian infrastructure and civilians throughout Europe to undermine broader NATO unity and coerce European governments into altering their policies in response to Russia's war in Ukraine.
(11) Section 2331(1) of title 18, United States Code, defines international terrorism as activities that-- ``(A) involve violent acts or acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State, or that would be a criminal violation if committed within the jurisdiction of the United States or of any State;
(11) A report by the International Centre for Counter- Terrorism identified at least 110 kinetic incidents in Europe between January 2022 and July 2025 that are attributable to the Government of the Russian Federation, including a plot to place explosive devices on civilian aircraft in 2024.
(12) In May 2025, the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine concluded that Russian armed forces ``have committed the crimes against humanity of murder and the war crimes of attacking civilians'', by deliberately targeting Ukrainian civilians with drone strikes, and that these attacks had ``the primary purpose to spread terror among the civilian population, in violation of international humanitarian law.''.
(13) United States law authorizes the designation of countries as state sponsors of terrorism if they have repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism.
(14) Section 2331(1) of title 18, United States Code, defines international terrorism as activities that-- ``(A) involve violent acts or acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State, or that would be a criminal violation if committed within the jurisdiction of the United States or of any State;
(12) At the direction of President Putin, the Government of the Russian Federation has promoted, and continues to promote, these acts of international terrorism, including the kidnapping of Ukrainian children, which would constitute a criminal violation if committed within the jurisdiction of the United States.
(15) At the direction of President Putin, the Government of the Russian Federation has promoted, and continues to promote, these acts of international terrorism, including the kidnapping of Ukrainian children, the destruction of civilian infrastructure throughout Europe, and the assassination and attempted assassination of civilians and political targets throughout Europe, all of which would constitute criminal violations if committed within the jurisdiction of the United States.
(13) During the 117th Congress, the Senate unanimously adopted-- (A) Senate Resolution 623, which called for the Secretary of State to designate the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism;
(16) During the 117th Congress, the Senate unanimously adopted-- (A) Senate Resolution 623, which called for the Secretary of State to designate the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism;
(14) The United States continues to have a range of tools available to hold the Russian Federation accountable for these egregious actions.
(17) The United States continues to have a range of tools available to hold the Russian Federation accountable for these egregious actions.
and (2) the process of full reintegration of such children into Ukrainian society is underway.
(2) the process of full reintegration of such children into Ukrainian society is underway;
(b) Designation.--If the Secretary of State cannot certify the actions described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsections (a) have occurred, the Secretary shall immediately designate the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism pursuant to-- (1) section 1754(c) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (50 U.S.C.
and (3) the Government of the Russian Federation has ceased-- (A) its attacks against European civilian infrastructure and assassination attempts on political targets;
and (B) all attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine.
(b) Designation.--If the Secretary of State cannot certify that all of the actions described in paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of subsection (a) have occurred, the Secretary shall immediately designate the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism pursuant to-- (1) section 1754(c) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (50 U.S.C.
LIMITATION.
(a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no blocked or immobilized Russian sovereign asset (as defined in section 2(6) of the REPO for Ukrainians Act (division F of Public Law 118-50 (22 U.S.C.
9521 note))) shall be subject to attachment in aid of execution or execution of any judgment entered by a court of the United States against the Russian Federation arising from its designation as a state sponsor of terrorism pursuant to section 3(b).
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(b) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section may be construed to limit the rights of victims of terrorism to seek compensation from other sources available under law.
SEC.
6.
<all>
Calendar No.
246 119th CONGRESS 1st Session S.
2978 _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To provide for the designation of the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism.
_______________________________________________________________________ October 30, 2025 Reported with an amendment
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Action History

  1. Introduced in Senate

  2. Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

  3. Committee on Foreign Relations. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

  4. Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported by Senator Risch with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.

  5. Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported by Senator Risch with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.

  6. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 246.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 3 co-sponsors · 543 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (3)

Not signed on (543)

543 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

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Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors S 2978?
S 2978 is sponsored by Graham, Lindsey (Republican), Blumenthal, Richard (Democratic), Britt, Katie Boyd (Republican), and Klobuchar, Amy (Democratic).
What is the current status of S 2978?
This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced October 07, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
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