US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session

US Federal Senate Bill SB39

Introduced
1/9/25  

Caption

Securing Timely Opportunities for Payment and Maximizing Awards for Detaining Unlawful Regime Officials Act of 2025 or the STOP MADURO ActThis bill authorizes the Department of State to pay a reward of up to $100 million for certain information directly leading to the arrest and conviction of Nicolas Maduro Moros.For example, under the bill, the State Department may pay such a reward to one or more individuals who furnish information directly leading to Maduro's arrest and conviction in any country for specified narcotics-related offenses.The bill also requires that any such payment come solely from the liquidation of assets that the U.S. President or the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control has withheld pursuant to specified laws and executive orders from Maduro, officials of the Maduro regime, and their co-conspirators.

Impact

The bill's implementation is expected to significantly bolster U.S. enforcement actions against Maduro and his associates by incentivizing individuals to provide information related to their criminal activities. With the potential payout of such a large reward, it could encourage cooperation from those within Venezuela or linked to the regime, thereby enhancing the U.S. government's ability to address narco-terrorism. Additionally, the act underscores the U.S. commitment to holding Maduro accountable for the allegations of involvement in serious drug trafficking operations that have implications for U.S. national security.

Summary

SB39, known as the Securing Timely Opportunities for Payment and Maximizing Awards for Detaining Unlawful Regime Officials Act of 2025 or the STOP MADURO Act, proposes to increase the maximum reward amount for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Venezuela's leader, Nicolás Maduro Moros, to $100 million. The bill is framed within the context of ongoing efforts by the U.S. government to combat drug trafficking and corruption associated with Maduro's regime, particularly focusing on the allegations of narco-terrorism. Under this act, the Secretary of State would be authorized to pay these rewards funded exclusively through the liquidation of assets belonging to Maduro and his officials that are already being withheld by U.S. authorities due to sanctions.

Contention

While the act aims to combat significant drug-related crimes, it may face criticism regarding its efficacy and potential consequences for diplomatic relations with Venezuela. Opponents might argue that increasing the bounty on Maduro could escalate tensions and provoke retaliatory actions by his government, potentially endangering diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving ongoing conflicts. Furthermore, the use of such monetary rewards raises ethical questions about incentivizing informants in potentially unstable regions, highlighting the complexity of U.S. foreign policy in dealing with sanctioned regimes.

Congress_id

119-S-39

Policy_area

International Affairs

Introduced_date

2025-01-09

Companion Bills

US HB268

Identical bill STOP MADURO Act Securing Timely Opportunities for Payment and Maximizing Awards for Detaining Unlawful Regime Officials Act of 2025

Previously Filed As

US HB268

STOP MADURO Act Securing Timely Opportunities for Payment and Maximizing Awards for Detaining Unlawful Regime Officials Act of 2025

US HB422

No Subsidies for Wealthy Universities ActThis bill limits the indirect costs that are allowable under federal research awards to institutions of higher education (IHEs) with endowments above specified thresholds. (Generally, indirect costs represent expenses that are not specific to a research project but are needed to maintain the infrastructure and administrative support for federally funded research.)Specifically, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) must annually collect information regarding the endowments of each IHE that has entered into a program participation agreement with the Department of Education.With this collected information, NCES must identify and make lists of (1) each IHE with an endowment of more than $5 billion, and (2) each IHE with an endowment of more than $2 billion (but not more than $5 billion). NCES must submit these lists to the Office of Management and Budget, which must then distribute the lists to federal agencies, Congress, and the public.The bill establishes the following limits on the indirect costs allowable under federal research awards:for an IHE with an endowment of more than $5 billion, the IHE is prohibited from using these awards for indirect costs;for an IHE with an endowment of more than $2 billion (but not more than $5 billion), the IHE is limited to an indirect cost rate of 8%; andfor all other IHEs, an indirect cost rate of 15%.The Government Accountability Office must annually report to Congress on indirect cost reimbursement on federal research awards for IHEs.

US HB80

Drain the Intelligence Community Swamp Act of 2025This bill revokes the security clearances of 51 individuals who signed a statement titled Public Statement on the Hunter Biden Emails and dated October 19, 2020. It also (1) specifies that a security clearance may not be granted or renewed for any of them, and (2) requires the Departments of Defense and Justice to investigate these individuals.    

US SR37

A RESOLUTION recognizing the tremendous skill and efficiency of the United States of America's elite Delta Force for the successful capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

US HR987

Denouncing Nicolás Maduro's authoritarian, despotic, and murderous regime and commending President Trump for taking decisive action long called for by Members of Congress.

US HB62

Withholding Investments from Lawless Litigators In States Act or the WILLIS ActThis bill prohibits federal funds from being awarded or otherwise made available to the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office in Georgia. The bill also (1) rescinds any unobligated funds that were allocated for or otherwise made available to the office, and (2) directs the Department of Justice to require the office to reimburse the federal government for all funds that were expended for the office after January 1, 2021.

US HB103

Congressional Border Security Assessment ActThis bill grants Members of Congress and their accompanying staff lawful access to Indian reservations for the purpose of assessing national security, public safety, and the security of the border. Specifically, the bill applies to an Indian reservation that includes 50 or more contiguous miles of the U.S.-Mexico border. 

US SB523

Protect Medicaid Act This bill prohibits federal payment under Medicaid for the administrative costs of providing health benefits to noncitizens who are ineligible for Medicaid based on their immigration status. The Department of Health and Human Services must report on specified information regarding states that provide health benefits to such individuals.

US HB23

Illegitimate Court Counteraction ActThis bill imposes sanctions against foreign persons (individuals and entities) who assist the International Criminal Court (ICC) in investigating, arresting, detaining, or prosecuting certain individuals.The bill categorizes as protected persons (1) any U.S. individual, U.S. entity, or person in the United States, unless the United States is a state party to the Rome Statute of the ICC and provides formal consent to ICC jurisdiction; and (2) any foreign person that is a citizen or lawful resident of a U.S. ally that is not a state party to the Rome Statute or has not consented to ICC jurisdiction.If the ICC attempts to investigate, arrest, detain or prosecute a protected person, the President must impose visa- and property-blocking sanctions against the foreign persons that engaged in or materially assisted in such actions, as well as against foreign persons owned by, controlled by, or acting on behalf of such foreign persons. The President must also apply visa-blocking sanctions to the immediate family members of those sanctioned.Upon enactment, the bill rescinds all funds appropriated for the ICC and prohibits the subsequent use of appropriated funds for the ICC.

US SB149

Public Safety First ActThis bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to detain certain non-U.S. nationals (aliens under federal law) who have been arrested for burglary, theft, larceny, or shoplifting. Specifically, DHS must detain an individual who (1) is unlawfully present in the United States or did not possess the necessary documents when applying for admission; and (2) has been charged with, arrested for, convicted of, or admits to having committed acts that constitute the essential elements of burglary, theft, larceny, or shoplifting.

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