PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.
H.R.4914 / 117th Congress

Havana Syndrome Attacks Response Act

Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship.

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in House · Aug 3, 2021

Havana Syndrome Attacks Response Act

This bill requires the President to sanction foreign persons and governments for carrying out clandestine attacks on U.S. personnel that have caused brain injury.

Specifically, the President must impose visa- and asset-blocking sanctions on any foreign person that has directed or carried out such an attack.

Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.

Read full official summaryShow less

If the President determines a foreign government carried out such an attack, the President must notify Congress and sanction that country by

terminating any foreign assistance (except for humanitarian aid or food or agricultural commodities or products) and arms transactions,

restricting commercial exports, and

denying access to U.S. credit or other financial assistance.

The President must remove these sanctions after 12 months, provided that (1) the country's government gives reliable assurances that it will not conduct future attacks, and (2) the executive branch does not have persuasive information indicating an attack occurred in the preceding six months.

The bill also requires a congressional briefing and report about suspected clandestine attacks on U.S. personnel that have caused brain injury, including hypotheses concerning the identity of the perpetrators and the technical methods used to carry out the attacks.

Read the summary on Congress.gov
PlainBill analysis is coming later. This page presents official source data. We have not yet published a PlainBill explanation for this bill.

Who introduced it

Rep. McCaul, Michael T. [R-TX-10] · R–TX

Committees

  • Judiciary Committee
  • Foreign Affairs Committee
  • Financial Services Committee
23 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

  1. Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship.

  2. Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Voice Vote.

  3. Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

  4. Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

  5. Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

  6. Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

  7. Introduced in House

  8. Introduced in House

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.

Source last updated: Apr 7, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

Explore the bill from different angles

Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.

Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze H.R.4914 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

View full prompt & sources
Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine H.R.4914 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

View full prompt & sources
Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine H.R.4914 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources
Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine H.R.4914 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources