H.R. 5879: Congressional Oversight of Sanctions Act

116th Congress · introduced 2020-02-12 · International Affairs · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2020-02-12 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Omar, Ilhan [D-MN-5] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Congressional Oversight of Sanctions Act

Plain summary

Congressional Oversight of Sanctions Act This bill limits the duration of a declaration of national emergency by the President, directs the President to allow certain exports to a country under sanctions, and requires the President to provide specified information when exercising emergency economic powers. Specifically, the bill provides that any national emergency declared by the President shall terminate 60 days after the first day on which either house of Congress is in session following the declaration, unless Congress enacts a joint resolution to extend the emergency. If Congress does not enact a joint resolution to extend the emergency, the President may not declare a new national emergency based on substantially similar facts during the 1-year period following such 60-day period. The President must allow the export of certain equipment and material to a territory that is controlled by a person that is otherwise subject to sanctions if the material is intended for (1) civilian health care facilities, (2) water infrastructure, (3) civilian energy infrastructure, or (4) primary or secondary educational facilities. When exercising any international emergency economic powers, the President must issue a report that includes (1) the goals and outcomes expected to be achieved through such actions; (2) other tools considered to address the emergency and the reason for the chosen response; (3) a list of countries imposing similar sanctions; and (4) the strategy to provide compliance guidance to entities in the private sector, humanitarian organizations, and peace-building organizations.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Congressional Oversight of Sanctions Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Omar, Ilhan [D-MN-5] · 3 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Omar, Ilhan [D-MN-5] reported raising $8.2 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Joint resolution: In Texas, the type of measure the Legislature uses to propose a constitutional amendment (marked HJR or SJR). The governor does not sign or veto it; the voters decide. In Congress a joint resolution can also be used like a bill. In Florida, a joint resolution passed by three-fifths of the members of each chamber puts a constitutional amendment on the ballot.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116hr5879.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/hr>

Record fed-us-cong116-hr5879 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116