S. 1025: VERDAD Act of 2019

116th Congress · introduced 2019-04-03 · International Affairs · Latest: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 101.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2019-04-03 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 101. 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

VERDAD Act of 2019

Plain summary

Venezuela Emergency Relief, Democracy Assistance, and Development Act of 2019 or the VERDAD Act of 2019 This bill directs the President to take various actions to address the political situation in Venezuela. (The United States does not recognize Nicolas Maduro as Venezuela's President due to reports of widespread fraud during his election, recognizing instead National Assembly President Juan Guaido.) The Department of State shall provide humanitarian aid to Venezuela and to Venezuelans in neighboring countries. The bill imposes sanctions on foreign persons responsible for or complicit in corruption or activity undermining Venezuela's democratic institutions. Sanctions include barring entry into the United States and various financial restrictions. The bill also (1) authorizes or imposes various sanctions targeting the Maduro regime's ability to finance debt, trade gold, and use cryptocurrencies; and (2) imposes visa-blocking sanctions on aliens acting on behalf of Russia to support Maduro regime security forces. The bill directs the State Department to work with nongovernmental organizations to strengthen democratic governance and defend human rights in Venezuela, work with foreign governments to investigate corruption and recover assets stolen from Venezuela, and offer to help other countries establish legislative frameworks to impose sanctions on Maduro regime officials. The President shall engage with multilateral development banks to assist in rebuilding Venezuela's economy and energy infrastructure. The bill directs the President to prevent Russia's government-controlled oil company Rosneft from acquiring control of critical U.S. energy infrastructure, including assets belonging to Venezuela's state-owned oil company, Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A.

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate), 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

VERDAD Act of 2019

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate)

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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: Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ] · 18 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: S. 1025, Venezuela Emergency Relief, Democracy Assistance, and Development Act of 2019 (2019-06-11)

Cosponsors on this site

Richard J. Durbin (D-IL), Ted Cruz (R-TX), John Cornyn (R-TX), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Todd Young (R-IN), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Michael F. Bennet (D-CO), John Barrasso (R-WY), Christopher A. Coons (D-DE), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Kirsten E. Gillibrand (D-NY), John Kennedy (R-LA)

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).
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116s1025.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/s>

Record fed-us-cong116-s1025 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116