H.R. 5209: Counter-Kleptocracy Act

117th Congress · introduced 2021-09-10 · International Affairs · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2021-09-10 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship. 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

Counter-Kleptocracy Act

Plain summary

Counter-Kleptocracy Act This bill addresses prevention and elimination of corruption globally. The Department of State must (1) annually rank, using specified standards, foreign countries based on their efforts to eliminate corruption; and (2) designate an anti-corruption contact in the diplomatic mission of any country that does not meet the standards. The State Department must also evaluate whether to sanction foreign persons engaged in significant corruption (1) in countries that make de minimis or no efforts to meet the standards, or (2) connected to a designated Russian pipeline project. The President may temporarily sanction foreign persons engaging in public corruption activities (e.g. bribery). The bill makes it a federal crime for foreign officials to demand or accept bribes to influence the performance of an official act or otherwise confer an improper advantage. Officials who engage in this conduct are subject to a fine, a prison term, or both. Funds recovered by prosecuting this crime shall be deposited into a new fund in the Treasury for anti-corruption initiatives. The Department of Justice must make publicly available an accounting of property relating to foreign government corruption that is forfeited to the United States. The bill addresses issues concerning U.S. visas, including related to (1) abuse of investor visas by corrupt foreign officials or criminals, and (2) foreign individuals denied admission to the United States because of adverse foreign policy consequences. The bill also prohibits extraditions based solely on, and otherwise addresses, International Criminal Police Organization communications.

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

Counter-Kleptocracy 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. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9] · 19 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Joe Wilson (R-SC), John R. Curtis (R-UT), Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO), Brian K. Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), J. French Hill (R-AR), Richard Hudson (R-NC), Marc A. Veasey (D-TX), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Grace Meng (D-NY)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9] reported raising $785,039 (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)

Ballot initiative: A proposed law or constitutional amendment that citizens place on the ballot by gathering enough voter signatures, so voters decide it directly. About half the states allow some form of it.
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).

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-117hr5209.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/117/hr>

Record fed-us-cong117-hr5209 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong117 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong117