Bill · S. 3621· Senate(119-S-3621)
Protecting Taxpayers from Risky Investments in Venezuela Act
- Introduced
- 1/13/2026
- Last activity
- 1/13/2026 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
- Sponsored by
- Jeff Merkley
- Cosponsors
- - 5 - 0
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, titled the "Protecting Taxpayers from Risky Investments in Venezuela Act," aims to stop the United States Government from funding Venezuela's oil and petroleum infrastructure. It prohibits the use of federal funds or accounts controlled by the United States to finance, subsidize, or support the development, maintenance, or expansion of Venezuela's petroleum sector. This includes restrictions on construction, property purchases, insurance costs, and payments to corporations or individuals. The law also bars U.S. government officials from advocating for Venezuela's oil sector in international forums. An exception is made for expenditures explicitly authorized by a future Act of Congress. Finally, the Secretary of State must submit an annual report to specific congressional committees to ensure compliance.
Yes
Does this reduce what the federal government spends?+2
The bill prevents the use of federal funds for the development and maintenance of Venezuela's oil infrastructure.
Does this reduce how much oil, gas and coal is produced?+2
The bill prohibits federal support for the expansion and development of oil infrastructure in Venezuela.
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?+2
The bill requires the Secretary of State to submit annual reports to congressional committees regarding expenditures related to Venezuela's oil sector.
The opposite
Would business owners be better off under this?-1
The bill prohibits payments to corporations for the support of Venezuela's oil infrastructure.
Does this favour talking over confrontation abroad?-1
The bill restricts U.S. government officials from advocating for Venezuela's oil sector in international and diplomatic forums.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Protection of Taxpayer Funds: By prohibiting the use of federal funds to finance or subsidize the development, maintenance, or expansion of Venezuela's oil infrastructure, the bill seeks to prevent government money from being used for these purposes (Section 3(a)).
-
Prevention of Financial Support via Incentives: The bill prevents the use of U.S. funds for insurance costs, loan guarantees, tax incentives, and royalty relief related to Venezuela's petroleum sector (Section 3(a)(3)).
-
Restriction of Payments to Entities: The bill stops any payments made to individuals or various types of corporations from being used to support Venezuela's oil infrastructure (Section 3(a)(4)).
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Accountability through Reporting: The Secretary of State is required to submit an annual report to appropriate congressional committees describing activities related to Venezuela's oil sector and certifying compliance, which provides oversight (Section 4).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No specific negative impacts are explicitly detailed in the text of the bill.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Economy And Finance
- Reduces Government Spending+2
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Reduces Fossil Fuel Production+2
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+2
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Business Owners-1
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Improves Diplomatic Engagement-1
- 1/13/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
- 6 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Angela AlsobrooksDemocrat · Maryland
Timothy KaineDemocrat · Virginia
Bernie SandersIndependent · Vermont
Chris Van HollenDemocrat · Maryland
Ron WydenDemocrat · Oregon
Peter WelchDemocrat · Vermont