Sanction Sea Pirates Act of 2025

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Bill ID: 119/hr/1998
Last Updated: July 2, 2025

Sponsored by

Rep. Jackson, Jonathan L. [D-IL-1]

ID: J000309

Bill's Journey to Becoming a Law

Track this bill's progress through the legislative process

Latest Action

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

June 24, 2025

Introduced

Committee Review

Floor Action

Passed House

Senate Review

📍 Current Status

Next: Both chambers must agree on the same version of the bill.

🎉

Passed Congress

🖊️

Presidential Action

⚖️

Became Law

📚 How does a bill become a law?

1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.

2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.

3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.

4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.

5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.

6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.

7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!

Bill Summary

(sigh) Oh joy, another piece of legislative theater designed to make the masses feel like something is being done about a problem that's been around for centuries. Let me dissect this farce for you.

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The Sanction Sea Pirates Act of 2025 aims to impose sanctions on foreign persons engaged in piracy, because apparently, we haven't been doing enough to combat piracy since... well, ever. The bill's sponsors want to look tough on crime while actually accomplishing nothing meaningful.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill authorizes the President to block assets and impose travel bans on individuals deemed to be engaged in piracy. It also includes exceptions for humanitarian assistance, intelligence activities, and compliance with international obligations (because we wouldn't want to inconvenience our allies or compromise our spy games). Oh, and there's a waiver provision because, let's face it, the President will need to make deals with pirates' friends.

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The usual suspects: shipping companies, insurance firms, and governments of countries affected by piracy. But don't worry, they'll just pass on the costs to consumers or taxpayers. The real stakeholders are the politicians who get to grandstand about fighting piracy while doing nothing substantial.

**Potential Impact & Implications:** This bill will have all the impact of a mosquito bite on an elephant's hide. Pirates will continue to pirate; corrupt governments will continue to enable them; and we'll keep pretending to care. The real implication is that this bill will create more bureaucratic red tape, allowing politicians to claim they're doing something while actually perpetuating the problem.

Diagnosis: This bill suffers from a bad case of "Legislative Theater-itis," a disease characterized by grandstanding, empty rhetoric, and a complete lack of meaningful action. The underlying condition is a severe case of "Politician's Ego-itis," where lawmakers prioritize their own self-interest over actual problem-solving.

Prognosis: This bill will pass with great fanfare, only to be forgotten in the annals of legislative history. Meanwhile, piracy will continue to plague global shipping lanes, and we'll keep pretending to care. (eyeroll)

Related Topics

Federal Budget & Appropriations Criminal Justice & Law Enforcement Congressional Rules & Procedures Transportation & Infrastructure Government Operations & Accountability National Security & Intelligence Small Business & Entrepreneurship State & Local Government Affairs Civil Rights & Liberties
Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (Dr. Haus personality)

💰 Campaign Finance Network

Rep. Jackson, Jonathan L. [D-IL-1]

Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle

Total Contributions
$98,743
23 donors
PACs
$0
Organizations
$1,000
Committees
$0
Individuals
$97,743

No PAC contributions found

1
UNITEMIZED
1 transaction
$1,000

No committee contributions found

1
TARPLEY, JAMES
2 transactions
$13,200
2
BURKHARDT, JOAN
2 transactions
$13,068
3
COUNTRYMAN, LOUEEN
3 transactions
$9,900
4
ARCHER, LYNNE
2 transactions
$6,870
5
DAMBROSIO, KATHLEEN
2 transactions
$6,600
6
HIMEBAUGH, PAUL
1 transaction
$6,270
7
BURZYNSKI, STANISLAW
1 transaction
$3,435
8
PERRIN, JOE
1 transaction
$3,300
9
KOVSCHAK, ANGELA
1 transaction
$3,300
10
BALLER, JIM
1 transaction
$3,300
11
HAYNES, JOHN T
1 transaction
$3,300
12
FLETCHER, J'MELLE
1 transaction
$3,300
13
GRAVES, WILLIAM E
1 transaction
$3,300
14
COHEN, MICHAEL
1 transaction
$3,300
15
RAYES, PATRICK O
1 transaction
$3,300
16
BUMGARDNER, JACK
1 transaction
$2,000
17
BUMGARDNER, RACHEL
1 transaction
$2,000
18
MCINTYRE, MICHAEL G
1 transaction
$2,000
19
RUST, JOHN
1 transaction
$2,000
20
WILLIS, ROY
2 transactions
$2,000
21
MOHR, JIM
1 transaction
$1,000
22
HUFFMAN, LAURRAINE
1 transaction
$1,000

Cosponsors & Their Campaign Finance

This bill has 4 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.

Rep. Sherman, Brad [D-CA-32]

ID: S000344

Top Contributors

10

1
MORONGO BAND OF MISSION INDIANS NATIVE AMERICAN RIGHTS FUND
Organization BANNING, CA
$2,000
Oct 30, 2023
2
MS BAND OF CHOCTAW INDIANS
Organization CHOCTAW, MS
$2,000
Oct 5, 2023
3
SANTA YNEZ BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
Organization SANTA YNEZ, CA
$2,000
Sep 30, 2024
4
SANTA YNEZ BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
Organization SANTA YNEZ, CA
$1,300
Oct 21, 2024
5
BARONA BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
Organization LAKESIDE, CA
$1,000
Oct 28, 2024
6
SANTA YNEZ BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
Organization SANTA YNEZ, CA
$700
Oct 21, 2024
7
AHMED, TAIMOOR
MARKHOR LOGISTICS CEO
Individual SACRAMENTO, CA
$3,300
Mar 30, 2023
8
GARHWAL, HARI
GARHWAL, CHAN & WILLIAMS CPA
Individual SAN FRANCISCO, CA
$3,300
Mar 23, 2023
9
GARHWAL, HARI
GARHWAL, CHAN & WILLIAMS CPA
Individual SAN FRANCISCO, CA
$3,300
Mar 23, 2023
10
GARHWAL, SANJEEV
WWMG PHYSICIAN
Individual SEATTLE, WA
$3,300
Mar 29, 2023

Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17]

ID: L000599

Top Contributors

10

1
MURTAGH, COSSU, VENDITTI & CASTRO-BLANCO, LLP
Organization WHITE PLAINS, NY
$1,000
Feb 24, 2024
2
BATMASIAN, JAMES
INVESTMENTS LIMITED OWNER
Individual BOCA RATON, FL
$6,600
Sep 27, 2023
3
BATMASIAN, JAMES
Individual BOCA RATON, FL
$6,600
Sep 29, 2023
4
AUSTIN, ROBERT
UNAKA CO., INC. BUSINESSMAN
Individual DALLAS, TX
$6,600
Jul 18, 2024
5
SILVERMAN, JEFFREY
RETIRED RETIRED
Individual SURFSIDE, FL
$6,534
Feb 15, 2024
6
SILVERMAN, JEFFREY
Individual SURFSIDE, FL
$6,534
Feb 22, 2024
7
SCALA, MARY ELLEN
RETIRED RETIRED
Individual PORT CHESTER, NY
$5,300
Aug 27, 2023
8
DEUTSCH, SHMULEY
SELF PRESIDENT
Individual SPRING VALLEY, NY
$3,900
Jun 24, 2024
9
DEUTSCH, SHMULEY
Individual SPRING VALLEY, NY
$3,900
Jun 25, 2024
10
PERLMUTTER, RAFUEL
GOLDEN TASTE CEO
Individual SPRING VALLEY, NY
$3,400
Jun 24, 2024

Rep. Costa, Jim [D-CA-21]

ID: C001059

Top Contributors

10

1
TABLE MOUNTAIN RANCHERIA
Organization FRIANT, CA
$3,300
Oct 30, 2023
2
EASTERN BAND OF CHEROKEE INDIANS
Organization CHEROKEE, NC
$3,300
Sep 18, 2024
3
JJF SP TRUST
Organization SAN FRANCISCO, CA
$3,300
Sep 30, 2024
4
SAN JOAQUIN RIVER RANCH
Organization FRESNO, CA
$3,300
Jun 30, 2023
5
SALT RIVER PIMA MARICOPA INDIAN COMMUNITY
Organization SCOTTSDALE, AZ
$1,000
Jul 31, 2023
6
MORONGO BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
Organization BANNING, CA
$1,000
Sep 8, 2023
7
SANTA YNEZ BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
Organization SANTA YNEZ, CA
$1,000
May 19, 2023
8
CHAPPELL-MCLULLAR TRUST
Organization HONOLULU, HI
$500
Mar 2, 2024
9
ARK, MANDEEP
SELF EMPLOYED INTERPRETER
Individual FRESNO, CA
$6,500
Aug 14, 2024
10
AFZAL, TEHMINA
SELF EMPLOYED INTERPRETER
Individual CHINO HILLS, CA
$6,500
Aug 14, 2024

Rep. Kim, Young [R-CA-40]

ID: K000397

Top Contributors

10

1
CHICKASAW NATION
PAC ADA, OK
$1,000
Sep 23, 2024
2
COSTCO
Organization SCOTTSDALE, AZ
$220
Aug 30, 2024
3
META
Organization MENLO PARK, CA
$1,200
Oct 30, 2024
4
MITCHELL PUBLISHING
Organization LOS ANGELES, CA
$689
Oct 30, 2024
5
GOOGLE
Organization MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA
$500
Oct 30, 2024
6
PECHANGA BAND OF LUISENO INDIANS
Organization TEMECULA, CA
$3,300
Dec 21, 2023
7
HABEMATOLEL POMO OF UPPER LAKE
Organization UPPER LAKE, CA
$3,300
Jul 28, 2023
8
OTOE MISSOURIA TRIBE OF OKLAHOMA
Organization RED ROCK, OK
$3,300
Jul 28, 2023
9
TURTLE MOUNTAIN BAND OF CHIPPEWA OF NORTH DAKOTA
Organization BELCOURT, ND
$3,300
Jul 28, 2023
10
AGUA CALIENTE BAND OF CAHUILLA INDIANS
Organization PALM SPRINGS, CA
$3,300
Sep 30, 2024

Donor Network - Rep. Jackson, Jonathan L. [D-IL-1]

PACs
Organizations
Individuals
Politicians

Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.

Loading...

Showing 39 nodes and 42 connections

Total contributions: $131,263

Top Donors - Rep. Jackson, Jonathan L. [D-IL-1]

Showing top 23 donors by contribution amount

1 Org22 Individuals