WASHINGTON- U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.), both members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, hailed committee passage today of their Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, which would bar human rights abusers from anywhere in the world entry into the United States and prohibit them from using our financial institutions. The bill, S. 1933, would expand the Russia-specific sanctions in the Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act (Public Law 112-208) to apply globally, as outlined in the 2012 Senate Foreign Relations Committee- and Senate Finance Committee-passed versions of the bill.

“Standing up for the rule of law and establishing clear consequences for abuses of fundamental human rights, wherever they may occur, serves our nation’s interests and contributes to global security. This bipartisan bill gives us the tools to deter future abuses throughout the world, while also protecting our strategic financial infrastructure from those who would use it to launder or shelter ill-gotten gains,” said Senator Cardin. “Gross violators of human rights are put on notice that they cannot escape the consequences of their actions even when their home country fails to act. The United States must maintain its global leadership in the fight against corruption and human rights abuses, but this fight cannot succeed unilaterally.  I hope that this bill will become law and that it will spur similar action from our international partners.”

“We have already witnessed the success of the Magnitsky Act in holding accountable those who have committed gross violations of human rights in Russia. This legislation will build on that success by supporting the efforts of all those around the world who are struggling for human rights and rule of law in their home countries,” said Senator McCain.  “American leadership in the fight for human rights is fundamental to our national interests and values, and I am proud to see this legislation move forward.”

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