S. 2934 — Protecting Americans from Russian Litigation Act of 2025

This section establishes the policy of the United States (1) to ensure that United States persons are not disadvantaged for actions or omissions undertaken to comply with United States sanctions or export controls, and (2) to ensure that foreign persons, or persons acting on their behalf, cannot obtain compensation for any action related to United States persons attempting in good faith to comply with such obligations.

This section establishes a limitation on civil actions to enforce foreign judgments or arbitral awards affected by United States sanctions by adding new section 1660 to chapter 111 of title 28, United States Code. It prohibits any person other than the United States (or a person acting on its behalf) from bringing such an action in federal or state court if (1) the underlying conduct resulted from actions to comply with U.S. sanctions impeding contract performance, or (2) the foreign court or tribunal asserted jurisdiction based wholly or partly on U.S. sanctions, export controls, or foreign laws enacted in response thereto ("United States sanctions," as defined to include prohibitions under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act or other laws addressing national security, foreign policy, or economic threats, excluding import duties). Such actions may be removed by any defendant to the appropriate U.S. district court, which must dismiss them. A rule of construction clarifies that the limitation does not affect (1) U.S. government enforcement authority (including by the Office of Foreign Assets Control); (2) rights or remedies for U.S. victims (or their family members) of international terrorism, torture, extrajudicial killing, aircraft sabotage, or hostage taking under specified federal laws (e.g., 28 U.S.C. ch. 97, 18 U.S.C. ch. 113B, or the Iran Threat Reduction and Syria Human Rights Act); (3) contractual rights resolved by U.S. courts or arbitration; or (4) other state or federal rights or remedies unrelated to enforcing the covered foreign judgments or awards. The provision applies to civil actions pending on or after enactment and includes a conforming amendment to the chapter's table of sections.