Protecting Americans from Russian Litigation

Full Title:
Protecting Americans from Russian Litigation Act of 2025

Summary#

This bill, titled the Protecting Americans from Russian Litigation Act of 2025, would add section 1660 to chapter 111 of title 28 of the U.S. Code. It would bar most people (other than the United States or people acting for the United States) from bringing civil actions in U.S. federal or state courts to enforce a foreign judgment or foreign arbitral award when either:

  • the claim grew out of actions taken to comply with U.S. sanctions that made contract performance impossible or harder, or
  • the foreign court or tribunal took jurisdiction in whole or in part because of U.S. sanctions or export controls (or foreign laws passed in response to them). The bill allows a defendant to remove such a case to U.S. federal court, and the court must dismiss it. It lists exceptions that keep certain actions available, including actions brought by or for the U.S., certain terrorism and human-rights victims’ claims, contractual disputes where the parties agreed to U.S. courts or U.S. arbitration, and other state or federal claims not seeking enforcement of the foreign judgment. The bill defines “United States sanctions” to include prohibitions and restrictions under IEEPA section 203 and other laws, and says duties on imports are not sanctions. The new section would apply to cases pending on or after the law’s enactment.

What it means for you#

If you are a United States person or acting on their behalf and you refuse or alter performance to comply with U.S. sanctions or export controls, this bill would generally prevent foreign courts’ judgments or arbitration awards tied to those actions from being enforced in U.S. courts. Defendants sued in the United States over such foreign judgments could remove the case to federal court and the court would dismiss it. Certain claims and situations listed in the bill would still be allowed to proceed in U.S. courts.

Expenses#

No publicly available information.

Proponents' View#

The bill’s stated policy is to protect United States persons from being disadvantaged for actions taken to comply with U.S. sanctions or export controls and to prevent foreign actors from obtaining compensation for actions related to U.S. persons who in good faith comply with those sanctions or controls.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.