22 U.S.C. § 1741c — Hostage Response Group

Page 450 TITLE 22—FOREIGN RELATIONS AND INTERCOURSE § 1741c (b) Participation The President shall direct the heads of each of the following executive departments, agencies, and offices to make available personnel to par- ticipate in the Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell: (1) The Department of State. (2) The Department of the Treasury. (3) The Department of Defense. (4) The Department of Justice. (5) The Office of the Director of National In- telligence. (6) The Federal Bureau of Investigation. (7) The Central Intelligence Agency. (8) Other agencies as the President, from time to time, may designate. (c) Personnel The Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell shall in- clude— (1) a Director, who shall be a full-time senior officer or employee of the United States Gov- ernment; (2) a Family Engagement Coordinator who shall— (A) work to ensure that all interactions by executive branch officials with a hostage’s family occur in a coordinated fashion and that the family receives consistent and ac- curate information from the United States Government; and (B) if directed, perform the same function as set out in subparagraph (A) with regard to the family of a United States national who is unlawfully or wrongfully detained abroad; and (3) other officers and employees as deemed appropriate by the President. (d) Duties The Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell shall— (1) coordinate efforts by participating agen- cies to ensure that all relevant information, expertise, and resources are brought to bear to secure the safe recovery of United States na- tionals held hostage abroad; (2) if directed, coordinate the United States Government’s response to other hostage- takings occurring abroad in which the United States has a national interest; (3) if directed, coordinate or assist the United States Government’s response to help secure the release of United States nationals unlawfully or wrongfully detained abroad; and (4) pursuant to policy guidance coordinated through the National Security Council— (A) identify and recommend hostage recov- ery options and strategies to the President through the National Security Council or the Deputies Committee of the National Se- curity Council; (B) coordinate efforts by participating agencies to ensure that information regard- ing hostage events, including potential re- covery options and engagements with fami- lies and external actors (including foreign governments), is appropriately shared with- in the United States Government to facili- tate a coordinated response to a hostage- taking; (C) assess and track all hostage-takings of United States nationals abroad and provide regular reports to the President and Con- gress on the status of such cases and any measures being taken toward the hostages’ safe recovery; (D) provide a forum for intelligence shar- ing and, with the support of the Director of National Intelligence, coordinate the declas- sification of relevant information; (E) coordinate efforts by participating agencies to provide appropriate support and assistance to hostages and their families in a coordinated and consistent manner and to provide families with timely information re- garding significant events in their cases; (F) make recommendations to agencies in order to reduce the likelihood of United States nationals’ being taken hostage abroad and enhance United States Govern- ment preparation to maximize the prob- ability of a favorable outcome following a hostage-taking; and (G) coordinate with agencies regarding congressional, media, and other public in- quiries pertaining to hostage events. (e) Administration The Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell shall be lo- cated within the Federal Bureau of Investiga- tion for administrative purposes. (Pub. L. 116–260, div. FF, title III, § 304, Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 3094.) § 1741c. Hostage Response Group (a) Establishment The President shall establish a Hostage Re- sponse Group, chaired by a designated member of the National Security Council or the Deputies Committee of the National Security Council, to be convened on a regular basis, to further the safe recovery of United States nationals held hostage abroad or unlawfully or wrongfully de- tained abroad, and to be tasked with coordi- nating the United States Government response to other hostage-takings occurring abroad in which the United States has a national interest. (b) Membership The regular members of the Hostage Response Group shall include the Director of the Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell, the Hostage Recovery Fu- sion Cell’s Family Engagement Coordinator, the Special Envoy appointed pursuant to section 1741a of this title, and representatives from the Department of the Treasury, the Department of Defense, the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Office of the Direc- tor of National Intelligence, the Central Intel- ligence Agency, and other agencies as the Presi- dent, from time to time, may designate. (c) Duties The Hostage Recovery Group shall— (1) identify and recommend hostage recovery options and strategies to the President through the National Security Council; (2) coordinate the development and imple- mentation of United States hostage recovery policies, strategies, and procedures; (3) receive regular updates from the Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell and the Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs on the status of United Page 451 TITLE 22—FOREIGN RELATIONS AND INTERCOURSE § 1741d States nationals being held hostage or unlaw- fully or wrongfully detained abroad and meas- ures being taken to effect safe recoveries; (4) coordinate the provision of policy guid- ance to the Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell, in- cluding reviewing recovery options proposed by the Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell and working to resolve disputes within the Hos- tage Recovery Fusion Cell; (5) as appropriate, direct the use of resources at the Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell to coordi- nate or assist in the safe recovery of United States nationals unlawfully or wrongfully de- tained abroad; and (6) as appropriate, direct the use of resources at the Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell to coordi- nate the United States Government response to other hostage-takings occurring abroad in which the United States has a national inter- est. (d) Meetings The Hostage Response Group shall meet regu- larly. (e) Reporting The Hostage Response Group shall regularly provide recommendations on hostage recovery options and strategies to the National Security Council. (Pub. L. 116–260, div. FF, title III, § 305, Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 3095.) § 1741c–1. Report on strategies for reducing like- lihood of United States nationals being un- lawfully or wrongfully detained or taken hos- tage Not later than 60 days after December 23, 2024, the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Af- fairs, in coordination with the Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell, the Hostage Response Group, and relevant agencies, as appropriate, shall submit to the President and Congress a classified report that identifies and recommends options and strategies to reduce the likelihood of United States nationals being unlawfully or wrongfully detained abroad or taken hostage. (Pub. L. 116–260, div. FF, title III, § 305A, as added Pub. L. 118–159, div. G, title LXXVII, § 7702, Dec. 23, 2024, 138 Stat. 2553.) § 1741c–2. Coordination with transportation au- thorities and industry on Department of State travel advisories (a) Coordination with the Department of Home- land Security (1) In general The Secretary of State shall, in coordination with the Secretary of Homeland Security and representatives of any other Federal agency determined necessary, and in consultation with the Special Presidential Envoy for Hos- tage Affairs and the Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs, develop messaging and informational guidance to be delivered at all United States international airports and on relevant United States Government websites warning United States nationals of the risks of wrongful or unlawful detention or hostage- taking in covered countries. (2) Messaging and guidance The messaging and guidance described under paragraph (1) may include— (A) posters, brochures, and other informa- tional materials; (B) web banners or other warnings to be displayed on relevant United States Govern- ment websites and webpages; (C) verbal warnings at United States inter- national airports to United States nationals whose destinations, to the extent they are discernable, are covered countries; and (D) other methods deemed appropriate by the Secretary, in coordination with the Sec- retary of Homeland Security and representa- tives of any other Federal agency deter- mined necessary. (b) Department of State coordination with United States airlines The Secretary of State shall, in coordination with the Secretary of Homeland Security and representatives of any other Federal agency de- termined necessary, and in consultation with the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Af- fairs and Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Consular Affairs, work with United States air- lines to provide warnings about the risk of wrongful or unlawful detention and hostage-tak- ing to United States nationals booking travel through their airlines to a covered country. (c) Report Not later than one year after December 23, 2024, the Secretary of State shall, in coordina- tion with the Secretary of Homeland Security and representatives of any other Federal agency determined necessary, submit to Congress a re- port detailing— (1) the additional steps taken to warn United States nationals of the risks of wrongful or unlawful detention and hostage-taking abroad, including those described in this section; (2) efforts to improve the visibility and ex- pand the reach of Department of State travel advisories concerning the risks to United States nationals of wrongful or unlawful de- tention and hostage-taking abroad; and (3) additional recommendations on steps the United States Government might take to im- prove the awareness of United States nation- als of the risk of wrongful or unlawful deten- tion and hostage-taking abroad. (d) Covered country defined In this section, the term ‘‘covered country’’ means a country for which a Department of State travel advisory contains either the ‘‘K— Kidnapping or Hostage Taking’’ or ‘‘D—Wrong- ful Detention’’ Risk Indicators. (Pub. L. 116–260, div. FF, title III, § 305B, as added Pub. L. 118–159, div. G, title LXXVII, § 7705, Dec. 23, 2024, 138 Stat. 2554.) § 1741d. Authorization of imposition of sanctions (a) In general The President may impose the sanctions de- scribed in subsection (b) with respect to any for- eign person the President determines, based on credible evidence— (1) is responsible for or is complicit in, or re- sponsible for ordering, controlling, or other-