Sanction Sea Pirates Act of 2025

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Bill ID: 119/hr/1998
Last Updated: July 12, 2026

Sponsored by

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

ID: J000309

Follow the money

The bill

Sanction Sea Pirates Act of 2025

HR. 1998, 119th Congress — read as touching Surface Transportation.

The sponsor

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

Every bill has someone who introduced it. That name is where the paper trail starts.

The money

$80,900 raised

20 itemised contributions to this sponsor, pulled from FEC filings.

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 23, 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

Trade & International Commerce
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
$80,900
15 donors
PACs
$0
Organizations
$0
Committees
$0
Individuals
$80,900

No PAC contributions found

No organization contributions found

No committee contributions found

1
DUDA, KENNETH
3 transactions
$16,500
2
GUPTA, ANUJA
1 transaction
$6,600
3
BURKLE, RON
1 transaction
$6,600
4
DUDA, JENNIFER
2 transactions
$6,600
5
HIGGINBOTTOM, DEBORAH
2 transactions
$6,600
6
HIGGINBOTTOM, ELZIE
2 transactions
$6,600
7
KAMANZI, OLIVIER
1 transaction
$5,000
8
ADAMS, HAYDEN
1 transaction
$3,300
9
CHU MA, SUM
1 transaction
$3,300
10
GABLE, WILLIE
1 transaction
$3,300
11
KNOWLING, ROBERT
1 transaction
$3,300
12
KNOWLING, ANGELA
1 transaction
$3,300
13
ROGERS, JOHN
1 transaction
$3,300
14
SANCHEZ, JOSE R
1 transaction
$3,300
15
CLAYTON, TONY
1 transaction
$3,300

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
OrganizationBANNING, CA
$2,000
Oct 30, 2023
2
MS BAND OF CHOCTAW INDIANS
OrganizationCHOCTAW, MS
$2,000
Oct 5, 2023
3
SANTA YNEZ BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
OrganizationSANTA YNEZ, CA
$2,000
Sep 30, 2024
4
SANTA YNEZ BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
OrganizationSANTA YNEZ, CA
$1,300
Oct 21, 2024
5
BARONA BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
OrganizationLAKESIDE, CA
$1,000
Oct 28, 2024
6
SANTA YNEZ BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
OrganizationSANTA YNEZ, CA
$700
Oct 21, 2024
7
AHMED, TAIMOOR
MARKHOR LOGISTICSCEO
IndividualSACRAMENTO, CA
$3,300
Mar 30, 2023
8
GARHWAL, HARI
GARHWAL, CHAN & WILLIAMSCPA
IndividualSAN FRANCISCO, CA
$3,300
Mar 23, 2023
9
GARHWAL, HARI
GARHWAL, CHAN & WILLIAMSCPA
IndividualSAN FRANCISCO, CA
$3,300
Mar 23, 2023
10
GARHWAL, SANJEEV
WWMGPHYSICIAN
IndividualSEATTLE, WA
$3,300
Mar 29, 2023

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

ID: L000599

Top Contributors

10

1
MURTAGH, COSSU, VENDITTI & CASTRO-BLANCO, LLP
OrganizationWHITE PLAINS, NY
$1,000
Feb 24, 2024
2
BATMASIAN, JAMES
INVESTMENTS LIMITEDOWNER
IndividualBOCA RATON, FL
$6,600
Sep 27, 2023
3
BATMASIAN, JAMES
IndividualBOCA RATON, FL
$6,600
Sep 29, 2023
4
AUSTIN, ROBERT
UNAKA CO., INC.BUSINESSMAN
IndividualDALLAS, TX
$6,600
Jul 18, 2024
5
SILVERMAN, JEFFREY
RETIREDRETIRED
IndividualSURFSIDE, FL
$6,534
Feb 15, 2024
6
SILVERMAN, JEFFREY
IndividualSURFSIDE, FL
$6,534
Feb 22, 2024
7
SCALA, MARY ELLEN
RETIREDRETIRED
IndividualPORT CHESTER, NY
$5,300
Aug 27, 2023
8
DEUTSCH, SHMULEY
SELFPRESIDENT
IndividualSPRING VALLEY, NY
$3,900
Jun 24, 2024
9
DEUTSCH, SHMULEY
IndividualSPRING VALLEY, NY
$3,900
Jun 25, 2024
10
PERLMUTTER, RAFUEL
GOLDEN TASTECEO
IndividualSPRING VALLEY, NY
$3,400
Jun 24, 2024

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

ID: C001059

Top Contributors

10

1
TABLE MOUNTAIN RANCHERIA
OrganizationFRIANT, CA
$3,300
Oct 30, 2023
2
EASTERN BAND OF CHEROKEE INDIANS
OrganizationCHEROKEE, NC
$3,300
Sep 18, 2024
3
JJF SP TRUST
OrganizationSAN FRANCISCO, CA
$3,300
Sep 30, 2024
4
SAN JOAQUIN RIVER RANCH
OrganizationFRESNO, CA
$3,300
Jun 30, 2023
5
SALT RIVER PIMA MARICOPA INDIAN COMMUNITY
OrganizationSCOTTSDALE, AZ
$1,000
Jul 31, 2023
6
MORONGO BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
OrganizationBANNING, CA
$1,000
Sep 8, 2023
7
SANTA YNEZ BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
OrganizationSANTA YNEZ, CA
$1,000
May 19, 2023
8
CHAPPELL-MCLULLAR TRUST
OrganizationHONOLULU, HI
$500
Mar 2, 2024
9
ARK, MANDEEP
SELF EMPLOYEDINTERPRETER
IndividualFRESNO, CA
$6,500
Aug 14, 2024
10
AFZAL, TEHMINA
SELF EMPLOYEDINTERPRETER
IndividualCHINO HILLS, CA
$6,500
Aug 14, 2024

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

ID: K000397

Top Contributors

10

1
PECHANGA BAND OF LUISENO INDIANS
OrganizationTEMECULA, CA
$3,300
Dec 21, 2023
2
HABEMATOLEL POMO OF UPPER LAKE
OrganizationUPPER LAKE, CA
$3,300
Jul 28, 2023
3
OTOE MISSOURIA TRIBE OF OKLAHOMA
OrganizationRED ROCK, OK
$3,300
Jul 28, 2023
4
TURTLE MOUNTAIN BAND OF CHIPPEWA OF NORTH DAKOTA
OrganizationBELCOURT, ND
$3,300
Jul 28, 2023
5
AGUA CALIENTE BAND OF CAHUILLA INDIANS
OrganizationPALM SPRINGS, CA
$3,300
Sep 30, 2024
6
PECHANGA BAND OF LUISENO INDIANS
OrganizationTEMECULA, CA
$3,300
Jul 25, 2024
7
AT&T INC & ITS AFFLIATES
OrganizationSACRAMENTO, CA
$3,000
Mar 5, 2024
8
ABBVIE PAC - FEDERAL PAC
OrganizationSACRAMENTO, CA
$2,500
Sep 30, 2023
9
SAN MANUEL BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
OrganizationLOS ANGELES, CA
$2,300
Oct 25, 2024
10
SANTA YNEZ BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
OrganizationSANTA YNEZ, CA
$2,000
Oct 28, 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.

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Showing 44 nodes and 32 connections (46 secondary connections hidden)

Total contributions: $120,900

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

Showing top 15 donors by contribution amount

15 Individuals

Industry Impact

Which industries are materially affected by specific provisions in this bill. 2 harmed.

  • Section 4 imposes sanctions on foreign persons engaged in piracy, which may disrupt global shipping markets and impact the surface transportation industry, as mentioned in Section 2, finding (3).

  • Section 4 imposes sanctions on foreign persons engaged in piracy, which may affect the transportation of oil and gas, thereby impacting the energy infrastructure industry, as global shipping markets are impacted, mentioned in Section 2, finding (3).