S 2578

Introduced

Strengthening the Rule of Law in the Brazilian Amazon Act

To support United States investment opportunities, to strengthen bilateral collaboration in addressing criminal elements operating in the Brazilian Amazon, and for other purposes.

Introduced Jul 31, 2025

Latest action (Jun 17, 2026) Committee on Foreign Relations. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

Referred to

Foreign Relations Committee

Policy area

International Affairs

Issues

Foreign Policy

Summary

Directs the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation to place a staff member in Brazil to identify sustainable investment opportunities and assess risks related to criminal activity in the Amazon
Requires the IDFC CEO to report on investment opportunities in the Brazilian Amazon and barriers to greater sustainable investment within 180 days
Directs the Secretary of State to support Brazil's efforts to combat criminal networks in the Amazon through capacity building, information sharing, training, fund tracing, investigations, and asset recovery assistance
Directs USAID to provide financial and technical assistance to promote sustainable livelihoods, protect Indigenous rights, and manage protected areas in the Amazon
Requires annual reports on progress in combating crimes for 5 years and a report on deforestation drivers, including commodities entering U.S. markets and China's role
Authorizes up to $10 million per fiscal year for 2025-2028 and directs the U.S. Treasury to oppose international loans that would facilitate deforestation

AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.

Sponsor (1)

Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA] (D-VA)

2 cosponsors

Sen. Curtis, John R. [R-UT] (R-UT)
Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] (D-OR)

Actions (3)

Jun 17, 2026 Committee on Foreign Relations. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably. · senate
Jul 31, 2025 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. · senate
Jul 31, 2025 Introduced in Senate

Similar bills (6)

Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.

Committee action

What happened to this bill in committee — the meetings where it was considered and every recorded vote taken on it.

Meetings where this bill was on the agenda

Business meeting to consider S.4726, to promote efforts to bring about stability and security in Sudan, S.3984, to authorize a 2-year extension of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, S.4570, to incentivize, streamline, and sustain United States foreign government partner procurement of United States-origin cyber and digital technologies, S.4259, to promote the development, production, and deployment of secure and resilient Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) to enhance United States national security and support the defense and resilience of Taiwan in the Indo-Pacific Region, S.3018, to permit visiting dignitaries and service members from Taiwan to display the flag of the Republic of China, S.2578, to support United States investment opportunities, to strengthen bilateral collaboration in addressing criminal elements operating in the Brazilian Amazon, S.2252, to require United States foreign assistance commodities to be made available for their intended purposes before they expire, S.3050, to amend the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938, as amended, to modify requirements under that Act relating to exemptions, S.4610, to promote the development and use of geothermal resources in the Pacific, S.3172, to repeal certain Acts that impose sanctions upon Syria, S.3676, to require a sports diplomacy strategy to strategically leverage the major sporting events being hosted in the United States during the next decade to enhance United States soft power, diplomatic relationships, and global leadership, S.4708, to improve the security of the Arctic, S.4009, to provide for the imposition of sanctions with respect to forced organ harvesting within the People's Republic of China, S.1542, to support the human rights of Uyghurs and members of other minority groups residing primarily in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, to safeguard their distinct identity, S.3900, to promote human rights, internet freedom and accountability in Iran, S.4709, to amend the Arms Export Control Act to modify a limitation relating to exports and transfers of defense articles and services under the AUKUS partnership, S.4392, to promote United States and allied energy and mineral security, S.4600, to require a South China Sea diplomatic engagement strategy, S.4577, to reassess the United States-Tanzania bilateral relationship, S.4443, to increase cooperation with countries in the Eastern Mediterranean region in order to strengthen energy security and defense capabilities, S.4723, to establish a program to provide assistance to strengthen the capacity of law enforcement agencies in Latin America and the Caribbean to prosecute Chinese organized criminal groups and Chinese government-linked organizations engaged in criminal activity, S.4680, to authorize the Secretary of State to extend limited consular appointments to eight years, with an additional two-year extension for needs of the Foreign Service, S.4665, to require the Secretary of State to submit a strategy to Congress for countering Iranian and Hezbollah influence operations in Latin America, S.3733, to amend the Passport Act of June 4, 1920, to authorize certain public libraries to collect and retain a fee for the execution of a passport application.Foreign Relations CommitteeJun 17, 2026Business meeting

Full text

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

July 31, 2025

Mr. Kaine (for himself, Mr. Curtis, and Mr. Merkley) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

A BILL

To support United States investment opportunities, to strengthen bilateral collaboration in addressing criminal elements operating in the Brazilian Amazon, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the “Strengthening the Rule of Law in the Brazilian Amazon Act”.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:

(1) Crimes.—The term “crimes” means—

(A) any crime related or contributing to the illegal fishing and wildlife trade, illicit mining, or illegal logging and land-clearing in the Brazilian Amazon; and

(B) associated corruption, financial crimes, and violent crimes.

(2) International financial institutions.—The term “international financial institutions” means—

(A) the World Bank Group;

(B) the Inter-American Development Bank Group; and

(3) Relevant federal agencies.—The term “relevant Federal agencies” means—

(A) the Department of State;

(B) the United States Agency for International Development;

(D) the Department of the Treasury;

(E) the Department of Homeland Security;

(F) the Department of Agriculture;

(G) the National Aeronautics and Space Administration;

(H) the Department of the Interior; and

(I) any other Federal agency that the President determines is a relevant Federal agency for purposes of this Act.

SEC. 3. IDENTIFYING INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN THE BRAZILIAN AMAZON.

(a) Business Development.—The Chief Executive Officer of the United States International Development Finance Corporation should consider placing a staff member in Brazil with duties that include—

(1) identifying and implementing more sustainable and viable economic opportunities in the Brazilian Amazon; and

(2) identifying possible investment risks and mitigation measures related to operations and actors that contribute to criminal activity in the Brazilian Amazon.

(b) Report.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Chief Executive Officer of the United States International Development Finance Corporation shall submit a report to Congress that describes—

(1) the opportunities identified pursuant to subsection

(a)(1); and

(2) the most significant barriers to greater investment in sustainable and viable economic opportunities in the Brazilian Amazon.

SEC. 4. COMBATING CRIMINAL ELEMENTS OPERATING IN THE BRAZILIAN AMAZON.

(a) In General.—The Secretary of State should direct the Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, in coordination with relevant Federal agencies and the United States mission in Brazil, to promote supporting Brazil’s efforts to identify and disrupt the complex and transnational criminal networks contributing to the destruction of communities and deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon by providing capacity building and technical assistance, including—

(1) information sharing, training, and capacity-building for Brazilian agencies, including through United States Government agencies;

(2) collaborating on tracing funds generated from crimes;

(3) supporting investigations of crimes that are associated with deforestation, environmental degradation, money laundering, asset laundering, or corruption offenses;

(4) assisting with the identification of the proceeds of such crimes to help facilitate asset recovery; and

(5) providing appropriate United States assistance to funding mechanisms consistent with the goals of this Act.

(b) Community Assistance.—The Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, in consultation with relevant Federal agencies, should provide financial and technical assistance to help prevent crimes by promoting—

(1) sustainable, lawful livelihoods in the Brazilian Amazon;

(2) the protection of rights for Indigenous Peoples and local communities;

(3) economic activities and natural resource management, including mining, sustainable agriculture, and sustainable forest-based activities; and

(4) the management of protected areas, including indigenous territories, buffer zones, water resources, terrestrial and aquatic habitats of species deemed to be threatened by extinction, and other spaces vulnerable to conversion and deforestation.

(c) Annual Report.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act and annually thereafter for the following 5 years, the Secretary of State, in coordination with relevant Federal agencies and nongovernmental organizations, shall submit a report to Congress that describes the progress made in carrying out subsections

(a) and (b).

(d) Authorization of Appropriations.—There is authorized to be appropriated to the Department of State up to $10,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2025 through 2028, which should be used to help Brazilian authorities combat crimes in accordance with subsections (a) and (b).

SEC. 5. REPORT ON CERTAIN DRIVERS OF DEFORESTATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION IN THE BRAZILIAN AMAZON.

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in coordination with relevant Federal agencies, shall submit a report to Congress regarding certain drivers of deforestation and environmental degradation in the Brazilian Amazon that includes—

(1) a description of the agricultural commodities, illegal timber, minerals, and wildlife entering the United States market that are contributing to deforestation and environmental degradation of the Brazilian Amazon;

(2) a description of the role of the People’s Republic of China’s in facilitating illicit resource extraction and environmental degradation, including deforestation, in the Brazilian Amazon;

(3) the funding levels and efficacy of United States foreign assistance programs in identifying and disrupting the criminal elements operating in the Brazilian Amazon; and

(4) an assessment of the Government of Brazil’s contributions to countering criminal elements operating in the Brazilian Amazon.

SEC. 6. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law (including any Executive order), the Secretary of the Treasury should direct the United States executive director to each international financial institution, in consultation with relevant Federal agencies, to use the voice, vote, and influence of the United States—

(1) to prioritize promoting sustainable and broad-based development in the Brazilian Amazon; and

(2) to oppose any loans or programs at any such institution that would facilitate or exacerbate deforestation and environmental degradation in the Brazilian Amazon. <all>

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