A Democratic bill with 1 Republican cosponsor · See the cosponsor
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The "BLOCK PUTIN Act" aims to stop Hungary from relying on Russian energy and to prevent it from blocking financial or security aid to Ukraine. It requires the President to impose sanctions on senior Hungarian officials who obstruct aid to Ukraine or continue importing Russian oil and gas. These sanctions include blocking property in the U.S. and denying visas or entry into the country. Sanctions can be avoided if Hungary implements a plan to diversify its energy sources and stops obstructing aid for at least 180 days. The bill also requires a government report on any U.S. facilitation of Hungary's Russian energy purchases.
Yes· 3 of 8
- Scored +7
Does this send more money or help to other countries?
Encourages the removal of obstacles to financial and security aid for Ukraine.
- Scored +6
Does this strengthen ties with allied countries?
Seeks to align EU members with NATO and US security interests regarding Russia.
- Scored +6
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
Requires reporting on US facilitation of Hungarian Russian energy purchases.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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National Security Interests: The bill promotes the diversification of energy sources away from Russia and encourages EU members to fund support for Ukraine, which the text identifies as being in the national security interests of the United States (Section 3).
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Accountability for Officials: It establishes a policy to hold Hungarian officials accountable if they take steps to block or delay financial or security assistance to Ukraine or facilitate Russian energy imports (Section 3(b) and Section 4(b)).
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Transparency of Government Actions: The Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of State must report on any U.S. government facilitation of Hungarian purchases of Russian oil and gas, including justifications for licenses or comfort letters issued (Section 5).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Travel and Entry Restrictions: Specific senior officials of the Hungarian Government can be made inadmissible to the United States, ineligible for visas, or have their current visas revoked (Section 4(c)(2)).
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Financial Burdens on Individuals: The President is authorized to block and prohibit all transactions involving property and interests in property of designated Hungarian officials if those assets are within the U.S. or controlled by a U.S. person (Section 4(c)(1)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Does this send more money or help to other countries? — Encourages the removal of obstacles to financial and security aid for Ukraine. Does this strengthen ties with allied countries? — Seeks to align EU members with NATO and US security interests regarding Russia. Does this favour talking over confrontation abroad? — Uses targeted sanctions as diplomatic leverage to change Hungarian energy policy.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — Requires reporting on US facilitation of Hungarian Russian energy purchases. Does this give the federal government more power? — Grants the President authority to impose sanctions and block foreign assets.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this reduce how much oil, gas and coal is produced? — Aims to reduce the purchase and use of Russian oil and gas. Does this put more money into wind, solar and other renewable power? — Indirectly promotes non-Russian energy alternatives. Does this cut the pollution that drives climate change? — Encourages diversification away from Russian fossil fuels, though does not mandate renewables.
- 3/26/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Thomas TillisRepublican · North Carolina