New bill would allow US citizens to seize Russian ships by force – Laredo Morning Times

A Texas lawmaker has introduced legislation that would allow private U.S. citizens to seize assets and property owned by Russian oligarchs who have been sanctioned in response to Russia's ongoing war with Ukraine.

The bill, introduced on Feb. 28 by Rep. Lance Gooden from Dallas, would require President Joe Biden to issue letters of marque and reprisal for the seizure of yachts, planes or other property owned by those on the Treasury Department's list of sanctioned Russians. The proposal comes as the U.S. continues to increase sanctions against Russia's elite in response to the country's war against Ukraine. While Biden has warned Russian oligarchs that the U.S. will seize their ill-begotten gains," Gooden says it's not enough.

"Putins inner circle have planes and yachts sitting at airports and harbors all over the world," Gooden said in a March 1 news release. "If President Biden refuses to act quickly, then it is time Congress and American citizens take matters into their own hands. Russian oligarchs must be held accountable for enabling the disgusting invasion of Ukraine.

Letters of Marque and Reprisal, a historic tool authorized in Article 1 of the U.S. Constitution, allow private citizens or groups to seize enemy property on behalf of the U.S. government. Such letters were used during the War of 1812, but have not been issued since.

This new bill would authorize "privately armed individuals and entities to seize the assets of certain Russian citizens" and states "the holder of such a letter [of Marque] shall be authorized to employ all means reasonably necessary to seize any asset, such as a yacht or plane, outside of the United States that belongs to a Russian citizen on the Office of Foreign Asset Control's List of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons."

Gooden's office told Fox News that the letters could even be used in cyberspace for U.S. hackers to go after Russia. "Corrupt Russian oligarchs have enabled Putin's war," Gooden tweeted. "That's why I have introduced legislation to allow U.S. citizens to SEIZE yachts and jets of sanctioned Russians. We must use every tool at our disposal to stand up to Russia and stand with Ukraine."

Former Texas Rep. Ron Paul introduced his Marque and Reprisal Act following the 9/11 attacks, which would have authorized private citizens to "seize the person and property of Osama bin Laden and any other individual responsible for the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11." In 2009, Paul again proposed issuing letters of marque to combat Somali pirates.

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New bill would allow US citizens to seize Russian ships by force - Laredo Morning Times