US Federal House Bill HB268

US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/9/25
• Refer: 1/9/25

Caption

STOP MADURO Act

Summary

HB268, titled the STOP MADURO Act, would authorize the Secretary of State to pay a reward of up to $100 million to one or more individuals who provide information that directly leads to the arrest and conviction of Nicolás Maduro Moros. The bill specifically overrides the usual cap in the State Department rewards program for this one case and ties any payment to assets that are already being withheld from Maduro, officials of the Maduro regime, and their co-conspirators. The bill’s findings rest on prior U.S. criminal charges against Maduro and other Venezuelan officials for narco-terrorism, cocaine importation, and related weapons offenses, as well as on statements from federal prosecutors describing the alleged drug-trafficking network and the seizure of substantial assets. In effect, the measure is designed to increase the incentive for informants while ensuring the reward is paid from confiscated or blocked Venezuelan-linked assets rather than from general federal funds.

Impact

If enacted, the bill would amend the operation of the Department of State Rewards Program by creating a special, higher maximum reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest and conviction. It would also direct that the reward be financed exclusively through liquidation of assets blocked under sanctions and anti-narcotics authorities, including the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act, Venezuela-related sanctions laws, and relevant executive orders. The measure would not broadly change sanctions law, but it would affect how certain frozen assets may be used and would create a targeted exception to existing reward limits.

Sentiment

The bill appears to have been introduced in a strongly adversarial posture toward the Maduro regime and with bipartisan sponsorship, suggesting notable support for a hardline approach to Venezuelan officials. Because there are no recorded votes or committee transcripts in the provided materials, there is no direct evidence of debate or amendment activity. The overall tone of the bill is punitive and enforcement-oriented, reflecting a consensus among the sponsors that Maduro should face intensified pressure and that informants should be heavily incentivized.

Contention

The main policy questions likely concern the size of the reward, the legality and practicality of paying it from blocked assets, and whether using seized or withheld funds in this way is an appropriate use of sanctions-related property. Another possible point of contention is the bill’s focus on a foreign head of state and whether such a targeted measure is an effective foreign-policy tool or an escalation. No specific objections are documented in the provided record, but these issues would likely be the central areas of debate if the bill advances.