U.S Senator John Cornyn, joined by Alex Padilla (D-CA), has introduced the Protecting Americans from Russian Litigation Act, a bipartisan measure aimed at shielding American companies from retaliatory lawsuits in Russian Courts.
The legislation responds to a wave of foreign litigation targeting U.S. businesses that complied with sanctions and export controls following Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
"American companies that rightfully stopped doing business in Russia following Putin's invasion of Ukraine should not be punished or subjected to Russian lawfare," Cornyn said.
He emphasized that the bill would close a loophole allowing Russian courts to impose judgments against U.S. firms for actions taken in compliance with American sanctions designed to weaken Russia's war effort.
Padilla echoed this concern, noting that the Russian lawsuits have threatened industries critical to California and the broader U.S. economy.
"Shielding American companies from Russian harassment is a commonsense, bipartisan priority that protects California's leadership in aerospace, defense, energy, and technology," Padilla commented.
After Russia's invasion, many U.S. companies ceased operations in the country to align with federal sanctions. In response, Russian courts issued rulings that have left some firms facing potential liabilities of hundreds of millions of dollars.
Currently, U.S. law provides no explicit protection against enforcement of such foreign rulings in American courts or international arbitration.
The proposed legislation seeks to close that gap, ensuring American businesses are not forced to bear legal or financial consequences for complying with U.S. sanctions.
