; Whereas a referral to SPEHA, pursuant to Executive Order No. 14078 (relating to Bolstering Efforts To Bring Hostages and Wrongfully Detained United States Nationals Home), allows SPEHA to utilize additional tools not regularly available in order to deter and disrupt hostage-taking and wrongful detentions by imposing costs on terrorist organizations, criminal groups, and other malicious actors who take hostages for financial, political, or other gains and thus threaten the integrity of the international political system and the safety of United States nationals and other persons abroad; Whereas, on April 17, 2023, United States Ambassador to the Russian Federation Lynne Tracy stated, The right to have political opinions, or to disagree with the decisions of one’s own government, are fundamental freedoms enshrined in both the Russian constitution and international treaties to which Russia is a party. ; Whereas the Government of the Russian Federation, under the leadership of President Putin, has clearly failed to uphold the values guaranteed in the Russian constitution and the international treaties the Russian Federation is party to; Whereas the actions of President Putin’s regime, including illegal detainments, military operations against sovereign nation states, and attacks on political opponents, constitute acts of international terrorism; Whereas, under chapter 113B of title 18, United States Code, the term international terrorism means activities that involve violent acts or acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State, or that would be a criminal violation if committed within the jurisdiction of the United States or of any State, and appear to be intended— (1) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population; (2) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or (3) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping