Russia and Belarus SDR Exchange Prohibition Act of 2022

The Russia and Belarus SDR Exchange Prohibition Act of 2022 prevents the U.S. Treasury Department from exchanging "Special Drawing Rights" (SDRs)—a type of international reserve currency managed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF)—with Russia or Belarus. The bill also requires U.S. officials to lobby other IMF member nations to block similar exchanges and to oppose any new allocations of these assets to both countries.

For the average citizen, this legislation acts as a targeted financial sanction designed to limit the ability of Russia and Belarus to convert their international assets into usable cash, such as U.S. dollars, to fund government operations or military activities. These restrictions would remain in place for five years unless the President certifies that both countries have ended their aggression against Ukraine or determines that lifting the rules is in the national interest of the United States.