119-hr36

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 36 Placed on Calendar Senate

    (PCS) ]

<DOC>

 Calendar No. 70
119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 36

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

 May 6, 2025

 Received; read twice and placed on the calendar

_______________________________________________________________________

 AN ACT

 To counter the influence of the Chinese Communist Party, the Iranian 
 Regime, and the Russian Federation in the nation of Georgia.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Mobilizing and Enhancing Georgia's 
Options for Building Accountability, Resilience, and Independence Act'' 
or the ``MEGOBARI Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

 In this Act:

    (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
 ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
        (A) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
 Senate;
        (B) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;
            (C) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House 
 of Representatives; and
            (D) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
 Representatives.

    (2) NATO.--The term ``NATO'' means the North Atlantic 
 Treaty Organization.

    (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
 of State.

SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

 It is the sense of Congress that--

    (1) the progress made by the people of Georgia in forging 
 an innovative and productive society since the country's 
 independence from the Soviet Union should be applauded;

    (2) the consolidation of democracy in Georgia is critical 
 for regional stability and United States national interests;

    (3) Georgia has seen significant democratic backsliding in 
 recent years, as evidenced by numerous independent assessments 
 and measures;

    (4) the current Georgian government is increasingly hostile 
 towards independent domestic civil society and its chief Euro-
 Atlantic partners while increasingly embracing enhanced ties 
 with the Russian Federation, the People's Republic of China, 
 and other anti-Western authoritarian regimes;

    (5) the United States has an interest in protecting and 
 securing democracy in Georgia; and

    (6) the Secretary should suspend the United States-Georgia 
 Strategic Partnership Commission, established through the 
 United States-Georgia Charter on Strategic Partnership on 
 January 9, 2009, until after the Government of Georgia takes 
 measures--
        (A) to represent the democratic wishes of the 
 citizens of Georgia; and
        (B) to uphold its constitutional obligation to 
 advance the country towards membership in the European 
 Union and NATO.

SEC. 4. STATEMENT OF POLICY.

 It is the policy of the United States--

    (1) to support the constitutionally stated aspirations of 
 Georgia to become a member of the European Union and NATO, 
 which is made clear under Article 78 of the Constitution of 
 Georgia and is supported by the overwhelming majority of the 
 citizens of Georgia;

    (2) to continue supporting the capacity of the Government 
 of Georgia to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity 
 from further Russian aggression or encroachment within its 
 internationally recognized borders;

    (3) to call on all political parties and elected Members of 
 the Parliament of Georgia to continue working on addressing the 
 reform plan outlined by the European Commission to resume 
 Georgia's recently granted candidate status through an 
 inclusive and transparent consultation process that involves 
 opposition parties and civil society organizations, which the 
 people of Georgia have freely elected to pursue;

    (4) to reevaluate its relationship with the Government of 
 Georgia and review all forms of foreign and security assistance 
 made available to the Government if it takes the required 
 steps--
        (A) to reorient itself toward its European Union 
 accession agenda; and
        (B) to advance policy or legislation reflecting the 
 express wishes of the Georgian people;

    (5) to emphasize the importance of contributing to 
 international efforts--
        (A) to combat Russian aggression, including through 
 sanctions on trade with Russia and the implementation 
 and enforcement of worldwide sanctions on Russia; and
        (B) to reduce, rather than increase, trade ties 
 between Georgia and Russia;

    (6) to continue supporting the ongoing development of 
 democratic values in Georgia, including free and fair 
 elections, freedom of association, an independent and 
 accountable judiciary, an independent media, public-sector 
 transparency and accountability, the rule of law, countering 
 malign influence, and anti-corruption efforts and to impose 
 swift consequences on individuals who are directly responsible 
 for leading or have directly and knowingly engaged in leading 
 actions of policies that significantly undermine those 
 standards;

    (7) to continue to support the Georgian people and civil 
 society organizations that reflect the aspirations of the 
 Georgian people for democracy and a future with the people of 
 Europe;

    (8) to continue supporting the right of the Georgian people 
 to freely engage in peaceful protest, determine their future, 
 and make independent and sovereign choices on foreign and 
 security policy, including regarding Georgia's relationship 
 with other countries and international organizations, without 
 interference, intimidation, or coercion by other countries or 
 those acting on their behalf;

    (9) to call on all political parties, elected Members of 
 the Parliament of Georgia, and officers of the Ministry of 
 Internal Affairs of Georgia to respect the freedoms of peaceful 
 assembly, association, and expression, including for the press, 
 and the rule of law, and encourage a vibrant and inclusive 
 civil society;

    (10) to call on the Government of Georgia to release all 
 persons detained or imprisoned on politically motivated grounds 
 and drop any pending charges against them;

    (11) to call on the Government of Georgia to thoroughly 
 investigate all allegations emerging from the recent national 
 elections, which took place on October 2024, make a 
 determination whether the elections should be judged as 
 illegitimate and hold those responsible for interference in the 
 elections; and

    (12) to continue impressing upon the Government of Georgia 
 that the United States is committed to sustaining and deepening 
 bilateral relations and supporting Georgia's Euro-Atlantic 
 aspirations.

SEC. 5. REPORTS AND BRIEFINGS.

    (a) Report on Russian Intelligence Assets in Georgia.--

    (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
 the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in 
 coordination with the Director of National Intelligence and the 
 Secretary of Defense, shall submit to the appropriate 
 committees of Congress a classified report, prepared consistent 
 with the protection of sources and methods, examining the 
 penetration of Russian intelligence elements and their assets 
 in Georgia, that includes an annex examining Chinese influence 
 and the potential intersection of Russian-Chinese cooperation 
 in Georgia.

    (2) Appropriate committees of congress.--In this section, 
 the term ``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
        (A) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
 Senate, the Select Committee on Intelligence of the 
 Senate, and the Committee on Armed Services of the 
 Senate; and
        (B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House 
 of Representatives, the Permanent Select Committee on 
 Intelligence of the House of Representatives, and the 
 Committee on Armed Services of the House of 
 Representatives.

    (b) 5-Year United States Strategy for Bilateral Relations With 
Georgia.--

    (1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
 the enactment of this Act, the Secretary and the Administrator 
 of the United States Agency for International Development, in 
 coordination with the heads of other relevant Federal 
 departments and agencies, shall submit to the appropriate 
 congressional committees a detailed strategy that--
        (A) outlines specific objectives for enhancing 
 bilateral ties which reflect the current domestic 
 political environment in Georgia;
        (B) includes a determination of the tools, 
 resources, and funding that should be available to 
 achieve the objectives outlined pursuant to paragraph

    (1) and an assessment whether Georgia should remain the 
 second-highest recipient of United States funding in 
 the Europe and Eurasia region;
            (C) includes a determination of the extent to which 
 the United States should continue to invest in its 
 partnership with Georgia;
            (D) includes a plan for how the United States can 
 continue to support civil society and independent media 
 organizations in Georgia; and
        (E) includes a determination whether the Government 
 of Georgia remains committed to expanding trade ties 
 with the United States and Europe and whether the 
 United States Government should continue to invest in 
 Georgian projects.

    (2) Form.--The report required by paragraph

    (1) shall be 
 submitted in unclassified form, with a classified annex.

SEC. 6. SANCTIONS.

    (a) 

=== Definitions. ===
-In this section:

    (1) Admission; admitted; alien.--The terms ``admission'', 
 ``admitted'', and ``alien'' have the meanings given such terms 
 in 

section 101 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
 1101).

    (2) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term 
 ``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
        (A) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
 Senate;
        (B) the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban 
 Affairs of the Senate;
            (C) the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate;
            (D) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House 
 of Representatives;
        (E) the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of 
 Representatives; and
        (F) the Committee on Financial Services of the 
 House of Representatives.

    (3) Foreign person.--The term ``foreign person'' means any 
 individual or entity that is not a United States person.

    (4) Immediate family members.--The term ``immediate family 
 members'' has the meaning given the term ``immediate 
 relatives'' in 

section 201

    (b)

    (2)
        (A)
            (i) of the Immigration and 
 Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1201

    (b)

    (2)
        (A)
            (i) ).

    (5) Knowingly.--The term ``knowingly'', with respect to 
 conduct, a circumstance, or a result, means that a person has 
 actual knowledge, or should have known, of the conduct, the 
 circumstance, or the result.

    (6) Unites states person.--The term ``United States 
 person'' means--
        (A) a United States citizen or an alien lawfully 
 admitted for permanent residence to the United States;
        (B) an entity organized under the laws of the 
 United States or any jurisdiction within the United 
 States, including a foreign branch of such an entity; 
 or
            (C) any person within the United States.

    (b) Inadmissibility of Officials of Government of Georgia and 
Certain Other Individuals Involved in Blocking Euro-Atlantic 
Integration.--

    (1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
 the enactment of this Act, the President shall determine 
 whether each of the following foreign persons has knowingly 
 engaged in significant acts of corruption, or acts of violence 
 or intimidation in relation to the blocking of Euro-Atlantic 
 integration in Georgia:
        (A) Any individual who, on or after January 1, 
 2014, has served as a member of the Parliament of the 
 Government of Georgia or as a current or former senior 
 official of a Georgian political party.
        (B) Any individual who is serving as an official in 
 a leadership position working on behalf of the 
 Government of Georgia, including law enforcement, 
 intelligence, judicial, or local or municipal 
 government.
            (C) An immediate family member of an official 
 described in subparagraph
        (A) or a person described in 
 subparagraph
        (B) who benefitted from the conduct of 
 such official or person.

    (2) Sanctions.--The President shall impose the sanctions 
 described in subsection
            (d) (2) with respect to each foreign 
 person with respect to which the President has made an 
 affirmative decision under paragraph

    (1) .

    (3) Briefing.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
 enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall brief the 
 appropriate committees of Congress with respect to--
        (A) any foreign person with respect to which the 
 President has made an affirmative determination under 
 paragraph

    (1) ; and
        (B) the specific facts that justify each such 
 affirmative determination.

    (4) Waiver.--The President may waive imposition of 
 sanctions under this subsection on a case-by-case basis if the 
 President determines and reports to the appropriate committees 
 of Congress that--
        (A) such waiver would serve national security 
 interests; or
        (B) the circumstances which caused the individual 
 to be ineligible have sufficiently changed.
            (c) Imposition of Sanctions With Respect to Undermining Peace, 
Security, Stability, Sovereignty or Territorial Integrity of Georgia.--

    (1) In general.--The President may impose the sanctions 
 described in subsection
            (d) (1) and shall impose the sanctions 
 described in subsection
            (d) (2) with respect to each foreign 
 person the President determines, on or after the date of the 
 enactment of this Act--
        (A) is responsible for, complicit in, or has 
 directly or indirectly engaged in or attempted to 
 engage in, actions or policies, including ordering, 
 controlling, or otherwise directing acts that are 
 intended to undermine the peace, security, stability, 
 sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Georgia;
        (B) is or has been a leader or official of an 
 entity that has, or whose members have, engaged in any 
 activity described in subparagraph
        (A) ; or
            (C) is an immediate family member of a person 
 subject to sanctions for conduct described in 
 subparagraph
        (A) or
        (B) and benefitted from the conduct 
 of such person.

    (2) Brief and written notification.--Not later than 10 days 
 after imposing sanctions on a foreign person or persons 
 pursuant to this subsection, the President shall brief and 
 provide written notification to the appropriate committees of 
 Congress regarding the imposition of such sanctions, which 
 shall describe--
        (A) the foreign person or persons subject to the 
 imposition of such sanctions;
        (B) the activity justifying the imposition of such 
 sanctions; and
            (C) the specific sanctions imposed on such foreign 
 person or persons.

    (3) Waiver.--The President may waive the application of 
 sanctions under this subsection with respect to a foreign 
 person for renewable periods not to exceed 180 days if, not 
 later than 15 days before the date on which such waiver is to 
 take effect, the President submits to the appropriate 
 committees of Congress a written determination and 
 justification that the waiver is in the national security 
 interests of the United States.
            (d) Sanctions Described.--The sanctions described in this 
subsection are the following with respect to a foreign person described 
in subsection

    (b) or
            (c) , as applicable:

    (1) Blocking of property.--Notwithstanding the requirements 
 under 

section 202 of the International Emergency Economic 
 Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701), the President shall exercise all 
 authorities granted under the International Emergency Economic 
 Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) to the extent necessary to 
 block and prohibit all transactions in property and interests 
 in property of the foreign person if such property and 
 interests in property are in the United States, come within the 
 United States, or are or come within the possession or control 
 of a United States person.

    (2) Ineligibility for visas, admission, or parole.--
        (A) Visas, admission, or parole.--A foreign person 
 that is an alien shall be--
            (i) inadmissible to the United States;
            (ii) ineligible to receive a visa or other 
 documentation to enter the United States; and
            (iii) otherwise ineligible to be admitted 
 or paroled into the United States or to receive 
 any other benefit under the Immigration and 
 Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.).
        (B) Current visas revoked.--The foreign person 
 shall be subject to the following:
            (i) Revocation of any visa or other entry 
 documentation regardless of when the visa or 
 other entry documentation is or was issued.
            (ii) A revocation under clause
            (i) shall 
 take effect immediately and automatically 
 cancel any other valid visa or entry 
 documentation that is in the foreign person's 
 possession.

    (e) Implementation; Penalties.--

    (1) Implementation.--The President may exercise all 
 authorities provided under sections 203 and 205 of the 
 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1702 and 
 1704) to carry out this section.

    (2) Penalties.--A person that violates, attempts to 
 violate, conspires to violate, or causes a violation of 
 subsection
            (d) (2)
        (A) or any regulation, license, or order 
 issued under that subsection shall be subject to the penalties 
 set forth in subsections

    (b) and
            (c) of 

section 206 of the 
 International Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1705) to the same 
 extent as a person that commits an unlawful act described in 
 subsection

    (a) of that section.

    (3) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this Act, or any 
 amendment made by this Act, may be construed to limit the 
 authority of the President to designate or sanction persons 
 pursuant to an applicable Executive order or otherwise pursuant 
 to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 
 1701 et seq.).

    (f) Rulemaking.--

    (1) In general.--Not later than 120 days after the date of 
 the enactment of this Act, the President shall prescribe such 
 regulations as are necessary for the implementation of this 
 section.

    (2) Notification to congress.--Not later than 10 days 
 before prescribing regulations pursuant to paragraph

    (1) , the 
 President shall notify the appropriate committees of Congress 
 of the proposed regulations and the provisions of this section 
 that the regulations are implementing.

    (g) Sanctions With Respect to Broader Corruption in Georgia.--

    (1) Determination.--The President shall determine whether 
 there are foreign persons who, on or after the date of the 
 enactment of this Act, have engaged in significant corruption 
 in Georgia or acts that are intended to undermine the peace, 
 security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of 
 Georgia for the purposes of potential imposition of sanctions 
 pursuant to powers granted to the President under the 
 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et 
 seq.).

    (2) Report.--
        (A) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the 
 date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall 
 submit a report to the appropriate committees of 
 Congress that--
            (i) identifies all foreign persons the 
 President has determined, pursuant to this 
 subsection, have engaged in significant 
 corruption in Georgia or committed acts that 
 are intended to undermine the peace, security, 
 stability, sovereignty, or territorial 
 integrity of Georgia;
            (ii) the dates on which sanctions were 
 imposed; and
            (iii) the reasons for imposing such 
 sanctions.
        (B) Form.--The report required under subparagraph
        (A) shall be provided in unclassified form, but may 
 include a classified annex.

    (h) Termination of Sanctions.--Any sanctions imposed on a foreign 
person pursuant to this section shall terminate on the earlier of--

    (1) the date on which the President certifies to the 
 appropriate committees of Congress that the foreign person is 
 no longer engaging in the activities that led to the imposition 
 of such sanction; or

    (2) the sunset date described in 

section 7.
            (i) Exceptions.--

    (1) === Definitions. ===
-In this section:
        (A) Agricultural commodity.--The term 
 ``agricultural commodity'' has the meaning given such 
 term in 

section 102 of the Agricultural Trade Act of 
 1978 (7 U.S.C. 5602).
        (B) Good.--The term ``good'' means any article, 
 natural or man-made substance, material, supply, or 
 manufactured product, including inspection and test 
 equipment and excluding technical data.
            (C) Medical device.--The term ``medical device'' 
 has the meaning given the term ``device'' in 

section 201 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 
 U.S.C. 321).
            (D) Medicine.--The term ``medicine'' has the 
 meaning given the term ``drug'' in 

section 201 of the 
 Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 321).

    (2) Exceptions.--
        (A) Exception relating to intelligence 
 activities.--Sanctions under this section shall not 
 apply to--
            (i) any activity subject to the reporting 
 requirements under title V of the National 
 Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3091 et seq.); 
 or
            (ii) any authorized intelligence activities 
 of the United States.
        (B) Exception to comply with international 
 obligations.--Sanctions under this section shall not 
 apply with respect to a foreign person if admitting or 
 paroling the person into the United States is necessary 
 to permit the United States to comply with the 
 Agreement regarding the Headquarters of the United 
 Nations, signed at Lake Success June 26, 1947, and 
 entered into force November 21, 1947, between the 
 United Nations and the United States, or other 
 applicable international obligations.
            (C) Humanitarian assistance.--Sanctions under this 
 section shall not apply to--
            (i) the conduct or facilitation of a 
 transaction for the provision of agricultural 
 commodities, food, medicine, medical devices, 
 or humanitarian assistance, or for humanitarian 
 purposes; or
            (ii) transactions that are necessary for, 
 or related to, the activities described in 
 paragraph

    (1) .

    (j) Exception Relating to Importation of Goods.--The requirement to 
block and prohibit all transactions in all property and interests in 
property under this section shall not include the authority or a 
requirement to impose sanctions on the importation of goods.

SEC. 7. ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE WITH RESPECT TO GEORGIA.

    (a) In General.--Upon submission to Congress of the certification 
described in subsection
            (c) --

    (1) the Secretary of State, in consultation with other 
 heads of other relevant Federal departments and agencies, 
 should seek to further enhance people-to-people contacts and 
 academic exchanges between the United States and Georgia; and

    (2) the President, in consultation with the Secretary of 
 Defense, should maintain, and as appropriate, expand military 
 co-operation with Georgia, including by providing further 
 security and defense equipment ideally suited for territorial 
 defense against Russian aggression and related training, 
 maintenance, and operations support elements.

    (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that, after the 
submission of the certification described in subsection
            (c) should the 
Georgian government take steps to re-align itself with its Euro-
Atlantic agenda, including significant changes to the foreign influence 
law, the President should take steps to improve the bilateral 
relationship between the United States and Georgia, including actions 
to bolster Georgia's ability to deter threats from Russia and other 
malign actors.
            (c) Certification Described.--The certification described in this 
subsection is a certification submitted to Congress by the President 
that Georgia has shown significant and sustained progress towards 
reinvigorating its democracy and advancing its Euro-Atlantic 
integration.

SEC. 8. SUNSET.

 This Act shall cease to have any force or effect beginning on the 
date that is 5 years after the date of the enactment of this Act.

 Passed the House of Representatives May 5, 2025.

 Attest:

 KEVIN F. MCCUMBER,

 Clerk.
 Calendar No. 70

119th CONGRESS

 1st Session

 H. R. 36

_______________________________________________________________________

 AN ACT

 To counter the influence of the Chinese Communist Party, the Iranian 
 Regime, and the Russian Federation in the nation of Georgia.

_______________________________________________________________________

 May 6, 2025

 Received; read twice and placed on the calendar