[Congressional Bills 118th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 8845 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 118th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 8845 To support democracy and the rule of law in Georgia, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 26, 2024 Mr. Keating (for himself and Mr. Fitzpatrick) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To support democracy and the rule of law in Georgia, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLES; TABLE OF CONTENTS. (a) Short Titles.--This Act may be cited as the ``Georgian People's Act'' or the ``GPA Act''. (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as follows: Sec. 1. Short titles; table of contents. Sec. 2. Findings. Sec. 3. Statement of policy. Sec. 4. Definitions. TITLE I--CONDITIONS ON ENGAGEMENT WITH GOVERNMENT OF GEORGIA Subtitle A--Sanctions Sec. 101. Definitions. Sec. 102. Statement of policy. Sec. 103. Inadmissibility of officials of Government of Georgia and certain other individuals involved in blocking Euro-Atlantic integration. Sec. 104. Imposition of sanctions with respect to undermining peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Georgia. Sec. 105. Sanctions with respect to broader corruption in Georgia. Sec. 106. Exceptions. Subtitle B--Improving Bilateral Relations With Georgia Sec. 111. United States strategy toward Georgia. Sec. 112. Report on review of foreign assistance to Georgia. Sec. 113. Sense of Congress regarding suspension of United States- Georgia strategic dialogue. Sec. 114. Defense cooperation with Georgia. TITLE II--ADDITIONAL MEASURES TO SUPPORT THE GEORGIAN PEOPLE Sec. 201. Statement of policy in support of the Georgian people. Sec. 202. Democracy and rule-of-law programming. Sec. 203. Report on disinformation and corruption in Georgia. Sec. 204. Report on political prisoners in Georgia. Sec. 205. Sunset. SEC. 2. FINDINGS. Congress finds the following: (1) On April 9, 1991, the Republic of Georgia declared independence from the Soviet Union, and on March 24, 1992, the United States and Georgia established formal diplomatic relations. (2) Since 1993, the territorial integrity of Georgia has been reaffirmed by the international community and numerous United Nations Security Council resolutions. (3) At the 2008 Summit in Bucharest, NATO recognized the aspirations of Georgia to join NATO and committed that Georgia would become a member of the Alliance. (4) On August 7, 2008, the Russian Federation invaded Georgia and thereafter occupied 20 percent of its territory, all of which it continues to occupy. (5) On January 9, 2009, the United States and Georgia signed the United States-Georgia Charter on Strategic Partnership, affirming the close relationship between the United States and Georgia based on the shared principles of democracy, free markets, defense and security cooperation, and cultural exchanges. (6) Georgia made significant contributions to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and was the largest troop contributor among NATO partners to the NATO-led Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan. (7) The United States and Georgia have maintained a strong security partnership, including the U.S.-Georgia Security Cooperation Framework, signed in November 2019, and the Georgia Defense and Deterrence Enhancement Initiative, launched in October 2021. (8) The United States supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders and condemns the continued occupation by Russia of the Georgian regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. (9) The United States has continuously supported the democratic wishes of the Georgian people, who have long maintained their aspirations to join the European Union and NATO. (10) During and following her tenure as United States Ambassador and Plenipotentiary to Georgia between 2020 and 2023, Kelly Degnan has been the subject of slander and verbal abuse from members of the Government of Georgia. (11) As recently as October 2023, reputable polling indicates that 86 percent of the Georgian public support Georgia becoming a member of the European Union. (12) Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Georgia-- (A) has not imposed its own sanctions on Russia; and (B) has increased economic ties, including initiating many direct flights to and from Russia; (C) has eased visa requirements for Russians visiting Georgia; and (D) is perceived as a conduit of Russia's sanctions evasion endeavors. (13) Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and the subsequent rounds of international sanctions placed on Russia as a result of such invasion, Georgia saw its trade with Russia grow by 34 percent between January and June 2023. (14) Georgia's geographic position as both a Black Sea littoral nation and its proximity to the Caspian Sea could further strengthen Georgia's economy by transporting natural gas through the Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline Project. (15) In June 2022, when the Governments of Ukraine and Moldova received candidate status for membership in the European Union, the European Council stated it would only be ready to grant Georgia candidate status once the country has addressed the 12 priorities outlined by the European Commission. (16) In December 2023, the European Union granted Georgia the status of candidate country, with the understanding that Georgia would act consistent with the recommendations of the European Commission by continuing to advance the outlined reform priorities and increasing its alignment with the European Union's foreign and security policy positions. (17) On February 24, 2023, a foreign agents bill was introduced in the Parliament of Georgia-- (A) to impose restrictions on civil society organizations, nongovernmental organizations, and independent media organizations; and (B) to stigmatize such organizations as ``foreign agents''. (18) On March 7, 2023, the Parliament of Georgia accelerated the passage of that bill, which led to-- (A) large-scale protests that Georgian authorities confronted by deploying tear gas and water cannons; and (B) the withdrawal of the bill by the Parliament. (19) On April 15, 2024, the foreign agents bill, which was renamed ``the Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence'', was reintroduced in the Parliament of Georgia with minor changes that did not reflect the express wishes of the Georgian people, which provoked-- (A) large-scale protests in Tbilisi and around the country; and (B) the ejection of opposition parliamentarians from parliamentary hearings. (20) On April 29, 2024, former Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, who is currently the Honorary Chairman of the ruling Georgian Dream Party, gave a speech in which he-- (A) harshly attacked American and European partners; (B) alleged that the goal of foreign funding of civil society and nongovernmental organizations in Georgia is to deprive Georgia of its state sovereignty; and (C) promised to punish opposition political groups. (21) In the face of massive, nation-wide protests against the foreign agents bill, Georgian authorities have, in some cases, deployed disproportionate force against largely peaceful protestors, including-- (A) reportedly attacking journalists covering the protests and members of the political opposition; and (B) threatening civil society leaders and family members of protestors at their homes. (22) On May 14, 2024, the Parliament of Georgia passed the foreign agents bill against the wishes of the Georgian people. (23) On May 21, 2024, the Venice Commission issued an opinion regarding Georgia's foreign influence law in which it ``strongly recommend[ed] repealing the Law in its current form, as its fundamental flaws will involve significant negative consequences for the freedoms of association and expression, the right to privacy, the right to participate in public affairs as well as the prohibition of discrimination.'' SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY. It is the policy of the United States-- (1) 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 advance Georgia's recently granted candidate status, which the people of Georgia have freely elected to pursue; (2) to call on the Government of Georgia to institute the required reforms, which are to be developed through an inclusive and transparent consultation process with opposition parties and civil society organizations; (3) to express serious concern that impediments to strengthening the democratic institutions and processes of Georgia, including the foreign agents bill, will slow or halt Georgia's progress toward achieving its Euro-Atlantic aspirations, be perceived as stagnating the democratic trajectory of Georgia, and result in negative domestic and international consequences for the Government of Georgia; (4) to impose swift consequences on individuals who are directly responsible for leading or have directly and knowingly engaged in leading, actions or policies that significantly undermine the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Georgia; (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 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; (7) 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; (8) to call on the Government of Georgia to ensure that the national elections scheduled for October 2024 are free, fair, and reflective of the will of the Georgian people; and (9) 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. 4. 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) Foreign agents bill.--The term ``foreign agents bill'' means the ``On Transparency of Foreign Influence'' bill, which was reintroduced in the Parliament of Georgia in April 2024. (3) Georgia.--The term ``Georgia'' means the Republic of Georgia. (4) NATO.--The term ``NATO'' means the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. (5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of State. TITLE I--CONDITIONS ON ENGAGEMENT WITH GOVERNMENT OF GEORGIA Subtitle A--Sanctions SEC. 101. DEFINITIONS. In this subtitle: (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 Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives; and (D) 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) United 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. SEC. 102. STATEMENT OF POLICY. (a) In General.--It shall be the policy of the United States to support the constitutionally stated aspirations of Georgia to become a member of the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which-- (1) is made clear under Article 78 of the Constitution of Georgia; and (2) is supported by 86 percent of the citizens of Georgia. (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that-- (1) acts of blocking Euro-Atlantic integration in Georgia, due to undue influence from corrupt or oligarchic forces, constitute a form of corruption; (2) the United States should consider travel restrictions or sanctions on individuals responsible for any actions preventing Georgia from moving toward Euro-Atlantic integration, which include acts of violence or intimidation against Georgian citizens, members of civil society, and members of an opposition political party; (3) the United States, in response to recent events in Georgia, should reassess whether recent actions undertaken by individuals in Georgia should result in the imposition of sanctions by the United States for acts of significant corruption and human rights abuses; and (4) the United States should consider revoking the visas of nationals of Georgia and their family members who-- (A) live in the United States; and (B) are determined to meet the criteria described in section 103(a). SEC. 103. INADMISSIBILITY OF OFFICIALS OF GOVERNMENT OF GEORGIA AND CERTAIN OTHER INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED IN BLOCKING EURO- ATLANTIC INTEGRATION. (a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall identify and make a determination as to whether any 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: (1) Any individual who, on or after January 1, 2012, has served as a member of the Parliament of the Government of Georgia, as a senior staff member of the Parliament of the Government of Georgia, or as a current or former senior official of a Georgian political party. (2) 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. (3) An immediate family member of an official described in paragraph (1) or a person described in paragraph (2). (b) Current Visas Revoked.-- (1) In general.--The visa or other entry documentation of any alien described in subsection (a) is subject to immediate revocation regardless of the issue date of such visa or documentation. (2) Immediate effect.--A revocation of a visa or other entry documentation of any alien pursuant to paragraph (1) shall, in accordance with section 221(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1201(i))-- (A) take effect immediately; and (B) cancel any other valid visa or entry documentation that is in the