H.R. 36 — Mobilizing and Enhancing Georgia’s Options for Building Accountability, Resilience, and Independence Act

This section defines key terms used in the Act, including "appropriate congressional committees" (i.e., the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Senate Committee on Appropriations, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and House Committee on Appropriations), "NATO" (i.e., the North Atlantic Treaty Organization), and "Secretary" (i.e., the Secretary of State).

This section expresses the sense of Congress that (1) Georgia's progress since independence from the Soviet Union should be applauded; (2) consolidating democracy in Georgia is critical for regional stability and U.S. national interests; (3) Georgia has experienced significant democratic backsliding; (4) the current Georgian government is hostile toward independent civil society and Euro-Atlantic partners while embracing ties with Russia, China, and other authoritarian regimes; (5) the United States has an interest in securing democracy in Georgia; and (6) the Secretary of State should suspend the U.S.-Georgia Strategic Partnership Commission—established by the U.S.-Georgia Charter on Strategic Partnership on January 9, 2009—until Georgia's government upholds citizens' democratic wishes and advances toward EU and NATO membership.

This section declares it to be the policy of the United States (1) to support Georgia's constitutionally stated aspirations for European Union and NATO membership; (2) to bolster Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity against Russian aggression, including by combating such aggression internationally and reducing Georgia-Russia trade ties; (3) to urge Georgia's political parties, parliament, and government to implement the European Commission's reform plan for resuming EU candidate status through inclusive processes, respect freedoms of assembly and expression, release political prisoners, and investigate allegations of interference in the October 2024 national elections; (4) to promote democratic values in Georgia (e.g., free elections, independent judiciary and media, rule of law, anti-corruption); (5) to support the Georgian people, civil society, and peaceful protests; and (6) to reevaluate U.S. relations and assistance with Georgia's government if it fails to reorient toward EU accession and the expressed wishes of the Georgian people, while committing to deepen bilateral ties and Georgia's Euro-Atlantic aspirations.

This section directs the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Director of National Intelligence and Secretary of Defense, to submit to the appropriate congressional committees (1) within 180 days of enactment, a classified report on Russian intelligence penetration and assets in Georgia, including an annex on Chinese influence and potential Russian-Chinese cooperation; and (2) within 90 days of enactment, in coordination with the USAID Administrator and other relevant agency heads, an unclassified five-year strategy for U.S. bilateral relations with Georgia—with a classified annex—that outlines objectives reflecting Georgia's domestic political environment; assesses required tools, resources, and funding (including whether Georgia should remain the second-highest U.S. funding recipient in the Europe and Eurasia region); determines the extent of continued U.S. partnership investment; plans support for civil society and independent media; and evaluates Georgia's trade commitments with the United States and Europe.

This section defines terms applicable to its sanctions provisions, including "foreign person" (i.e., any individual or entity that is not a U.S. person), "United States person," "immediate family members," "knowingly," and "appropriate committees of Congress" (six specified Senate and House committees). It requires the President, not later than 90 days after enactment, to determine whether certain foreign persons—including individuals serving since January 1, 2014, as Georgian parliament members, senior government or political party officials, or their benefiting immediate family members—have engaged in significant corruption or violence or intimidation blocking Georgia's Euro-Atlantic integration (e.g., NATO or EU aspirations), imposing sanctions under subsection (d)(2) on those affirmatively determined, briefing Congress on such determinations, and providing case-by-case waivers for national security or changed circumstances. It further requires the President to impose sanctions under subsection (d)(2)—and authorizes sanctions under (d)(1)—against foreign persons determined after enactment to be responsible for, complicit in, or leading efforts to undermine Georgia's peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity, or their benefiting immediate family members, with a briefing and written notification to Congress within 10 days and renewable 180-day waivers vital to U.S. national security. It describes sanctions as (1) blocking all property and transactions of designated foreign persons under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and (2) [text cuts off in provided provision].

This section directs, upon presidential certification to Congress that Georgia has shown significant and sustained progress in reinvigorating its democracy and advancing Euro-Atlantic integration, (1) the Secretary of State, in consultation with relevant federal agencies, to further enhance U.S.-Georgia people-to-people contacts and academic exchanges; and (2) the President, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, to maintain or expand military cooperation with Georgia, including by providing security and defense equipment suited for territorial defense against Russian aggression, along with related training, maintenance, and operations support. It also expresses the sense of Congress that, if Georgia subsequently realigns with its Euro-Atlantic agenda—including by making significant changes to its foreign influence law—the President should improve bilateral relations, including by bolstering Georgia's ability to deter threats from Russia and other malign actors.