No CRS summary available for this bill.
This section defines key terms used in the Act: (1) "appropriate congressional committees" as the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Senate Committee on Appropriations, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and House Committee on Appropriations; (2) "NATO" as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization; and (3) "Secretary" as the Secretary of State.
This section states the sense of Congress that (1) Georgia's progress since independence from the Soviet Union merits applause; (2) democratic consolidation 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 increasingly hostile toward independent domestic civil society and Euro-Atlantic partners while embracing ties with Russia, China, and other anti-Western authoritarian regimes; (5) the United States has an interest in protecting democracy in Georgia; and (6) the Secretary of State should suspend the United States-Georgia Strategic Partnership Commission—established by the 2009 U.S.-Georgia Charter on Strategic Partnership—until the Government of Georgia takes measures to represent citizens' democratic wishes and uphold its constitutional obligations to pursue 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 capacity to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity from Russian aggression; (3) to urge Georgia's political parties and parliament to address the European Commission's reform plan for resuming EU candidate status through inclusive consultations with opposition and civil society; (4) to reevaluate U.S. relations and assistance if Georgia reorients toward EU accession and policies reflecting the people's wishes; (5) to combat Russian aggression via sanctions and reduced Georgia-Russia trade ties; (6) to advance democratic values in Georgia—including free elections, judicial independence, media freedom, rule of law, and anti-corruption—and impose consequences on those undermining them; (7) to support the Georgian people and civil society pursuing democracy and European integration; (8) to uphold Georgians' rights to peaceful protest and sovereign foreign policy choices free from interference; (9) to call on Georgian officials to respect freedoms of assembly, association, expression, and the rule of law; (10) to demand release of those detained on politically motivated grounds; (11) to require investigation of allegations from Georgia's October 2024 national elections, including potential illegitimacy and accountability for interference; and (12) to sustain bilateral relations and Georgia's Euro-Atlantic goals.
This section requires (1) the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Director of National Intelligence and Secretary of Defense, to submit to specified congressional committees a classified report—prepared consistent with the protection of sources and methods—on Russian intelligence penetration and assets in Georgia, including an annex on Chinese influence and potential Russian-Chinese cooperation, due not later than 180 days after enactment; and (2) the Secretary of State and USAID Administrator, in coordination with other relevant federal agencies, to submit to the same committees an unclassified 5-year strategy for U.S.-Georgia bilateral relations—with a classified annex—due not later than 90 days after enactment. The strategy must outline objectives reflecting Georgia's current political environment; assess required tools, resources, and funding (including whether Georgia should remain the second-highest U.S. funding recipient in the Europe and Eurasia region); determine the extent of continued U.S. investment in the partnership; detail support for Georgian civil society and independent media; and evaluate Georgia's trade commitments with the United States and Europe.
This section defines terms applicable to its provisions, including "foreign person" (i.e., any individual or entity that is not a United States person), "United States person," "immediate family members" (i.e., immediate relatives as defined in the Immigration and Nationality Act), "knowingly," and "appropriate committees of Congress" (i.e., specified Senate and House committees). This section requires the President, not later than 90 days after enactment, to determine whether specified foreign persons—including (1) individuals serving on or after January 1, 2014, as members of the Parliament of Georgia or senior officials of Georgian political parties, (2) current or former senior Georgian government officials (e.g., in law enforcement, intelligence, judicial, or local government), or (3) their benefiting immediate family members—have knowingly engaged in significant corruption or acts of violence or intimidation blocking Euro-Atlantic integration in Georgia, and if so, to impose sanctions under subsection (d)(2), with a briefing to the appropriate committees of Congress not later than 90 days after enactment. The President may waive such sanctions on a case-by-case basis if determined to serve U.S. national security interests or if the disqualifying circumstances have sufficiently changed. This section requires the President to impose sanctions under subsection (d)(2) and authorizes sanctions under subsection (d)(1) with respect to foreign persons determined on or after enactment to be responsible for, complicit in, or directing actions or policies undermining Georgia's peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity—including leaders or officials of responsible entities or their benefiting immediate family members—with a briefing and written notification to the appropriate committees of Congress not later than 10 days after imposition. The President may waive such sanctions for renewable periods not to exceed 180 days if determined to serve U.S. national security interests. This section specifies that the described sanctions with respect to covered foreign persons are (1) blocking all property and interests in property pursuant to authorities under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), notwithstanding section 202 of such Act; and (2) additional sanctions as specified in subsection (d)(2).
This section directs the Secretary of State, upon presidential certification to Congress that Georgia has shown significant and sustained progress in reinvigorating its democracy and advancing Euro-Atlantic integration, to enhance people-to-people contacts and academic exchanges with Georgia and the President, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, to maintain and potentially expand military cooperation with Georgia—including by providing security and defense equipment suited for territorial defense against Russian aggression, plus related training, maintenance, and operations support. It also expresses the sense of Congress that, following such certification and if Georgia 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.