HR36-119

What This Bill Does

The MEGOBARI Act is a Georgia democracy, sanctions, and foreign-policy bill. It states congressional support for Georgia's constitutional aspiration to join the European Union and NATO, while condemning democratic backsliding, hostility toward civil society and independent media, and closer ties between the Georgian government and Russia, China, and other authoritarian regimes. It calls for suspending the United States-Georgia Strategic Partnership Commission until the Georgian government represents the democratic wishes of Georgian citizens and upholds its Euro-Atlantic obligations. It directs U.S. policy to reevaluate the bilateral relationship, review foreign and security assistance, support free elections, independent media, civil society, rule of law, anti-corruption work, and peaceful protest, and impose consequences on individuals who undermine those standards. It requires classified and unclassified reports from the State Department, USAID, the Defense Department, and the intelligence community on Russian intelligence penetration, Chinese influence, funding levels, trade ties, and future U.S. investment in Georgian projects.

Who Benefits and How

Georgian civil society organizations, Georgian independent media, pro-democracy protesters, Georgian citizens supporting EU and NATO integration, opposition parties seeking inclusive reform talks, U.S. congressional oversight committees, State Department policymakers, USAID democracy programs, and the Georgian military can benefit because the bill puts congressional pressure behind democratic reforms, increases oversight of Russian and Chinese influence, preserves support for civil society and media, and creates a path to expanded people-to-people exchanges and territorial-defense assistance if Georgia shows sustained democratic and Euro-Atlantic progress.

Who Bears the Burden and How

Georgian government officials, Georgian political party leaders, law-enforcement and intelligence officials involved in intimidation, immediate family members who benefit from corrupt conduct, Russian intelligence networks in Georgia, Chinese influence operations, the State Department, USAID, the Defense Department, the Director of National Intelligence, Treasury Department OFAC, and U.S. financial institutions bear burdens. The executive branch must produce reports, certifications, sanctions determinations, and briefings. Covered foreign persons face visa ineligibility, admission restrictions, property-blocking sanctions, and financial-account compliance consequences if the President determines they knowingly engaged in corruption, violence, or intimidation connected to blocking Georgia's Euro-Atlantic integration.

Key Provisions

• States support for Georgia's European Union and NATO aspirations and condemns democratic backsliding and authoritarian influence.
• Calls for suspension of the United States-Georgia Strategic Partnership Commission until Georgia takes democratic and Euro-Atlantic steps.
• Directs the United States to review foreign and security assistance and reassess the bilateral relationship based on Georgia's reform trajectory.
• Requires classified reporting on Russian intelligence penetration and an annex on Chinese influence and Russian-Chinese cooperation in Georgia.
• Requires a State Department and USAID strategy on bilateral ties, funding, civil society support, media support, trade ties, and future U.S. investment in Georgian projects.
• Requires the President to determine whether Georgian officials, political party leaders, local officials, and benefiting family members engaged in corruption, violence, or intimidation connected to blocking Euro-Atlantic integration.
• Requires sanctions and visa consequences for covered foreign persons and authorizes expanded exchanges and defense cooperation after a democratic-progress certification.