H.R. 598 — what changed
Georgia Support Act
From Introduced in House to Engrossed in House. 2 sections amended and 1 added between Introduced in House and Engrossed in House.
101. United States-Georgia security assistance
Findings— Congress finds the following:
In fiscal year 2018, the United States provided Georgia with $2,200,000 in assistance under chapter 5 of part II of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2347 et seq.; relating to international military education and training) and $35,000,000 in assistance under section 23 of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2763; relating to the Foreign Military Financing Program).
Georgia has been a longstanding NATO-aspirant country.
Georgia has contributed substantially to Euro-Atlantic peace and security through participation in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and Resolute Support Missions in Afghanistan as one of the largest troop contributors.
Sense of Congress— It is the sense of Congress that United States assistance to Georgia under chapter 5 of part II of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 and section 23 of the Arms Export Control Act should be increased.
Statement of policy— It shall be the policy of the United States, in consultation with Georgia, to enhance Georgia’s deterrence, resilience, and self-defense, including through appropriate assistance to improve the capabilities of Georgia’s armed forces.
Review of security assistance to Georgia—
In general— Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the heads of other appropriate United States departments and agencies, shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate a report reviewing United States security assistance to Georgia.
Components— The report required under paragraph (1) shall include the following:
A detailed review of all United States security assistance to Georgia from fiscal year 2008 to the date of the submission of such report.
An assessment of threats to Georgian independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.
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An assessment of Georgia’s capabilities to defend itself, including a five-year 5-year strategy to enhance Georgia’s deterrence, resilience, and self-defense capabilities.
Form— The report required under paragraph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form but may contain a classified annex.
201. Imposition of sanctions on persons complicit in or responsible for serious human rights abuses, including right to life in Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia occupied by Russia
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In general— The President shall impose on a foreign person the sanctions described in subsection (b) with respect to a foreign person if the President determines, based on credible information, that such foreign person, on or after the date of the enactment of this Act—
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is responsible for, complicit in, or responsible for ordering, controlling, or otherwise directing the commission of any serious abuse of human rights abuses in Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia forcibly occupied by the Russian Federation;
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is knowingly materially assisting, sponsoring, or providing significant financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to, a foreign person described in paragraph (1); or
is owned or controlled by a foreign person, or is acting on behalf of a foreign person, described in paragraph (1).
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Sanctions described— The sanctions to be imposed with respect to a foreign person described in this subsection (a) are the following:
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Asset blocking— The President shall exercise of all of the powers granted to the President by the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) to the extent necessary to block and prohibit all transactions in all property and interests in property of a person determined by the President to be a person described in subsection (a) 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, including by taking any of the actions described in paragraph (1) of section 203(a) of such Act (50 U.S.C. 1702(a)).person.
Exclusion from the United States and revocation of visa or other documentation—
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In general—Inadmissibility to the united states— In the case of an alien determined by the President to be a person described in subsection (a), denial of a visa to, and exclusion from the United States of, such alien, and revocation in accordance with section 221(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1201(i)), of any visa or other documentation of (a) who is an individual, such alien.person shall be—
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inadmissible to the United States;
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ineligible to receive a visa or other documentation to enter the United States; and
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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.).
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Current visas revoked— A person described in subsection (a) who is an individual shall be subject to the revocation of any visa or other entry documentation issued to such person regardless of when the visa or other entry documentation is or was issued. A revocation under this subparagraph shall take effect immediately and shall automatically cancel any other valid visa or entry documentation that is in the person’s possession.
renumbered
was (3)(4)(3)
Exception to comply with United Nations Headquarters Agreement and law enforcement objectives— Sanctions under subparagraph (A) shall not apply to an individual if admitting such individual into the United States would further important law enforcement objectives or 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 of the United States.
Waiver— The President may waive the application of sanctions under subsection (b) with respect to a person if the President determines that such a waiver is important to the national interests of the United States.
Implementation; penalties—
Implementation— The President may exercise all authorities provided to the President under sections 203 and 205 of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1702 and 1704) to carry out subsection (b)(1).
Penalties— A person that violates, attempts to violate, conspires to violate, or causes a violation of subsection (b)(1) or any regulation, license, or order issued to carry out such subsection shall be subject to the penalties specified in subsections (b) and (c) of section 206 of the International Emergency 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 such section.
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Exception relating to importation of goods—
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In general— The authorities and requirements to impose sanctions authorized under this Act shall not include the authority or requirement to impose sanctions on the importation of goods.
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Good defined— In this subsection, 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.
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Report required— Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act and at least once every 180 days thereafter for a period not to exceed 2 years, the President, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, shall transmit to Congress a detailed report with respect to persons that have been determined to have engaged in activities described in subsection (a).
removed
Report required— Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act and at least once every 180 days thereafter for a period not to exceed two years, the President, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, shall transmit to Congress a detailed report with respect to persons that have been determined to have engaged in activities described in subsection (a).
301. Determination of budgetary effects
addedadded The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall be determined by reference to the latest statement titled “Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation” for this Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the Chairman of the Committee on the Budget of the House of Representatives, provided that such statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.