,,ii #aaeth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #abba ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,may #bd1 #bjag,mr4 ,cardin 7for himself and ,mr4 ,coons7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations ,a ,,bill ,to counter the influence of the ,russian ,federation in ,europe and ,eurasia1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,countering ,russian ,influence in ,europe and ,eurasia ,act of #bjag4 #b4 ,findings ,congress makes the following findings3 7#a7 ,the ,government of the ,russian ,federation has sought to exert influence throughout ,europe and ,eurasia1 including in the former states of the ,soviet ,union1 by providing resources to political parties1 think tanks1 and civil society groups that sow distrust in democratic institutions and actors1 promote xenophobic and illiberal views1 and otherwise undermine ,european unity4 ,the ,government of the ,russian ,federation has also engaged in well-documented corruption practices as a means toward undermining and buying influence in ,european and ,eurasian countries4 7#b7 ,the ,government of the ,russian ,federation has largely eliminated a once-vibrant ,russian-language independent media sector and severely curtails free and independent media within the borders of the ,russian ,federation4 ,russian-language media organizations that are funded and controlled by the ,government of the ,russian ,federation and disseminate information within and outside of the ,russian ,federation routinely traffic in anti-,western disinformation1 while few independent1 fact-based media sources provide objective reporting for ,russian-speaking audiences inside or outside of the ,russian ,federation4 7#c7 ,the ,government of the ,russian ,federation continues to violate its commitments under the ,memorandum on ,security ,assurances in connection with ,ukraine's ,accession to the ,treaty on the ,non-,proliferation of ,nuclear ,weapons1 done at ,budapest ,december #e1 #aiid1 and the ,conference on ,security and ,co-operation in ,europe ,final ,act1 concluded at ,helsinki ,august #a1 #aige 7commonly referred to as the ,helsinki ,final ,act71 which laid the groundwork for the establishment of the ,organization for ,security and ,co-operation in ,europe1 of which the ,russian ,federation is a member1 by its illegal annexation of ,crimea in #bjad1 its illegal occupation of ,south ,ossetia and ,abkhazia in ,georgia in #bjjh1 and its ongoing destabilizing activities in eastern ,ukraine4 7#d7 ,the ,government of the ,russian ,federation continues to ignore the terms of the ,august #bjjh ceasefire agreement relating to ,georgia1 which requires the withdrawal of ,russian ,federation troops1 free access by humanitarian groups to the regions of ,south ,ossetia and ,abkhazia1 and monitoring of the conflict areas by the ,european ,union ,monitoring ,mission4 7#e7 ,the ,government of the ,russian ,federation is failing to comply with the terms of the ,minsk ,agreement to address the ongoing conflict in eastern ,ukraine1 signed in ,minsk1 ,belarus1 on ,february #aa1 #bjae1 by the leaders of ,ukraine1 ,russia1 ,france1 and ,germany1 as well as the ,minsk ,protocol1 which was agreed to on ,september #e1 #bjad4 7#f7 ,the ,government of the ,russian ,federation is-- 7,a7 in violation of the ,treaty between the ,united ,states of ,america and the ,union of ,soviet ,socialist ,republics on the ,elimination of their ,intermediate-,range and ,shorter-,range ,missiles1 signed at ,washington ,december #h1 #aihg1 and entered into force ,june #a1 #aihh 7commonly known as the ,,inf ,treaty72 and 7,b7 failing to meet its obligations under the ,treaty on ,open ,skies1 done at ,helsinki ,march #bd1 #aiib1 and entered into force ,january #a1 #bjjb 7commonly known as the ,open ,skies ,treaty74 #c4 ,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense of ,congress that-- 7#a7 the ,government of the ,russian ,federation bears responsibility for the continuing violence in ,eastern ,ukraine1 including the death on ,april #bd1 #bjag1 of ,joseph ,stone1 a citizen of the ,united ,states working as a monitor for the ,organization for ,security and ,co-operation in ,europe2 7#b7 the ,president should call on the ,government of the ,russian ,federation-- 7,a7 to withdraw all of its forces from the territories of ,georgia1 ,ukraine1 and ,moldova2 7,b7 to return control of the borders of those territories to their respective governments2 and 7,c7 to cease all efforts to undermine the popularly elected governments of those countries2 7#c7 the ,government of the ,russian ,federation has applied1 and continues to apply1 to the countries and peoples of ,georgia and ,ukraine1 traditional uses of force1 intelligence operations1 and influence campaigns1 which represent clear and present threats to the countries of ,europe and ,eurasia2 7#d7 in response1 the countries of ,europe and ,eurasia should redouble efforts to build resilience within their institutions1 political systems1 and civil societies2 7#e7 the ,united ,states supports the institutions that the ,government of the ,russian ,federation seeks to undermine1 including the ,north ,atlantic ,treaty ,organization and the ,european ,union2 7#f7 a strong ,north ,atlantic ,treaty ,organization is critical to maintaining peace and security in ,europe and ,eurasia2 7#g7 the ,united ,states should continue to work with the ,european ,union as a partner against aggression by the ,government of the ,russian ,federation1 coordinating aid programs1 development assistance1 and other counter-,russian efforts2 7#h7 the ,united ,states should encourage the establishment of a commission for media freedom within the ,council of ,europe1 modeled on the ,venice ,commission regarding rule of law issues1 that would be chartered to provide governments with expert recommendations on maintaining legal and regulatory regimes supportive of free and independent media and an informed citizenry able to distinguish between fact-based reporting1 opinion1 and disinformation2 7#i7 in addition to working to strengthen the ,north ,atlantic ,treaty ,organization and the ,european ,union1 the ,united ,states should work with the individual countries of ,europe and ,eurasia-- 7,a7 to identify vulnerabilities to aggression1 disinformation1 corruption1 and so-called hybrid warfare by the ,government of the ,russian ,federation2 7,b7 to establish strategic and technical plans for addressing those vulnerabilities2 7,c7 to ensure that the financial systems of those countries are not being used to shield illicit financial activity by officials of the ,government of the ,russian ,federation or individuals in ,president ,vladimir ,putin's inner circle who have been enriched through corruption2 7,d7 to investigate and prosecute cases of corruption by ,russian actors2 and 7,e7 to work toward full compliance with the ,convention on ,combating ,bribery of ,foreign ,public ,officials in ,international ,business ,transactions 7commonly referred to as the ,anti-,bribery ,convention7 of the ,organization for ,economic ,co-operation and ,development2 and 7#aj7 the ,president of the ,united ,states should use the authority of the ,president to impose sanctions under-- 7,a7 the ,sergei ,magnitsky ,rule of ,law ,accountability ,act of #bjab 7title ,,iv of ,public ,law #aab-bjh2 #bb ,u4,s4,c4 #ehaa note72 and 7,b7 the ,global ,magnitsky ,human ,rights ,accountability ,act 7subtitle ,f of title ,,xii of ,public ,law #aad-cbh2 #bb ,u4,s4,c4 #bfef note74 #d4 ,statement of policy ,the ,united ,states1 consistent with the principle of ex injuria jus non oritur1 supports the policy known as the ,stimson ,doctrine and thus does not recognize territorial changes effected by force1 including the illegal invasions and occupations of ,abkhazia1 ,south ,ossetia1 ,crimea1 ,eastern ,ukraine1 and ,transnistria4 #e4 ,coordinating aid and assistance across ,europe and ,eurasia 7a7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated for the ,countering ,russian ,influence ,fund #bej1jjj1jjj for fiscal years #bjah and #bjai4 7b7 ,management of the ,fund ,not later than #ij days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,state1 in consultation with the ,administrator of the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development and1 as appropriate1 the ,secretary of ,homeland ,security1 the ,director of ,national ,intelligence1 and the ,secretary of ,defense1 shall establish a working group to administer the ,countering ,russian ,influence ,fund in order to facilitate the achievement of the goals described in subsection 7c7 while minimizing the expense to ,united ,states taxpayers4 7c7 ,use of funds 7#a7 ,mandatory use of funds ,amounts in the ,countering ,russian ,influence ,fund shall be used for the following3 7,a7 ,to assist in protecting critical infrastructure and electoral mechanisms from cyberattacks in the following countries3 7i7 ,countries that are members of the ,north ,atlantic ,treaty ,organization or the ,european ,union that the ,secretary of ,state determines-- 7,i7 are vulnerable to influence by the ,russian ,federation2 and 7,,ii7 lack the economic capability to effectively respond to aggression by the ,russian ,federation without the support of the ,united ,states4 7ii7 ,countries that are participating in the enlargement process of the ,north ,atlantic ,treaty ,organization or the ,european ,union1 including ,albania1 ,bosnia and ,herzegovina1 ,georgia1 ,macedonia1 ,moldova1 ,kosovo1 ,serbia1 and ,ukraine4 7,b7 ,to combat corruption1 improve the rule of law1 and otherwise strengthen independent judiciaries and prosecutors general offices in the countries described in subparagraph 7,a74 7#b7 ,discretionary use of funds ,amounts in the ,countering ,russian ,influence ,fund may be used to seek to achieve the following1 to the extent practicable and as appropriate3 7,a7 ,responding to the humanitarian crises and instability caused or aggravated by the invasions and occupations of ,georgia and ,ukraine by the ,russian ,federation4 7,b7 ,improving participatory legislative processes and legal education1 political transparency and competition1 and compliance with international obligations in the countries described in paragraph 7#a77;,a74 7,c7 ,building the capacity of civil society1 media1 and other nongovernmental organizations countering the influence and propaganda of the ,russian ,federation in the countries described in paragraph 7#a77;,a74 7d7 ,implementation 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary of ,state1 acting through ,coordinator of ,united ,states ,assistance to ,europe and ,eurasia 7authorized pursuant to section #fja of the ,support for ,east ,european ,democracy 7,,seed7 ,act of #aihi 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #edfa7 and section #ajb of the ,freedom for ,russia and ,emerging ,eurasian ,democracies and ,open ,markets ,support ,act of #aiib 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #ehab771 shall coordinate efforts to implement the goals described in subsection 7c7 and establish metrics relating to efforts to achieve those goals4 7#b7 ,report on implementation 7,a7 ,in general ,not later than ,april #a of each year1 the ,secretary of ,state1 acting through the ,coordinator of ,united ,states ,assistance to ,europe and ,eurasia1 shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the programs and activities carried out to achieve the goals described in subsection 7c7 during the preceding fiscal year4 7,b7 ,elements ,each report required by subparagraph 7,a7 shall include1 with respect to each program or activity described in that subparagraph-- 7i7 the amount of funding for the program or activity2 7ii7 the goal described in subsection 7c7 to which the program or activity relates2 and 7iii7 an assessment of whether or not the goal was met4 7e7 ,coordination with global partners 7#a7 ,in general ,in order to maximize cost efficiency1 eliminate duplication1 and speed the achievement of the goals described in subsection 7c71 the working group established under subsection 7b7 shall ensure coordination with-- 7,a7 the ,european ,union and its institutions2 7,b7 the governments of countries that are members of the ,north ,atlantic ,treaty ,organization or the ,european ,union2 and 7,c7 international organizations and quasi-governmental funding entities that carry out programs and activities that seek to accomplish the goals described in subsection 7c74 7#b7 ,report by ,secretary of ,state ,not later than ,april #a of each year1 the ,secretary of ,state shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report that includes-- 7,a7 the amount of funding provided to each country referred to in subsection 7c7 by-- 7i7 the ,european ,union or its institutions2 7ii7 the government of each country that is a member of the ,european ,union or the ,north ,atlantic ,treaty ,organization2 and 7iii7 international organizations and quasi-governmental funding entities that carry out programs and activities that seek to accomplish the goals described in subsection 7c72 and 7,b7 an assessment of whether the funding described in subparagraph 7,a7 is commensurate with funding provided by the ,united ,states for those goals4 7f7 ,rule of construction ,nothing in this section shall be construed to apply to or limit ,united ,states foreign assistance not provided using amounts available in the ,countering ,russian ,influence ,fund4 #f4 ,report on media organizations controlled and funded by the government of the ,russian ,federation 7a7 ,in general ,not later than #ij days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 and annually thereafter1 the ,president shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report that includes a description of media organizations that are controlled and funded by the ,government of the ,russian ,federation1 and any affiliated entities1 whether operating within or outside the ,russian ,federation1 including broadcast and satellite-based television1 radio1 ,internet1 and print media organizations4 7b7 ,form of report ,the report required by subsection 7a7 shall be submitted in unclassified form but may include a classified annex4 #g4 ,termination ,the provisions of this ,act shall terminate on the date that is #e years after the date of the enactment of this ,act4 #h4 ,appropriate congressional committees defined ,in this ,act1 the term appropriate congressional committees means-- 7#a7 the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations1 the ,committee on ,banking1 ,housing1 and ,urban ,affairs1 the ,committee on ,armed ,services1 the ,committee on ,homeland ,security and ,governmental ,affairs1 the ,committee on ,appropriations1 and the ,select ,committee on ,intelligence of the ,senate2 and 7#b7 the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs1 the ,committee on ,financial ,services1 the ,committee on ,armed ,services1 the ,committee on ,homeland ,security1 the ,committee on ,appropriations1 and the ,permanent ,select ,committee on ,intelligence of the ,house of ,representatives4