,,ii #aagth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #dgda ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,august #b1 #bjbb ,mrs4 ,shaheen 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,wicker1 ,mr4 ,tillis1 ,mr4 ,durbin1 ,mr4 ,cardin1 and ,mr4 ,van ,hollen7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations ,a ,,bill ,to encourage increased trade and investment between the ,united ,states and the countries in the ,western ,balkans1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title2 table of contents 7a7 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,western ,balkans ,democracy and ,prosperity ,act4 7b7 ,table of contents ,the table of contents for this ,act is as follows3 ,sec4 #a4 ,short title2 table of contents4 ,sec4 #b4 ,findings4 ,sec4 #c4 ,sense of ,congress4 ,sec4 #d4 ,defined term4 ,sec4 #e4 ,codification of sanctions relating to the ,western ,balkans4 ,sec4 #f4 ,democratic and economic development and prosperity initiatives4 ,sec4 #g4 ,countering malign influence and promoting cross-cultural engagement4 ,sec4 #h4 ,peace ,corps in the ,western ,balkans4 ,sec4 #i4 ,balkans ,youth ,leadership ,initiative4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,the six countries of the ,western ,balkans 7,albania1 ,bosnia and ,herzegovina1 ,kosovo1 ,montenegro1 ,north ,macedonia1 and ,serbia7 form a pluralistic1 multi-ethnic region in the heart of ,europe that is critical to ,europe's peace1 stability1 and prosperity4 7#b7 ,continued peace1 stability1 and prosperity in the ,western ,balkans is directly tied to opportunities for democratic and economic advancement available to the citizens and residents of those six countries4 7#c7 ,it is in the mutual interest of the ,united ,states and the six countries of the ,western ,balkans to promote stable and sustainable economic growth and development in the region4 7#d7 ,the reforms and integration with the ,european ,union pursued by countries in the ,western ,balkans have led to significant democratic and economic progress in the region4 7#e7 ,despite economic progress1 rates of poverty and unemployment in the ,western ,balkans remain higher than in neighboring ,european ,union countries4 7#f7 ,out-migration1 particularly of youth1 is affecting demographics in every country in the ,western ,balkans1 resulting in negative population growth in all six countries4 7#g7 ,creating a welcoming environment for investment and creating employment opportunities in the ,western ,balkans1 especially for youth1 can provide powerful tools for economic development and for encouraging broader participation in a political process that increases prosperity for all4 7#h7 ,offering opportunities for inclusive1 transparent economic growth and merit-based employment to people living in the ,western ,balkans will encourage higher levels of trade and direct investment and support positive economic and political developments occurring throughout the region4 7#i7 ,existing regional economic efforts1 such as the ,common ,regional ,market and the ,open ,balkans initiative1 have great potential to improve the economic conditions in the ,western ,balkans1 while promoting inclusion and transparency4 7#aj7 ,the ,department of ,commerce1 through its ,foreign ,commercial ,service1 plays an important role in promoting and facilitating opportunities for ,united ,states trade and investment4 7#aa7 ,corruption continues to plague the ,western ,balkans and represents one of the greatest impediments to further economic and political development in the region4 7#ab7 ,disinformation campaigns targeting the ,western ,balkans threaten the credibility of ,western democratic institutions1 the integrity of national elections1 and the response to ,,covid-#ai4 7#ac7 ,corruption and disinformation proliferate in political environments marked by autocratic control or partisan conflict4 7#ad7 ,dependence on ,russian sources of natural gas for the countries of the ,western ,balkans ties their economies and politics to the ,russian ,federation and inhibits their aspirations for ,european integration4 7#ae7 ,the ,western ,balkans reliance on fossil fuels for energy sources causes damage to the environment and to human health1 while inhibiting economic development in the region4 7#af7 ,reducing the ,western ,balkans' reliance on ,russian natural gas supplies and fossil fuels is in the national interest of the ,united ,states4 7#ag7 ,china's growing influence in the ,western ,balkans could also have a deleterious impact on strategic competition1 democracy1 and economic integration with ,europe4 7#ah7 ,the ,united ,states ,international ,development ,finance ,corporation plays an important role in the pursuit of ,united ,states policy goals focused on economic development4 7#ai7 ,in ,march #bjbb1 the ,president launched the ,european ,democratic ,resilience ,initiative to bolster democratic resilience1 advance anti-corruption efforts1 and defend human rights in ,ukraine and its neighbors in response ,russia's war of aggression4 #c4 ,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense of ,congress that the ,united ,states should-- 7#a7 encourage increased trade and investment between the ,united ,states and allies and partners in the ,western ,balkans2 7#b7 expand ,united ,states assistance to regional integration efforts in the ,western ,balkans2 7#c7 strengthen and expand regional economic integration in the ,western ,balkans1 especially enterprises owned by and employing women and youth2 7#d7 work with allies and partners committed to improving the rule of law1 energy resource diversification1 democratic and economic reform1 and the eradication of poverty in the ,western ,balkans2 7#e7 increase ,united ,states trade and investment with the ,western ,balkans1 particularly in ways that-- 7,a7 decrease dependence on ,russian energy sources and fossil fuels2 7,b7 increase energy diversification1 efficiency1 and conservation2 and 7,c7 facilitate the transition to cleaner and more reliable sources of energy1 including renewables2 7#f7 facilitate the development of strong civil societies1 independent media1 transparent1 accountable1 citizen-responsive governance1 and political stability in the ,western ,balkans2 7#g7 support the expeditious accession of the countries in the ,western ,balkans to the ,european ,union and to the ,north ,atlantic ,treaty ,organization 7,,nato7 for those that desire membership2 7#h7 support-- 7,a7 maintaining the full ,european ,union ,force 7,,eufor7 mandate in ,bosnia and ,herzegovina as being in the national security interests of the ,united ,states2 7,b7 encouraging ,,nato and the ,european ,union to review their mission mandates and posture in ,bosnia and ,herzegovina to ensure they are playing a proactive role in establishing a safe and secure environment1 particularly the defense environment2 7,c7 using the voice of the ,united ,states in ,,nato to encourage alliance planning and support of an international military force to maintain a safe and secure environment in ,bosnia and ,herzegovina1 especially if ,russia blocks reauthorization of the mission in the ,united ,nations2 and 7,d7 a strengthened ,,nato headquarters in ,sarajevo2 7#i7 continue security cooperation with ,albania1 ,montenegro1 and ,north ,macedonia through the auspices of ,,nato and through continued bilateral cooperation2 7#aj7 continue to support ,montenegro's ongoing accession negotiations with the ,european ,union1 including by providing assistance to ,montenegro to help the country promptly meet ,european ,union membership criteria2 7#aa7 continue to support ,north ,macedonia's and ,albania's applications for ,european ,union membership by supporting improvement of their respective abilities to meet democracy benchmarks required for accession2 7#ab7 continue to support ,bosnia and ,herzegovina's pursuit of ,european ,union candidate status by encouraging meaningful advancement of its reform agenda2 7#ac7 continue to support the cultural heritage1 and recognize the languages of the ,western ,balkans2 7#ad7 coordinate closely with the ,european ,union1 the ,united ,kingdom1 and other allies and partners on sanctions designations and work to align efforts as much as possible to demonstrate a clear commitment to upholding democratic values2 7#ae7 expand bilateral security cooperation with non-,,nato member ,balkan countries1 particularly efforts focused on regional integration and cooperation1 including through the ,adriatic ,charter1 done at ,tirana ,may #b1 #bjjc2 7#af7 increase efforts to combat ,russian disinformation campaigns and any other malign1 destabilizing1 or disruptive activities targeting the ,western ,balkans through engagement with government institutions1 political stakeholders1 journalists1 civil society organizations1 and industry leaders2 7#ag7 articulate clearly and unambiguously the ,united ,states commitment to supporting democratic values and respect for international law as the sole path forward for the countries of the ,western ,balkans2 and 7#ah7 support the mission of the ,peace ,corps to promote world peace and friendship by helping the people of interested countries to meet their need for trained men and women1 which provides an invaluable opportunity to connect the ,american people with the people of the ,western ,balkans4 #d4 ,defined term ,in this ,act1 the term appropriate congressional committees means-- 7#a7 the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations of the ,senate2 7#b7 the ,committee on ,appropriations of the ,senate2 7#c7 the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs of the ,house of ,representatives2 and 7#d7 the ,committee on ,appropriations of the ,house of ,representatives4 #e4 ,codification of sanctions relating to the ,western ,balkans 7a7 ,in general ,the ,united ,states sanctions imposed through the ,executive orders specified in subsection 7b7 relating to obstructing the ,dayton ,accords and corruption1 including all sanctions imposed with respect to persons under such ,executive orders as of the date of the enactment of this ,act1 shall remain in effect1 except as provided in subsection 7c74 7b7 ,executive orders specified ,the ,executive orders specified in this subsection are-- 7#a7 ,executive ,order #acbai 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #agja note2 relating to blocking property of persons who threaten international stabilization efforts in the ,western ,balkans71 as amended before and in effect on the date of the enactment of this ,act2 and 7#b7 ,executive ,order #adjcc 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #agja note2 relating to blocking property and suspending entry into the ,united ,states of certain persons contributing to the destabilizing situation in the ,western ,balkans71 as in effect on such date of enactment4 7c7 ,termination of sanctions ,the ,president may terminate the application of sanctions described in subsection 7a7 with respect to a person if the ,president certifies to the appropriate congressional committees that-- 7#a7 such person-- 7,a7 is not engaging in the activity that was the basis for such sanctions2 or 7,b7 has taken significant verifiable steps toward stopping such activity2 and 7#b7 the ,president has received reliable assurances that such person will not knowingly engage in activity subject to such sanctions in the future4 #f4 ,democratic and economic development and prosperity initiatives 7a7 ,anti-,corruption initiative ,the ,secretary of ,state1 through ongoing and new programs1 shall develop an initiative that-- 7#a7 seeks to expand technical assistance for the development of national anti-corruption strategies to each country of the ,western ,balkans1 or for the support of national anti-corruption strategies already created1 taking into account local conditions and contingent on the agreement of the host country government2 7#b7 seeks to share best practices with1 and provide training to1 law enforcement agencies and judicial institutions1 and other relevant administrative bodies1 in countries in the region to improve the efficiency1 transparency1 and accountability of such agencies and institutions2 7#c7 provides support to combat political corruption1 particularly in campaign finance1 and to strengthen regulatory and legislative oversight of critical governance areas1 such as freedom of information and public procurement2 and 7#d7 includes the ,western ,balkans in the ,european ,democratic ,resilience ,initiative1 and considers the region as a recipient of anti-corruption funding for such initiative4 7b7 ,prioritizing regional trade and economic competitiveness 7#a7 ,sense of congress ,it is the sense of ,congress that-- 7,a7 promoting stronger economic1 civic1 and political relationships among the countries in the ,western ,balkans will enable such countries to better utilize existing resources and maximize their economic security and resilience by increasing trade in goods and services among other countries in the region2 and 7,b7 ,united ,states investments in and assistance toward creating a more integrated region ensures political stability and security for the region4 7#b7 ,comprehensive1 #e-year strategy for economic development and democratic resilience in the western balkans ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,state and the ,administrator of the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development1 in coordination with the ,secretary of the ,treasury1 the ,secretary of ,commerce1 and the ,chief ,executive ,officer of the ,united ,states ,international ,development ,finance ,corporation1 shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a regional economic development and democratic resilience strategy for the ,western ,balkans that-- 7,a7 considers the full set of tools and resources available from the agencies overseen by such ,federal officials2 7,b7 includes efforts to ensure coordination with multilateral and bilateral partners1 such as the ,european ,union1 the ,world ,bank1 and other relevant assistance frameworks2 7,c7 includes an initial public assessment of-- 7i7 economic opportunities for which ,united ,states businesses1 or those of other like-minded partners1 would be competitive2 7ii7 legal1 economic1 governance1 infrastructural1 or other barriers limiting ,united ,states investment in the ,western ,balkans2 7iii7 the effectiveness of existing regional cooperation initiatives1 such as the ,open ,balkan initiative and the ,western ,balkans ,common ,regional ,market2 and 7iv7 ways to increase ,united ,states trade in the ,western ,balkans2 7,d7 develops human and institutional capacity and infrastructure across multiple sectors of economies1 including clean energy1 energy efficiency1 agriculture1 small and medium-sized enterprise development1 health1 and cybersecurity2 7,e7 assists with the development and implementation of regional and international trade agreements2 7,f7 supports women-owned enterprises and gender equality2 7,g7 promotes government policies that combat corruption and encourage transparency1 free and fair competition1 sound governance1 judicial reform1 environmental protection1 and business environments conducive to sustainable and inclusive economic growth2 and 7,h7 includes a public diplomacy strategy that describes the actions that will be taken by relevant agencies to ensure that populations in the ,western ,balkans are aware of the development activities of the ,united ,states ,government4 7#c7 ,briefing ,not later than #ij days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,state shall provide a briefing for the appropriate congressional committees that describes the progress made towards developing the strategy required under paragraph 7#b74 7c7 ,regional trade and development initiative 7#a7 ,authorization ,the ,secretary of ,state and the ,administrator of the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development1 in coordination with the ,chief ,executive ,officer of the ,united ,states ,international ,development ,finance ,corporation and the ,secretary of ,commerce1 is authorized to coordinate a regional trade and development initiative in accordance with this subsection4 7#b7 ,initiative elements ,the initiative authorized under paragraph 7#a7 shall-- 7,a7 promote private sector growth and competitiveness and increase the capacity of businesses1 particularly small and medium-sized enterprises2 7,b7 aim to increase interregional exports to other countries in the ,balkans and neighboring countries and ,european ,union member states2 7,c7 aim to increase ,united ,states exports to and investments in countries in the ,balkans2 7,d7 support startup companies by providing training in business skills and leadership1 providing opportunities to connect to sources of capital1 and by encouraging startup companies that are led by youth or women2 7,e7 encourage and promote inward and outward investment through engagement with the ,western ,balkans diaspora community in the ,united ,states and abroad2 7,f7 assist governments to develop-- 7i7 regulations to ensure fair and effective investment2 and 7ii7 screening tools to identify and deter malign investments and other coercive economic practices2 7,g7 review existing assistance programming across ,federal agencies-- 7i7 to eliminate duplication2 and 7ii7 to identify areas of coordination within the ,balkans region1 which shall include the #f ,western ,balkans countries and any country that shares a border with any of such countries2 7,h7 identify areas where application of additional resources could expand successful programs to #a or more countries in the region by building on the existing experience and program architecture2 7,i7 compare existing single-country sector analyses to determine areas of focus that would benefit from a regional approach2 and 7,j7 promote intraregional trade through-- 7i7 programming1 including grants1 cooperative agreements1 and other forms of assistance2 7ii7 expanding awareness of the availability of loans and other financial instruments from the ,united ,states ,government1 including from the ,united ,states ,international ,development ,finance ,corporation and the ,export-,import ,bank of the ,united ,states2 and 7iii7 coordinating access to existing trade instruments available through allies and partners in the region1 including the ,european ,union and international financial institutions4 7#c7 ,support for regional infrastructure projects ,the initiative authorized under paragraph 7#a71 consistent with the ,,build ,act of #bjah 7division ,f of ,public ,law #aae-bed7 and the ,european ,energy ,security and ,diversification ,act of #bjai 7title ,,xx of division ,p of ,public ,law #aaf-id71 should facilitate and prioritize support for regional infrastructure projects1 including-- 7,a7 transportation projects that build roads1 bridges1 railways and other physical infrastructure to facilitate travel of goods and people throughout the ,balkans region1 particularly interstate travel2 7,b7 technical support and investments needed to meet ,united ,states and ,european ,union standards for air travel1 including screening and information sharing2 7,c7 the development of telecommunications networks from trusted providers2 7,d7 infrastructure projects that connect ,western ,balkan countries to each other and to countries with which they share a border2 7,e7 the effective analysis of tenders and transparent procurement processes2 7,f7 investment transparency programs that will help countries in the ,western ,balkans analyze gaps and establish institutional and regulatory reforms necessary-- 7i7 to create an enabling environment for trade and investment2 and 7ii7 to strengthen protections against suspect investments through public procurement and privatization and through foreign direct investments2 7,g7 sharing best practices learned from the ,united ,states and other international partners to ensure that institutional and regulatory mechanisms for addressing these issues are fair1 nonarbitrary1 effective1 and free from corruption2 7,h7 projects that reduce reliance on fossil fuels and facilitate the transition to clean sources of energy2 7,i7 technical assistance and generating private investment in projects that promote connectivity and energy-sharing in the ,western ,balkans region2 7,j7 technical assistance to support regional collaboration on environmental protection that includes governmental1 political1 civic1 and business stakeholders2 and 7,k7 technical assistance to develop financing options and help create linkages with potential financing institutions and investors4 7#d7 ,loans 7,a7 ,in general ,amounts appropriated under the headings ,economic ,support ,fund and ,assistance for ,europe1 ,eurasia and ,central ,asia in any ,act making appropriations for the ,department of ,state1 foreign operations1 and related programs may be made available for the costs 7as defined in section #ejb of the ,congressional ,budget ,act of #aigd 7#b ,u4,s4,c4 #ffa;a771 of loan guarantees1 including the cost of modifying loans and loan guarantees1 for programs1 projects1 or activities in ,albania1 ,bosnia and ,herzegovina1 ,kosovo1 ,montenegro1 ,north ,macedonia1 or ,serbia1 which are authorized to be provided4 7,b7 ,classification of loans and loan guarantees ,amounts made available under subparagraph 7,a7 for the costs of loans and loan guarantees1 including the cost of modifying loans and loan guarantees1 shall not be considered assistance for the purposes of any provisions of law limiting assistance to a country4 7,c7 ,consultation and notification ,amounts made available under this subsection shall be subject to-- 7i7 prior consultation with the appropriate congressional committees2 and 7ii7 the regular notification procedures of the ,committee on ,appropriations of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,appropriations of the ,house of ,representatives4 7#e7 ,requirements ,all programming under the initiative authorized under paragraph 7#a7 shall-- 7,a7 be open to the participation of all #f ,western ,balkan countries2 7,b7 be consistent with ,european ,union accession requirements2 7,c7 be focused on retaining talent within the ,western ,balkans2 7,d7 promote government policies in ,western ,balkan countries that encourage free and fair competition1 sound governance1 environmental protection1 and business environments that are conducive to sustainable and inclusive economic growth2 7,e7 include gender analysis and efforts to promote gender equity2 and 7,f7 include a public diplomacy strategy to inform local and regional audiences in the ,balkan region about the initiative1 including specific programs and projects4 7d7 ,united ,states ,international ,development ,finance ,corporation 7#a7 ,appointments ,not later than #a year after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 subject to the availability of appropriations1 the ,chief ,executive ,officer of the ,united ,states ,international ,development ,finance ,corporation 7referred to in this subsection as the ,,dfc71 in collaboration with the ,secretary of ,state1 should take steps to ensure that-- 7,a7 a regional ,,dfc office with responsibilities for the ,western ,balkans is established in the region and is operational2 and 7,b7 sufficient full-time ,,dfc employees1 including at least one permanent hire from the ,united ,states1 are stationed in the office to serve ,united ,states interests in the ,western ,balkans4 7#b7 ,report ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,chief ,executive ,officer of the ,,dfc shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees that includes-- 7,a7 a summary of the steps that have been taken to fulfill the requirements under paragraph 7#a72 7,b7 an account of any additional resources and authorities needed to complete the requirements under paragraph 7#a72 and 7,c7 a description of the initial outreach plan for the new regional ,,dfc office4 7#c7 ,joint report ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,chief ,executive ,officer of the ,,dfc and the ,administrator of the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development shall submit a joint report to the appropriate congressional committees that includes-- 7,a7 an assessment of the benefits of providing sovereign loan guarantees to countries in the ,western ,balkans to support infrastructure and energy diversification projects2 7,b7 an outline of additional resources1 such as tools1 funding1 and personnel1 which may be required to offer sovereign loan guarantees2 and 7,c7 an assessment of how the ,,dfc can deploy its insurance products in support of bonds or other instruments issued to raise capital through ,united ,states financial markets4 #g4 ,countering malign influence and promoting cross-cultural engagement 7a7 ,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense of ,congress that-- 7#a7 promoting university partnerships in the ,western ,balkans1 particularly in traditionally under-served communities1 advances ,united ,states foreign policy goals and requires a whole of government approach1 including the utilization of public-private partnerships2 7#b7 such university partnerships will provide opportunities for exchanging academic ideas1 technical expertise1 research1 and cultural understanding for the benefit of the ,united ,states2 and 7#c7 the six countries in the ,western ,balkans meet the requirements under section #aje7;c77#d7 of the ,foreign ,assistance ,act of #aifa 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #baea;c7c77#d774 7b7 ,university partnerships ,the ,president1 working through the ,secretary of ,state1 is authorized to provide assistance1 consistent with section #aje of the ,foreign ,assistance ,act of #aifa 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #baea;c71 to promote the establishment of university partnerships between the ,united ,states and the ,western ,balkans1 including-- 7#a7 supporting research and analysis on foreign policy and disinformation2 7#b7 working with partner governments to reform policies1 improve curricula1 strengthen data systems1 train teachers1 and provide quality1 inclusive learning materials2 7#c7 providing individuals1 particularly at-risk youth1 women1 people with disabilities1 and other vulnerable1 marginalized1 or underserved communities1 with relevant education1 training1 and skills for meaningful employment2 7#d7 removing barriers to entering formal education for out-of-school individuals1 assisting such individuals to stay in school1 and providing an opportunity for any individuals left behind to catch up on schooling2 7#e7 promoting teaching and research exchanges between institutions of higher education in the ,western ,balkans and in the ,united ,states2 and 7#f7 encouraging alliances and exchanges with like-minded institutions of education within the ,western ,balkans and the larger ,europe continent4 7c7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years #bjbc through #bjbg to carry out this section4 #h4 ,peace ,corps in the ,western ,balkans 7a7 ,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense of ,congress that-- 7#a7 the ,peace ,corps should be reinstated in the ,western ,balkans by reopening ,peace ,corps programs in as many ,western ,balkans countries as safely possible1 including where the ,peace ,corps had previously operated1 or has suspended operations due to the ,,covid-#ai pandemic2 7#b7 the ,peace ,corps should reopen its programs in as many of the ,western ,balkans countries as possible1 including where the ,peace ,corps operated previously1 but later suspended operations2 and 7#c7 the ,peace ,corps1 whose mission is to promote world peace and friendship1 in part by helping the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women1 provides an invaluable opportunity to connect the people of the ,united ,states with the people of the ,western ,balkans4 7b7 ,report ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,director of the ,peace ,corps shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees that includes-- 7#a7 an analysis of current opportunities for ,peace ,corps expansion in the ,western ,balkans region2 and 7#b7 a plan and timeline for implementing the outcomes described in subsection 7a7 to facilitate expansion of ,peace ,corps presence in the ,western ,balkans region1 as appropriate4 #i4 ,balkans ,youth ,leadership ,initiative 7a7 ,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense of ,congress that regular people-to-people exchange programs that bring religious leaders1 journalists1 civil society members1 politicians1 and other people from the ,western ,balkans to the ,united ,states will strengthen existing relationships and advance ,united ,states interests and shared values in the ,western ,balkans region4 7b7 ,authorization ,the ,secretary of ,state shall further develop and implement a program1 to be known as the ,balkans ,youth ,leadership ,initiative 7referred to in this section as ,,bold7 that promotes educational and professional development for young adult leaders and professionals in the ,western ,balkans who have demonstrated a passion to contribute to the continued development of the region4 7c7 ,conduct of initiative ,,bold shall seek-- 7#a7 to build the capacity of young ,balkan leaders in the ,western ,balkans in the areas of business and information technology1 cyber security and digitization1 agriculture1 civic engagement1 and public administration2 7#b7 to support young ,balkan leaders by offering professional development1 training1 and networking opportunities1 particularly in the areas of leadership1 innovation1 civic engagement1 elections1 human rights1 entrepreneurship1 good governance1 and public administration2 7#c7 to support young political1 parliamentary1 and civic leaders in collaboration on regional initiatives related to good governance1 environmental protection1 government ethics1 and minority inclusion2 and 7#d7 to provide increased economic and technical assistance to young ,balkan leaders to promote economic growth and strengthen ties between ,united ,states and ,balkan businesses4 7d7 ,fellowships ,,bold should award fellowships to young ,balkans leaders who-- 7#a7 are between #be and #ce years of age2 7#b7 have demonstrated strong capabilities in entrepreneurship1 innovation1 public service1 and leadership2 7#c7 have had a positive impact in their communities1 organizations1 or institutions1 including by promoting cross-regional and multiethnic cooperation2 and 7#d7 represent a cross-section of gender1 regional1 and ethnic diversity4 7e7 ,public engagement center ,,bold should seek to procure space1 hire staff1 and develop programming for the establishment of a flagship public engagement and leadership center in the ,western ,balkans that seeks-- 7#a7 to counter disinformation and malign influence2 7#b7 to promote cross-cultural engagement2 7#c7 to provide training for young ,balkan leaders described in subsection 7d72 and 7#d7 to harmonize the efforts of existing venues throughout the ,western ,balkans established by the ,office of ,american ,spaces4 7f7 ,briefing 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,state1 acting through the ,assistant ,secretary of ,state for ,educational and ,cultural ,affairs1 shall provide a briefing to the appropriate congressional committees that describes the status of exchange programs involving the ,western ,balkans region4 7#b7 ,elements ,the briefing required under paragraph 7#a7 shall-- 7,a7 assess the factors constraining the number and frequency of ,international ,visitor ,leadership ,program participants from the #f countries of the ,western ,balkans2 7,b7 identify the resources that are necessary to address the factors described in subparagraph 7,a72 and 7,c7 describe a strategy for connecting alumni and participants of the ,department of ,state's professional development exchange programs in the ,western ,balkans with alumni and participants from other countries in ,europe1 to enhance inter-region and intra-region people-to-people ties4 7g7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years #bjbc through #bjbg to carry out this section4