,,ii  #aahth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #hjd  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the
 ,,united ,,states  ,march #ae1         
#bjbc,mrs4 ,shaheen 7for herself1 ,mr4  
,romney1 ,mr4 ,tillis1 ,mr4 ,durbin1    
,mr4 ,wicker1 ,mr4 ,cardin1 ,mr4 ,king1 
,ms4 ,klobuchar1 and ,mr4 ,cornyn7      
introduced the following bill2 which was
 read twice and referred to the         
,committee on ,foreign ,relations  ,a   
,,bill  ,to provide for security in the 
,black ,sea region1 and for other       
purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act  
may be cited as the ,black ,sea         
,security ,act of #bjbc4  #b4 ,sense of 
,congress on ,black ,sea security  7a7  
,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense of 
,congress that-- 7#a7 it is in the      
interest of the ,united ,states to      
support efforts to prevent the spread of
 further armed conflict in ,europe by   
recognizing the ,black ,sea region as an
 arena of ,russian aggression2  7#b7    
littoral states of the ,black ,sea are  
critical in countering aggression by the

 ,government of the ,russian ,federation
 and contributing to the collective     
security of ,,nato2  7#c7 the repeated1 
illegal1 unprovoked1 and violent        
attempts of the ,russian ,federation to 
expand its territory and control access 
to the ,mediterranean ,sea through the  
,black ,sea constitutes a threat to the 
national security of the ,united ,states
 and ,,nato2  7#d7 the ,united ,states  
condemns attempts by the ,russian       
,federation to change or alter          
boundaries in the ,black ,sea region by 
force or any means contrary to          
international law and to impose a sphere
 of influence across the region2  7#e7  
the ,united ,states and its allies      
should robustly counter ,russia's       
illegitimate territorial claims on the  
,crimean ,peninsula1 along ,ukraine's   
territorial waters in the ,black ,sea   
and the ,sea of ,azov1 in the ,black    
,sea's international waters1 and in the 
territories it is illegally occupying in
 ,ukraine2  7#f7 the ,united ,states    

should continue to work within ,,nato   
and with ,,nato ,allies to develop a    
long-term strategy to enhance security1 
establish a permanent1 sustainable      
presence along ,,nato's eastern flank1  
and bolster the democratic resilience of
 its allies and partners in the region2 
7#g7 the ,united ,states should work    
within ,,nato and with ,,nato ,allies to
 develop a regular1 rotational maritime 
presence in the ,black ,sea2  7#h7 the  
,united ,states should also work with   
the ,european ,union on coordinating a  
strategy to support democratic          
initiatives and economic prosperity in  
the region1 which includes two ,european
 ,union members and four ,european      
,union aspirant nations2  7#i7 ,turkey's
 behavior towards some regional allies  
and democratic states has been          
counterproductive and has contributed to
 increased tensions in the region1 and  
,turkey should avoid any actions to     
further escalate regional tensions2     
7#aj7 the ,united ,states should work to

 foster dialogue among countries within 
the ,black ,sea region to improve       
communication and intelligence sharing  
and increase cyber defense capabilities2
  7#aa7 countries with historic and     
economic ties to ,russia are looking to 
the ,united ,states and ,europe to      
provide a positive economic presence in 
the broader region as a counterbalance  
to the ,russian ,federation's malign    
influence in the region2  7#ab7 it is in
 the interest of the ,united ,states to 
support and bolster the economic ties   
between the ,united ,states and ,black  
,sea states2  7#ac7 the ,united ,states 
should support the initiative undertaken
 by central and eastern ,european states
 to advance the ,three ,seas ,initiative
 ,fund to strengthen transport1 energy1 
and digital infrastructure connectivity 
in the region between the ,adriatic     
,sea1 ,baltic ,sea1 and ,black ,sea2    
7#ad7 there are mutually beneficial     
opportunities for increased investment  
and economic expansion1 particularly on 

energy1 climate1 and transport          
infrastructure initiatives1 between the 
,united ,states and ,black ,sea states  
and the broader region2  7#ae7 improved 
economic ties between the ,united       
,states and the ,black ,sea states and  
the broader region can lead to a        
strengthened strategic partnership2     
7#af7 the ,united ,states must seek to  
address the food security challenges    
arising from disruption of ,ukraine's   
,black ,sea and ,azov ,sea ports1 as    
this global challenge will have critical
 national security implications for the 
,united ,states1 our partners1 and      
allies2  7#ag7 ,turkey1 in coordination 
with the ,united ,nations1 has played an
 important role in alleviating global   
food insecurity by negotiating two      
agreements to allow grain exports from  
,ukrainian ports through a safe corridor
 in the ,black ,sea2  7#ah7 ,russia has 
a brutal history of using hunger as a   
weapon and must be stopped2  7#ai7      
countering the ,,prc's coercive economic

 pursuits remains an important policy   
imperative in order to further integrate
 the ,black ,sea states into western    
economies and improve regional          
stability2 and  7#bj7 ,turkey's         
continued delay in ratifying ,sweden and
 ,finland's accession to ,,nato         
undermines the strength of the alliance 
and inhibits the united international   
response to ,russia's unprovoked war in 
,ukraine4  #c4 ,united ,states policy   
,it is the policy of the ,united ,states
 to-- 7#a7 actively deter the threat of 
,russia's further escalation in the     
,black ,sea region and defend freedom of
 navigation in the ,black ,sea to       
prevent the spread of further armed     
conflict in ,europe2  7#b7 advocate     
within ,,nato1 among ,,nato ,allies1 and
 within the ,european ,union to develop 
a long-term coordinated strategy to     
enhance security1 establish a permanent1
 sustainable presence in the eastern    
flank1 and bolster the democratic       
resilience of ,united ,states allies and

 partners in the region2  7#c7 advocate 
within ,,nato and among ,,nato ,allies  
to develop a regular1 rotational        
maritime presence in the ,black ,sea2   
7#d7 support and bolster the economic   
ties between the ,united ,states and    
,black ,sea partners and mobilize the   
,department of ,state1 the ,department  
of ,defense1 and other relevant ,federal
 departments and agencies by enhancing  
the ,united ,states presence and        
investment in ,black ,sea states2  7#e7 
provide economic alternatives to the    
,,prc's coercive economic options that  
destabilize and further erode economic  
integration of the ,black ,sea states2  
7#f7 ensure that the ,united ,states    
continues to support ,black ,sea states'
 efforts to strengthen their democratic 
institutions to prevent corruption and  
accelerate their advancement into the   
,euroatlantic community2 and  7#g7      
encourage the initiative undertaken by  
central and eastern ,european states to 
advance the ,three ,seas ,initiative to 

strengthen transport1 energy1 and       
digital infrastructure connectivity in  
the region between the ,adriatic ,sea1  
,baltic ,sea1 and ,black ,sea4  #d4     
,black ,sea security and development    
strategy  7a7 ,black sea security and   
development strategy ,not later than    
#ahj days after the date of the         
enactment of this ,act1 the ,national   
,security ,council1 in coordination with
 the ,department of ,state1 the         
,department of ,defense1 and other      
relevant ,federal departments and       
agencies1 is authorized to direct an    
interagency strategy to increase        
coordination with ,,nato and the        
,european ,union1 deepen economic ties1 
strengthen energy security1 support     
efforts to bolster their democratic     
resilience1 and enhance security        
assistance with our regional partners in
 accordance with the values and         
interests of the ,united ,states4  7b7  
,purpose and objectives ,the initiative 
established under subsection 7a7 shall  

have the following goals and objectives3
 7#a7 ,ensuring the efficient and       
effective delivery of security          
assistance to regional partners in      
accordance with the values and interests
 of the ,united ,states1 prioritizing   
assistance that will bolster defenses   
against hybrid warfare and improve      
interoperability with ,,nato forces4    
7#b7 ,bolstering ,united ,states support
 for the region's energy security and   
integration with ,europe and reducing   
their dependence on ,russia while       
supporting energy diversification4  7#c7
 ,mitigating the impact of economic     
coercion by the ,russian ,federation and
 the ,,prc on ,black ,sea states and    
identifying new opportunities for       
foreign direct investment from the      
,united ,states and cooperating         
countries and the enhancement of ,united
 ,states business ties with regional    
partners in accordance with the values  
and interests of the ,united ,states4   
7#d7 ,increasing high-level engagement  

between the ,united ,states and regional
 partners1 and reinforcing economic     
growth1 financing quality               
infrastructure1 and reinforcing trade   
with a focus on improving high-level    
economic cooperation4  7#e7 ,increasing 
,united ,states coordination with the   
,european ,union and ,,nato to maximize 
effectiveness and minimize duplication4 
7c7 ,activities  7#a7 ,security ,the    
strategy established under subsection   
7a7 should include the following        
elements related to security3 7,a7 ,a   
plan to increase interagency            
coordination on the ,black ,sea region4 
7,b7 ,an assessment of whether a ,united
 ,states-led initiative with ,,nato     
allies to increase coordination1        
presence1 and regional engagement among 
,black ,sea states is advisable4  7,c7  
,a strategy to increase security        
assistance toward ,black ,sea states1   
focused on ,ukraine1 ,romania1          
,bulgaria1 ,moldova1 and ,georgia4  7,d7
 ,prioritization of intelligence1       

surveillance1 and reconnaissance systems
 to monitor ,russia's operations in the 
,black ,sea region4  7,e7 ,an assessment
 of the value of establishing a joint1  
multinational three-star headquarters on
 the ,black ,sea1 responsible for       
planning1 readiness1 exercises1 and     
coordination of all ,allied and partner 
military activity in the greater ,black 
,sea region4  7,f7 ,an assessment of the
 challenges and opportunities of        
establishing a regular1 rotational      
,,nato maritime presence in the ,black  
,sea1 including an analysis of the      
capacity1 capabilities1 and commitment  
of ,,nato members to create this type of
 mission4  7,g7 ,an overview of ,foreign
 ,military ,financing1 ,international   
,military ,education and ,training1 and 
other ,united ,states security          
assistance to the region4  7,h7 ,a plan 
for communicating the changes to ,,nato 
posture to the public in allied and     
partner countries1 as well as to publics
 in the ,russian ,federation and        

,belarus4  7,i7 ,a plan for combating   
,russian disinformation and propaganda  
in the ,black ,sea region1 utilizing the
 resources of the ,united ,states       
,government1 including the ,global      
,engagement ,center4  7,j7 ,a plan to   
promote greater freedom of navigation to
 allow for greater security and economic
 ,black ,sea access4  7#b7 ,economic    
prosperity ,the strategy established    
under subsection 7a7 shall include the  
following elements related to economic  
prosperity3 7,a7 ,a strategy to foster  
dialogue between experts from the       
,united ,states and from the ,black ,sea
 states on economic expansion1 foreign  
direct investment1 strengthening rule of
 law initiatives1 and mitigating        
economic coercion by ,russia and the    
,,prc4  7,b7 ,a strategy for all the    
relevant ,federal departments and       
agencies that contribute to ,united     
,states economic statecraft to expand   
their presence and identify new         
opportunities for private investment    

with regional partners in accordance    
with the values and interests of the    
,united ,states4  7,c7 ,assessments on  
energy diversification1 focusing on the 
immediate need to replace energy        
supplies from ,russia1 and recognizing  
the long-term importance of broader     
energy diversification1 including clean 
energy initiatives4  7,d7 ,assessments  
of potential food security solutions1   
including sustainable1 long-term        
arrangements beyond the ,black ,sea     
,grain ,initiative4  7#c7 ,democratic   
resilience ,the strategy established    
under subsection 7a7 shall include the  
following elements related to democratic
 resilience3 7,a7 ,a strategy to        
increase independent media and ,united  
,states-supported media initiatives to  
combat foreign malign influence in the  
,black ,sea region4  7,b7 ,greater      
mobilization of initiatives spearheaded 
by the ,global ,engagement ,center and  
the ,united ,states ,agency for         
,international ,development to counter  

,russian propaganda and disinformation  
in the ,black ,sea region4  7#d7        
,regional connectivity ,the strategy    
established under subsection 7a7 shall  
promote regional connectivity by sending
 high-level representatives of the      
,department of ,state or other agency   
partners to-- 7,a7 the ,black ,sea      
region not less frequently than twice a 
year2 and  7,b7 major regional fora on  
infrastructure and energy security1     
including the ,three ,seas ,initiative  
,summit4  7d7 ,identification of        
necessary programs and resources ,not   
later than #cfj days after the date of  
the enactment of this ,act1 the         
interagency shall identify any necessary
 program1 policy1 or budgetary resources
 required1 by agency1 to support        
implementation of the ,black ,sea       
,security ,strategy for fiscal years    
#bjbd1 #bjbe1 and #bjbf4  7e7           
,responsibilities of ,federal           
departments and agencies ,nothing under 
this section shall be deemed to         

authorize the ,national ,security       
,council to assume any of the           
responsibilities or authorities of the  
head of any ,federal department1 agency1
 or office1 including the foreign       
affairs responsibilities and authorities
 of the ,secretary of ,state1 to oversee
 the implementation of programs and     
policies under this section4  #e4       
,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7        
,appropriate congressional committees   
,the term appropriate congressional     
committees means-- 7,a7 the ,committee  
on ,foreign ,relations1 the ,committee  
on ,armed ,services1 and the ,committee 
on ,appropriations of the ,senate2 and  
7,b7 the ,committee on ,foreign         
,affairs1 the ,committee on ,armed      
,services1 and the ,committee on        
,appropriations of the ,house of        
,representatives4  7#b7 ,black ,sea     
states ,the term ,black ,sea states     
means ,turkey1 ,romania1 ,bulgaria1     
,moldova1 ,ukraine1 and ,georgia4