,,ii #aaith ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #aiji ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,may #bb1 #bjbe ,mrs4 ,shaheen 7for herself and ,mr4 ,wicker7 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 ,definitions4 ,sec4 #e4 ,codification of sanctions relating to the ,western ,balkans4 ,sec4 #f4 ,democratic and economic development and prosperity initiatives4 ,sec4 #g4 ,promoting cross-cultural and educational engagement4 ,sec4 #h4 ,peace ,corps in the ,western ,balkans4 ,sec4 #i4 ,young ,balkan ,leaders ,initiative4 ,sec4 #aj4 ,supporting cybersecurity and cyber resilience in the ,western ,balkans4 ,sec4 #aa4 ,sense of ,congress regarding an interim agreement4 ,sec4 #ab4 ,reports on ,russian and ,chinese malign influence operations and campaigns in the ,western ,balkans4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,the ,western ,balkans countries 7the ,republic of ,albania1 ,bosnia and ,herzegovina1 the ,republic of ,croatia1 the ,republic of ,kosovo1 ,montenegro1 the ,republic of ,north ,macedonia and the ,republic of ,serbia7 form a pluralistic1 multi-ethnic region in the heart of ,europe that is critical to the peace1 stability1 and prosperity of that continent4 7#b7 ,continued peace1 stability1 and prosperity in the ,western ,balkans is directly tied to the opportunities for democratic and economic advancement available to the citizens and residents of those seven countries4 7#c7 ,it is in the mutual interest of the ,united ,states and the seven 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 each ,western ,balkans country1 resulting in population decline in all seven countries4 7#g7 ,implementing critical economic and governance reforms could help enable investment and employment opportunities in the ,western ,balkans1 especially for youth1 and can provide powerful tools for economic development and for encouraging broader participation in a political process that increases trade and prosperity for all4 7#h7 ,existing regional economic efforts1 such as the ,common ,regional ,market1 the ,berlin ,process1 and the ,open ,balkan ,initiative1 could have the potential to improve the economic conditions in the ,western ,balkans1 while promoting inclusion and transparency4 7#i7 ,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#aj7 ,corruption1 including among key political leaders1 continues to plague the ,western ,balkans and represents one of the greatest impediments to further economic and political development in the region4 7#aa7 ,disinformation campaigns targeting the ,western ,balkans undermine the credibility of its democratic institutions1 including the integrity of its elections4 7#ab7 ,vulnerability to cyberattacks or attacks on information and communication technology infrastructure increases risks to the functioning of government and the delivery of public services4 7#ac7 ,united ,states ,cyber ,command1 the ,department of ,state1 and other ,federal agencies play a critical role in defending the national security interests of the ,united ,states1 including by deploying cyber hunt forward teams at the request of partner nations to reinforce their cyber defenses4 7#ad7 ,securing domestic and international cyber networks and ,,ict infrastructure is a national security priority for the ,united ,states1 which is exemplified by offices and programs across the ,federal ,government that support cybersecurity4 7#ae7 ,corruption and disinformation proliferate in political environments marked by autocratic control or partisan conflict4 7#af7 ,dependence on ,russian sources of fossil fuels and 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#ag7 ,reducing the reliance of the ,western ,balkans on ,russian natural gas supplies and fossil fuels is in the national interest of the ,united ,states4 7#ah7 ,the growing influence of ,china in the ,western ,balkans could also have a deleterious impact on strategic competition1 democracy1 and economic integration with ,europe4 7#ai7 ,in ,march #bjbb1 ,president ,biden 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 to ,russia's war of aggression4 7#bj7 ,the parliamentary and local elections held in ,serbia on ,december #ag1 #bjbc1 and their immediate aftermath are cause for deep concern about the state of ,serbia's democracy1 including due to the final report of the ,organization for ,security and ,co-operation in ,europe's ,office for ,democratic ,institutions and ,human ,rights1 which-- 7,a7 found unjust conditions for the election2 7,b7 found numerous procedural deficiencies1 including inconsistent application of safeguards during voting and counting1 frequent instances of overcrowding1 breaches in secrecy of the vote1 and numerous instances of group voting2 and 7,c7 asserted that voting must be repeated in certain polling stations4 7#ba7 ,the ,organization for ,security and ,co-operation in ,europe also noted that ,serbian officials accused primarily peaceful protestors1 opposition parties1 and civil society of attempting to destabilize the government1 a concerning allegation that threatens the safety of important elements of ,serbian society4 7#bb7 ,democratic countries whose values are in alignment with the ,united ,states make for stronger and more durable partnerships4 #c4 ,sense of ,congress ,it is a 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 reduction of poverty in the ,western ,balkans2 7#e7 increase ,united ,states trade and investment with the ,western ,balkans1 particularly in ways that support countries' efforts-- 7,a7 to decrease dependence on ,russian energy sources and fossil fuels2 7,b7 to increase energy diversification1 efficiency1 and conservation2 and 7,c7 to facilitate the transition to cleaner and more reliable sources of energy1 including renewables1 as appropriate2 7#f7 continue to assist in the development1 within the ,western ,balkans1 of-- 7,a7 strong civil societies2 7,b7 public-private partnerships2 7,c7 independent media2 7,d7 transparent1 accountable1 citizen-responsive governance1 including equal representation for women and youth2 7,e7 political stability2 and 7,f7 modern1 free-market based economies2 7#g7 support the expeditious accession of those ,western ,balkans countries that are not already members to the ,european ,union and to the ,north ,atlantic ,treaty ,organization 7referred to in this section as ,,nato7 for countries that desire and are eligible for such 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 in the realm of defense2 7,c7 working within ,,nato to encourage contingency planning for 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 to support the ,european ,union membership aspirations of ,albania1 ,bosnia and ,herzegovina1 ,kosovo1 ,north ,macedonia1 ,montenegro1 and ,serbia by supporting meeting the benchmarks required for their accession2 7#aj7 continue to support the overarching mission of the ,berlin ,process and locally-driven initiatives that are inclusive of all ,western ,balkans countries and remains aligned with the objectives and standards laid out by the ,european ,union as requirements for accession to the ,european ,union2 7#aa7 continue to support the cultural heritage1 and recognize the languages1 of the ,western ,balkans2 7#ab7 coordinate closely with the ,european ,union1 the ,united ,kingdom1 and other allies and partners on sanctions designations in ,western ,balkans countries and work to align efforts as much as possible to demonstrate a clear commitment to upholding democratic values2 7#ac7 expand bilateral security cooperation with non-,,nato member ,western ,balkans countries1 particularly efforts focused on regional integration and cooperation1 including through the ,adriatic ,charter1 which was launched at ,tirana on ,may #b1 #bjjc2 7#ad7 increase efforts to combat ,russian malign influence campaigns and any other destabilizing or disruptive activities targeting the ,western ,balkans through engagement with government institutions1 political stakeholders1 journalists1 civil society organizations1 and industry leaders2 7#ae7 develop a series of cyber resilience standards1 consistent with the ,enhanced ,cyber ,defence ,policy and ,readiness ,action ,plan endorsed at the #bjad ,wales ,summit of the ,north ,atlantic ,treaty ,organization to expand cooperation with partners and allies1 including in the ,western ,balkans1 on cyber security and ,,ict infrastructure2 7#af7 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#ag7 prioritize partnerships and programming with ,western ,balkan countries that demonstrate commitment toward strengthening their democracies and show respect for human rights4 #d4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,appropriate congressional committees ,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 7#b7 ,,ict ,the term ,,ict means information and communication technology4 7#c7 ,western balkans ,the term ,western ,balkans means the region comprised of the following countries3 7,a7 ,the ,republic of ,albania4 7,b7 ,bosnia and ,herzegovina4 7,c7 ,the ,republic of ,croatia4 7,d7 ,the ,republic of ,kosovo4 7,e7 ,montenegro4 7,f7 ,the ,republic of ,north ,macedonia4 7,g7 ,the ,republic of ,serbia4 7#d7 ,western balkans country ,the term ,western ,balkans country means any country listed in subparagraphs 7,a7 through 7,g7 of paragraph 7#c74 #e4 ,codification of sanctions relating to the ,western ,balkans 7a7 ,in general ,each person listed or designated for the imposition of sanctions under an executive order described in subsection 7c7 as of the date of the enactment of this ,act shall remain so designated1 except as provided in subsections 7d7 and 7e74 7b7 ,continuation of sanctions authorities ,each authority to impose sanctions provided for under an executive order described in subsection 7c7 shall remain in effect4 7c7 ,executive orders specified ,the executive orders specified in this subsection are-- 7#a7 ,executive ,order #acbai1 as amended by ,executive ,order #accjd 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #agja note2 relating to blocking property of persons who threaten international stabilization efforts in the ,western ,balkans72 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 7d7 ,termination of sanctions ,the ,president may terminate the application of a sanction described in subsection 7a7 with respect to a person if the ,president certifies to the appropriate congressional committees that such person-- 7#a7 has not engaged in the activity that was the basis for such sanctions1 if applicable1 during the two-year period immediately preceding such termination date2 or 7#b7 otherwise no longer meets the criteria that was the basis for such sanctions4 7e7 ,waiver 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,president may waive the application of sanctions under this section for renewable periods not to exceed #ahj days if the ,president-- 7,a7 determines that such a waiver is in the national security interests of the ,united ,states2 and 7,b7 not less than #ae days before the granting of the waiver1 submits to the appropriate congressional committees a notice of and justification for the waiver4 7#b7 ,form ,the waiver described in paragraph 7#a7 may be transmitted in classified form4 7f7 ,exceptions 7#a7 ,humanitarian assistance ,sanctions under this ,act shall not apply to-- 7,a7 the conduct or facilitation of a transaction for the provision of agricultural commodities1 food1 medicine1 medical devices1 humanitarian assistance1 or for humanitarian purposes2 or 7,b7 transactions that are necessary for1 or related to1 the activities described in subparagraph 7,a74 7#b7 ,compliance with international obligations and law enforcement activities ,sanctions under this ,act shall not apply with respect to an alien if admitting or paroling such alien is necessary-- 7,a7 to comply with ,united ,states obligations under-- 7i7 the ,agreement between the ,united ,nations and the ,united ,states of ,america regarding the ,headquarters of the ,united ,nations1 signed at ,lake ,success ,june #bf1 #aidg1 and entered into force ,november #ba1 #aidg2 7ii7 the ,convention on ,consular ,relations1 done at ,vienna ,april #bd1 #aifc1 and entered into force ,march #ai1 #aifg2 or 7iii7 any other international agreement2 or 7,b7 to carry out or assist law enforcement activity in the ,united ,states4 7#c7 ,exception for intelligence activities ,sanctions under this ,act shall not apply to-- 7,a7 any activity subject to the reporting requirements under title ,v of the ,national ,security ,act of #aidg 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #cjia et seq472 or 7,b7 any authorized intelligence activities of the ,united ,states4 7#d7 ,exception relating to importation of goods 7,a7 ,in general ,the requirement to block and prohibit all transactions in all property and interests in property under this ,act shall not include the authority or a requirement to impose sanctions on the importation of goods4 7,b7 ,defined term ,in this paragraph1 the term good means any article1 natural or manmade substance1 material1 supply or manufactured product1 including inspection and test equipment1 and excluding technical data4 7g7 ,rulemaking ,the ,president is authorized to promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this section 7which may include regulatory exceptions71 including under section #bje of the ,international ,emergency ,economic ,powers ,act 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #agjd74 7h7 ,sunset ,this section shall cease to have force or effect beginning on the date that is #h years after the date of the enactment of this ,act4 #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 in each ,western ,balkans country1 taking into account local conditions and contingent on the agreement of the host country government to develop new national anti-corruption strategies2 7#b7 seeks to share best practices with1 and provide training to1 civilian law enforcement agencies and judicial institutions1 and other relevant administrative bodies1 of the ,western ,balkans countries1 to improve the efficiency1 transparency1 and accountability of such agencies and institutions2 7#c7 strengthens existing national anti-corruption strategies-- 7,a7 to combat political corruption1 particularly in the judiciary1 independent election oversight bodies1 and public procurement processes2 and 7,b7 to strengthen regulatory and legislative oversight of critical governance areas1 such as freedom of information and public procurement1 including by strengthening cyber defenses and ,,ict infrastructure networks2 7#d7 includes the ,western ,balkans countries in the ,european ,democratic ,resilience ,initiative of the ,department of ,state1 or any equivalent successor initiative1 and considers the ,western ,balkans as a recipient of anti-corruption funding for such initiative2 and 7#e7 seeks to promote the important role of an independent media in countering corruption through engagements with governments of ,western ,balkan countries and providing training opportunities for journalists on investigative reporting4 7b7 ,prioritizing cyber resilience1 regional trade1 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 ,western ,balkans countries will enable countries to better utilize existing resources and maximize their economic security and democratic resilience by reinforcing cyber defenses and 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 #e-year strategy for economic development and democratic resilience in 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 heads of other relevant ,federal departments and agencies1 shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a regional economic development and democratic resilience strategy for the ,western ,balkans that complements the efforts of the ,european ,union1 ,european nations1 and other multilateral financing institutions-- 7,a7 to consider the full set of tools and resources available from the relevant agencies2 7,b7 to include efforts to ensure coordination with multilateral and bilateral partners1 such as the ,european ,union1 the ,world ,bank1 and other relevant assistance frameworks2 7,c7 to include an initial public assessment of-- 7i7 economic opportunities for which ,united ,states businesses1 or those of other like-minded partner countries1 would be competitive2 7ii7 legal1 economic1 governance1 infrastructural1 or other barriers limiting ,united ,states trade and investment in the ,western ,balkans2 7iii7 the effectiveness of all 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 and investment within the ,western ,balkans2 7,d7 to develop 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 cyber-security2 7,e7 to assist with the development and implementation of regional and international trade agreements2 7,f7 to support women-owned enterprises2 7,g7 to promote government and civil society policies and programs that combat corruption and encourage transparency 7including by supporting independent media by promoting the safety and security of journalists71 free and fair competition1 sound governance1 judicial reform1 environmental stewardship1 and business environments conducive to sustainable and inclusive economic growth2 and 7,h7 to include a public diplomacy strategy that describes the actions that will be taken by relevant agencies to increase support for the ,united ,states relationship by citizens of ,western ,balkans countries4 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 to 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 heads of other relevant ,federal departments and agencies1 may coordinate a regional trade and development initiative for the region comprised of each ,western ,balkans country and any ,european ,union member country that shares a border with a ,western ,balkans country 7referred to in this subsection as the ,western ,balkans region7 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 enterprises1 in the ,western ,balkans region2 7,b7 aim to increase intraregional exports to countries in the ,balkans and ,european ,union member states2 7,c7 aim to increase ,united ,states exports to1 and investments in1 countries in the ,balkans2 7,d7 support startup companies1 including companies led by youth or women1 in the ,western ,balkans region by-- 7i7 providing training in business skills and leadership2 and 7ii7 providing opportunities to connect to sources of capital2 7,e7 encourage and promote inward and outward trade and investment through engagement with the ,western ,balkans diaspora communities in the ,united ,states and abroad2 7,f7 provide assistance to the governments and civil society organizations of ,western ,balkans countries 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 relating to the ,western ,balkans across ,federal agencies-- 7i7 to eliminate duplication2 and 7ii7 to identify areas of potential coordination within the ,western ,balkans region2 7,h7 identify areas where application of additional resources could expand successful programs to #a or more countries in the ,western ,balkans 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 approach with respect to the ,western ,balkans region2 and 7,j7 promote intraregional trade throughout the ,western ,balkans region 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 ,government2 and 7iii7 coordinating access to existing trade instruments available through allies and partners in the ,western ,balkans region1 including the ,european ,union and international financial institutions4 7#c7 ,support for regional infrastructure projects ,the initiative authorized under paragraph 7#a7 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 ,western ,balkans region2 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 with trusted providers2 7,d7 infrastructure projects that connect ,western ,balkans 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 support regional energy security and reduce dependence on ,russian 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 ,requirements ,all programming under the initiative authorized under paragraph 7#a7 shall-- 7,a7 be open to the participation of ,albania1 ,bosnia and ,herzegovina1 ,kosovo1 ,montenegro1 ,north ,macedonia1 and ,serbia2 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 ,balkans countries that encourage free and fair competition1 sound governance1 environmental protection1 and business environments that are conducive to sustainable and inclusive economic growth2 and 7,e7 include a public diplomacy strategy to inform local and regional audiences in the ,western ,balkans 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 ,corporation1 in collaboration with the ,secretary of ,state1 should consider including a regional office with responsibilities for the ,western ,balkans within the ,corporation's plans to open new regional offices4 7#b7 ,joint report ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,chief ,executive ,officer of the ,united ,states ,international ,development ,finance ,corporation 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 guarantees in the ,western ,balkans2 and 7,c7 an assessment of how the ,united ,states ,international ,development ,finance ,corporation can deploy its insurance products in support of bonds or other instruments issued to raise capital through ,united ,states financial markets in the ,western ,balkans4 #g4 ,promoting cross-cultural and educational engagement 7a7 ,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense of ,congress that-- 7#a7 promoting partnerships between ,united ,states universities and universities in the ,western ,balkans1 particularly universities 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 would provide opportunities for exchanging academic ideas1 technical expertise1 research1 and cultural understanding for the benefit of the ,united ,states2 and 7#c7 the seven 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 partnerships between ,united ,states universities and universities in the ,western ,balkans1 including-- 7#a7 supporting research and analysis on foreign policy1 cyber resilience1 and disinformation2 7#b7 working with partner governments to reform policies1 improve curricula1 strengthen data systems1 train teachers and students1 including ,english language teaching1 and to provide quality1 inclusive learning materials2 7#c7 encouraging knowledge exchanges to help provide 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 promoting teaching and research exchanges between institutions of higher education in the ,western ,balkans and in the ,united ,states2 and 7#e7 encouraging alliances and exchanges with like-minded institutions of education within the ,western ,balkans and the larger ,european continent4 #h4 ,peace ,corps in the ,western ,balkans 7a7 ,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense of ,congress that 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 should submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees that includes an analysis of current opportunities for ,peace ,corps expansion in the ,western ,balkans region4 #i4 ,young ,balkan ,leaders ,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 individuals 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 ,,bold leadership program for young ,balkans leaders 7#a7 ,sense of congress ,the ,department of ,state1 through ,,bold1 a leadership program for young leaders in certain ,western ,balkans countries1 plays an important role to develop young leaders in improving civic engagement and economic development in ,bosnia and ,herzegovina1 ,serbia1 and ,montenegro4 7#b7 ,expansion ,,bold should be expanded1 subject to the availability of appropriations1 to the entire ,western ,balkans region4 7c7 ,authorization ,the ,secretary of ,state should further develop and implement ,,bold1 which shall hereafter be known as the ,young ,balkan ,leaders ,initiative1 to promote 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 ,western ,balkans region4 7d7 ,conduct of initiative ,the goals of the ,young ,balkan ,leaders ,initiative shall be-- 7#a7 to further 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 public administration1 and journalism2 7#c7 to support young political1 parliamentary1 and civic ,balkan leaders in collaboration on regional initiatives related to good governance1 environmental protection1 government ethics1 and minority inclusion2 7#d7 to provide increased economic and technical assistance to young ,balkan leaders to promote economic growth and strengthen ties between businesses1 investors1 and entrepreneurs in the ,united ,states and in ,western ,balkans countries2 7#e7 to tailor such assistance to advance the particular objectives of each ,united ,states mission in the ,western ,balkans within the framework outlined in this subsection2 and 7#f7 to secure funding for such assistance from existing funds available to each ,united ,states ,mission in the ,western ,balkans4 7e7 ,fellowships ,under the ,young ,balkan ,leaders ,initiative1 the ,secretary of ,state shall award fellowships to young leaders from the ,western ,balkans who-- 7#a7 are between #ah 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 geographic1 gender1 political1 and cultural diversity4 7f7 ,public engagement and leadership center ,under the ,young ,balkan ,leaders ,initiative1 the ,secretary of ,state shall take advantage of existing and future public diplomacy facilities 7commonly known as ,american ,spaces7 to hire staff 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 leaders from ,western ,balkans countries described in subsection 7e72 7#d7 to harmonize the efforts of existing venues throughout ,western ,balkans countries established by the ,office of ,american ,spaces2 and 7#e7 to annually bring together participants from the ,young ,balkans ,leaders ,initiative to provide platforms for regional networking4 7g7 ,briefing on certain exchange programs 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,state 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 participants from ,western ,balkans countries in the ,international ,visitor ,leadership ,program of the ,department of ,state2 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 professional development exchange programs of the ,department of ,state in the ,western ,balkans with alumni and participants from other countries in ,europe1 to enhance inter-region and intra-region people-to-people ties4 #aj4 ,supporting cybersecurity and cyber resilience in the ,western ,balkans 7a7 ,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense of ,congress that-- 7#a7 ,united ,states support for cybersecurity1 cyber resilience1 and secure ,,ict infrastructure in ,western ,balkans countries will strengthen the region's ability to defend itself from and respond to malicious cyber activity conducted by nonstate and foreign actors1 including foreign governments1 that seek to influence the region2 7#b7 insecure ,,ict networks that are vulnerable to manipulation can increase opportunities for-- 7,a7 the compromise of cyber infrastructure1 including data networks1 electronic infrastructure1 and software systems2 and 7,b7 the use of online information operations by adversaries and malign actors to undermine ,united ,states allies and interests2 and 7#c7 it is in the national security interest of the ,united ,states to support the cybersecurity and cyber resilience of ,western ,balkans countries4 7b7 ,interagency report on cybersecurity and the digital information environment in ,western ,balkans countries ,not later than #a year after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,state1 in coordination with the ,secretary of ,defense1 the ,secretary of ,homeland ,security1 and the heads of other relevant ,federal agencies1 shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees that contains-- 7#a7 an overview of interagency efforts to strengthen cybersecurity and cyber resilience in ,western ,balkans countries2 7#b7 a review of the information environment in each ,western ,balkans country2 7#c7 a review of existing ,united ,states ,government cyber and digital initiatives that-- 7,a7 counter influence operations and safeguard elections and democratic processes in ,western ,balkans countries2 7,b7 strengthen ,,ict infrastructure and cybersecurity capacity in the ,western ,balkans2 7,c7 support democracy and internet freedom in ,western ,balkans countries2 and 7,d7 build cyber capacity of governments who are allies or partners of the ,united ,states2 7#d7 an assessment of cyber threat information sharing between the ,united ,states and ,western ,balkans countries2 7#e7 an assessment of-- 7,a7 options for the ,united ,states to better support cybersecurity and cyber resilience in ,western ,balkans countries through changes to current assistance authorities2 and 7,b7 the advantages or limitations1 such as funding or office space1 of posting cyber professionals from other ,federal departments and agencies to ,united ,states diplomatic posts in ,western ,balkans countries and providing relevant training to ,foreign ,service ,officers2 and 7#f7 any additional support needed from the ,united ,states for the cybersecurity and cyber resilience of the following ,,nato ,allies3 ,albania1 ,montenegro1 ,north ,macedonia1 and ,croatia4 #aa4 ,relations between ,kosovo and ,serbia 7a7 ,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense of ,congress that-- 7#a7 the ,agreement on the ,path to ,normalization of ,relations1 which was agreed to by ,kosovo and ,serbia on ,february #bg1 #bjbc1 with the facilitation of the ,european ,union1 is a positive step forward in advancing normalization between the two countries2 7#b7 ,serbia and ,kosovo should seek to make immediate progress on the ,implementation ,annex to the agreement referred to in paragraph 7#a72 7#c7 once sufficient progress has been made on the ,implementation ,annex1 the ,united ,states should consider advancing initiatives to strengthen bilateral relations with both countries1 which could include-- 7,a7 establishing bilateral strategic dialogues with ,kosovo and ,serbia2 and 7,b7 advancing concrete initiatives to deepen trade and investment with both countries2 and 7#d7 the ,united ,states should continue to support a comprehensive final agreement between ,kosovo and ,serbia based on mutual recognition4 7b7 ,statement of policy ,it is the policy of the ,united ,states ,government that-- 7#a7 it shall not pursue any policy that advocates for land swaps1 partition1 or other forms of redrawing borders along ethnic lines in the ,western ,balkans as a means to arbitrate disputes between nation states in the region2 and 7#b7 it should support pluralistic democracies in countries in the ,western ,balkans as a means to prevent a return to the ethnic strife that once characterized the region4 #ab4 ,reports on ,russian and ,chinese malign influence operations and campaigns in the ,western ,balkans 7a7 ,reports required ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 and every two years thereafter1 the ,secretary of ,state1 in coordination with the ,secretary of ,defense1 the ,director of ,national ,intelligence1 and the heads of other ,federal departments or agencies1 as appropriate1 shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees regarding ,russian and ,chinese malign influence operations and campaigns carried out with respect to ,balkan countries that seek-- 7#a7 to undermine democratic institutions2 7#b7 to promote political instability2 and 7#c7 to harm the interests of the ,united ,states and ,north ,atlantic ,treaty ,organization member and partner states in the ,western ,balkans4 7b7 ,elements ,each report submitted pursuant to subsection 7a7 shall include-- 7#a7 an assessment of the objectives of the ,russian ,federation and the ,people's ,republic of ,china regarding malign influence operations and campaigns carried out with respect to ,western ,balkans countries-- 7,a7 to undermine democratic institutions1 including the planning and execution of democratic elections2 7,b7 to promote political instability2 and 7,c7 to manipulate the information environment2 7#b7 the activities and roles of the ,department of ,state and other relevant ,federal agencies in countering ,russian and ,chinese malign influence operations and campaigns2 7#c7 a comprehensive list identifying-- 7,a7 each network1 entity and individual1 to the extent such information is available1 of ,russia1 ,china1 or any other country with which ,russia or ,china may cooperate1 that is supporting such ,russian or ,chinese malign influence operations or campaigns1 including the provision of financial or operational support to activities in a ,western ,balkans country that may limit freedom of speech or create barriers of access to democratic processes1 including exercising the right to vote in a free and fair election2 and 7,b7 the role of each such entity in providing such support2 7#d7 the identification of the tactics1 techniques1 and procedures used in ,russian or ,chinese malign influence operations and campaigns in ,western ,balkans countries2 7#e7 an assessment of the effect of previous ,russian or ,chinese malign influence operations and campaigns that targeted alliances and partnerships of the ,united ,states ,armed ,forces in the ,western ,balkans1 including the effectiveness of such operations and campaigns in achieving the objectives of ,russia and ,china1 respectively2 7#f7 the identification of each ,western ,balkans country with respect to which ,russia or ,china has conducted or attempted to conduct a malign influence operation or campaign2 7#g7 an assessment of the capacity and efforts of ,,nato and of each individual ,western ,balkans country to counter ,russian or ,chinese malign influence operations and campaigns carried out with respect to ,western ,balkans countries2 7#h7 the efforts by the ,united ,states to combat such malign influence operations in the ,western ,balkans1 including through the ,countering ,russian ,influence ,fund and the ,countering ,people's ,republic of ,china ,malign ,influence ,fund2 7#i7 an assessment of the tactics1 techniques1 and procedures that the ,secretary of ,state1 in consultation with the ,director of ,national ,intelligence and the ,secretary of ,defense1 determines are likely to be used in future ,russian or ,chinese malign influence operations and campaigns carried out with respect to ,western ,balkans countries2 and 7#aj7 recommended authorities or activities that the ,department of ,state and other relevant ,federal agencies could enact to increase the ,united ,states ,government's capacity to counter ,russian and ,chinese malign influence operations and campaigns in ,western ,balkans countries4 7c7 ,form ,each report required under subsection 7a7 shall be submitted in unclassified form1 but may include a classified annex4