[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1064 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1064

   To authorize a coordinated program to promote the development of 
                  democracy in Serbia and Montenegro.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 10, 1999

   Mr. Smith of New Jersey (for himself, Mr. Gilman, Mr. Hoyer, Mr. 
     Porter, Mr. Engel, Mr. Burton of Indiana, Ms. Slaughter, Mr. 
Rohrabacher, and Mr. Moran of Virginia) introduced the following bill; 
     which was referred to the Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To authorize a coordinated program to promote the development of 
                  democracy in Serbia and Montenegro.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION. 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Serbia and Montenegro Democracy Act 
of 1999''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) In multi-party elections held in the Republic of Serbia 
        in 1990, 1992, 1996 and 1997, international observers found 
        considerable evidence of election fraud and the manipulation of 
        state-run media, allowing the ruling Socialist Party of Serbia 
        led by Slobodan Milosevic to maintain power.
            (2) On many occasions, and specifically in 1991, 1996 and 
        1997, the Serbian authorities demonstrated a clear willingness 
        to intimidate and use force against citizens of Serbia who were 
        peacefully exercising their rights by protesting publicly 
        against the undemocratic practices of the regime.
            (3) Beginning in 1991, the Serbian Government formed by the 
        Socialist Party of Serbia sought to enhance its power and 
        counter democratic pressures by fomenting extreme nationalism 
        and instigating conflict within the former Socialist Federal 
        Republic of Yugoslavia, which, by the time peace was restored 
        in 1995, resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands, the 
        torture and rape of tens of thousands and the forced 
        displacement of nearly 3,000,000 people.
            (4) In 1992, the republics of Serbia and Montenegro 
        asserted the establishment of a new ``Federal Republic of 
        Yugoslavia'', the government and institutions of which have 
        been dominated by those holding power in Serbia and their 
        political allies in Montenegro, enabling Serbian President 
        Slobodan Milosevic to become the President of the new Yugoslav 
        state in 1997, when his final term as President of Serbia 
        ended.
            (5) In 1997 and 1998, forces within the ruling Democratic 
        Socialist Party of Montenegro which supported the building of 
        democratic institutions separated from those allied with the 
        ruling party in Serbia, cooperated with opposition parties, 
        including those representing minority communities, and 
        succeeded, despite threats and intimidation on the part of 
        Serbian officials, in holding elections reflective of the will 
        of the citizens of Montenegro and bringing increased openness 
        and tolerance in Montenegrin society.
            (6) In 1998, conflict in the area resumed with an assault 
        by Yugoslav military and Serbian police and security forces on 
        innocent civilians in Kosovo which have resulted in more than 
        1,000 people dead or missing and the forced displacement of 
        tens of thousands before a tentative ceasefire was reached 
        which has been threatened by further atrocities in 1999.
            (7) The ethnically Albanian majority of the population of 
        Kosovo has established its own political, medical, education 
        and media institutions in reaction to the illegal revocation in 
        1990 of Kosovo's autonomy as a province in the former Socialist 
        Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the subsequent years of 
        repression of the people living in Kosovo.
            (8) In 1998, new, draconian laws on information and higher 
        education placed further restrictions on the independent media 
        and academic freedom in Serbia.
            (9) The chronology of events in Serbia and Montenegro since 
        1990 indicate a clear and close relationship between the 
        instigation of conflict and the denial of democratic 
        development.

SEC. 3. POLICY TOWARD SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO.

    It is the policy of the United States to promote the development of 
democracy in Serbia and Montenegro and to support those who are 
committed to the building of democratic institutions, defending human 
rights, promoting rule of law, and fostering tolerance in society.

SEC. 4. ASSISTANCE TO SUPPORT DEMOCRATIC EFFORTS IN SERBIA AND 
              MONTENEGRO.

    (a) Assistance.--In carrying out the Support for East European 
Democracy (SEED) Act of 1989, the President shall provide the following 
assistance to support democratic efforts in Serbia and Montenegro 
(excluding Kosovo):
            (1) Open media.--
                    (A) In general.--Assistance to improve 
                infrastructure and programming, to provide advice, 
                technical support and education, and to help provide 
                legal protection.
                    (B) Authorization of appropriations.--There is 
                authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 for fiscal 
                year 2000 to carry out subparagraph (A).
            (2) Nongovernmental organizations.--
                    (A) In general.--Assistance to train, to develop 
                regional networks, to encourage multiethnic focus on 
                issues of common concern, and to help provide legal 
                protection.
                    (B) Authorization of appropriations.--There is 
                authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for fiscal 
                year 2000 to carry out subparagraph (A).
            (3) Independent labor unions.--
                    (A) In general.--Assistance to promote membership, 
                to facilitate contacts and cooperation with labor 
                unions elsewhere in Europe, and to help provide legal 
                protection.
                    (B) Authorization of appropriations.--There is 
                authorized to be appropriated $3,000,000 for fiscal 
                year 2000 to carry out subparagraph (A).
            (4) Education.--
                    (A) In general.--Assistance to assist independent 
                education networks, to help provide support for those 
                fired for political reasons, and to develop improved 
                teaching materials on democracy and civic 
                responsibilities.
                    (B) Authorization of appropriations.--There is 
                authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for fiscal 
                year 2000 to carry out subparagraph (A).
            (5) Judiciary.--
                    (A) In general.--Assistance to train judges on 
                international judicial standards, to support a trial 
                monitoring program, and to help provide support of 
                those fired for political reasons.
                    (B) Authorization of appropriations.--There is 
                authorized to be appropriated $2,000,000 for fiscal 
                year 2000 to carry out subparagraph (A).
            (6) Political parties and coalitions.--
                    (A) In general.--Assistance to expand training in 
                grassroots organization, to develop coalition-building 
                and campaign skills, and to develop party leadership 
                below the state or republic level.
                    (B) Authorization of appropriations.--There is 
                authorized to be appropriated $7,000,000 for fiscal 
                year 2000 to carry out subparagraph (A).
            (7) Local governance.--
                    (A) In general.--Assistance to provide support to 
                democratically-oriented local governments to provide 
                services, to establish local economic development 
                plans, and to increase the transparency and 
                accountability of decision-making.
                    (B) Authorization of appropriations.--There is 
                authorized to be appropriated $3,000,000 for fiscal 
                year 2000 to carry out subparagraph (A).
            (8) Election administration.--
                    (A) In general.--Assistance to train election 
                officials in transparent election procedures, to 
                provide tamper-resistant electoral supplies, and to 
                develop sound registration and voting procedures.
                    (B) Authorization of appropriations.--There is 
                authorized to be appropriated $3,000,000 for fiscal 
                year 2000 to carry out subparagraph (A).
            (9) Youth organizations.--
                    (A) In general.--Assistance to promote student 
                organizations and to develop and provide for study 
                programs in Europe and the United States.
                    (B) Authorization of appropriations.--There is 
                authorized to be appropriated $3,000,000 for fiscal 
                year 2000 to carry out subparagraph (A).
    (b) Administration of Assistance.--Assistance described in 
subsection (a) shall be provided to institutions, nongovernmental 
organizations, and persons that are eligible organizations designated 
in accordance with section 5, by the President, acting through 
appropriate Federal agencies and the National Endowment for Democracy, 
based on a determination by the President of the potential 
effectiveness of the agency or entity in providing the assistance.

SEC. 5. ELIGIBILITY AND DESIGNATION OF ORGANIZATIONS AND INSTITUTIONS.

    (a) Eligibility.--An institution, nongovernmental organization, or 
person shall be eligible for designation under subsection (b) if such 
institution, nongovernmental organization, or person--
            (1) clearly advocates democratic principles in its programs 
        (if a nongovernmental entity) or in the implementation of its 
        policies (if governmental entity);
            (2) has membership which does not discriminate on the basis 
        of ethnicity and is open to dialogue across state and republic 
        lines; and
            (3) has no known direct involvement in, nor open support 
        for, atrocities associated with the conflict in the former 
        Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia or any of the 
        independent states which have emerged therefrom, since 1991.
    (b) Designation.--The President shall designate 1 or more 
institutions, nongovernmental organizations, or persons that meet the 
requirements of subsection (a) as eligible to receive assistance under 
this Act.

SEC. 6. DEVELOPMENT OF POLITICAL CONTACTS RELATING TO SERBIA AND 
              MONTENEGRO.

    (a) Sense of the Congress.--It is the sense of the Congress that 
political contacts between United States officials and those who, in an 
official or unofficial capacity, represent a genuine desire for 
democratic governance in Serbia and Montenegro and designated in 
accordance with section 5, should be developed through regular and well 
publicized meetings.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary of State $350,000 for fiscal year 2000 
for a voluntary contribution to the Organization for Security and 
Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly--
            (1) to facilitate contacts by those who, in an official or 
        unofficial capacity, represent a genuine desire for democratic 
        governance in Serbia and Montenegro and designated in 
        accordance with section 5, with their counterparts in other 
        countries; and
            (2) to encourage the development of a multilateral effort 
        to promote democracy in Serbia and Montenegro.
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