[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6851 Introduced in House (IH)]
110th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6851
To authorize assistance to facilitate trade with, reconstruction
efforts, and economic recovery in the Republic of Georgia, which are
necessitated by the destruction of critical infrastructure and
disruption of domestic and regional commerce during the August 2008 war
between Georgia and the Russian Federation.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 9, 2008
Mr. Hastings of Florida introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the
Committee on Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize assistance to facilitate trade with, reconstruction
efforts, and economic recovery in the Republic of Georgia, which are
necessitated by the destruction of critical infrastructure and
disruption of domestic and regional commerce during the August 2008 war
between Georgia and the Russian Federation.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE AND TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Republic of
Georgia Enhanced Trade Assistance, Economic Recovery, and
Reconstruction Act of 2008''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as
follows:
Sec. 1. Short title and table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings.
Sec. 3. Assistance to facilitate trade with the Republic of Georgia and
certain other countries.
Sec. 4. Assistance for reconstruction efforts and economic recovery in
the Republic of Georgia.
Sec. 5. Authorization of appropriations.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Since establishing its independence from the former
Soviet Union in 1991, the Republic of Georgia has been a
staunch ally of the United States which aspires to membership
in western multilateral institutions and has provided crucial
support to the United States through the provision of military
personnel to bolster the United States-led alliance in the
Iraqi conflict.
(2) The Republic of Georgia has achieved significant
progress in democratization and market reform efforts, but
advances in these areas have now been severely set back due to
the conflict with the Russian Federation.
(3) As a result of the Russian Federation's intervention in
the open warfare that broke out in South Ossetia on August 7,
2008, and Russia's bombing of sections of Georgia's economic
infrastructure, including bridges, railroads, radar sites, and
ports, Georgia's economy and the flow of goods, services, and
communications have been severely disrupted.
(4) The destruction of villages and civilian houses during
and following the conflict has led to the displacement of the
tens of thousands of internally displaced persons.
(5) The Georgian people have suffered deprivation of their
basic needs as a result of the conflict and their suffering
will increase absent urgent assistance to improve living
conditions in the country and help in restoring the economy.
(6) Regional trade, such as the transport of oil by rail
from the Caspian Sea to the port of Poti, a crucial energy
transport link to the West operating alongside the Baku-
Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, which bypasses Russia, has also been
impeded as a result of damage to Georgia's transportation and
energy infrastructure.
SEC. 3. ASSISTANCE TO FACILITATE TRADE WITH THE REPUBLIC OF GEORGIA AND
CERTAIN OTHER COUNTRIES.
The Secretary of State and the Secretary of Commerce shall
cooperate in working with the Governments of the Republic of Georgia,
Ukraine, Turkey, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia,
to enhance and expand trade, business, and economic opportunities with
such countries, including through the existing free trade zone at the
Georgian port of Poti and the Enhanced Partnership in Northern Europe
(e-PINE).
SEC. 4. ASSISTANCE FOR RECONSTRUCTION EFFORTS AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY IN
THE REPUBLIC OF GEORGIA.
(a) In General.--As soon as possible, but not later than 180 days
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State
shall provide assistance to the Government of the Republic of Georgia
for--
(1) the reconstruction of critical and other essential
infrastructure in Georgia that was damaged or destroyed during
the August 2008 conflict with the Russian Federation; and
(2) the recovery of the Georgian economy.
(b) Types of Assistance.--Assistance provided under subsection (a)
may include financial and technical assistance and donations. Such
assistance may be applied to the energy, transportation,
communications, maritime, aviation, health, education, and housing
infrastructure, and any other areas determined to be important to the
reconstruction of the Georgian infrastructure and the recovery of the
Georgian economy.
(c) International Financial Institutions.--The Secretary of the
Treasury is directed to instruct the United States Executive Director
at the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the
International Monetary Fund, and the European Bank for Reconstruction
and Development to use the voice and vote of the United States to urge
the respective institution and other member countries to expand
assistance for the reconstruction and development of Georgia.
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated to carry
out this Act $500,000,000.
(b) Availability.--Amounts appropriated pursuant to the
authorization of appropriations under subsection (a) are authorized to
remain available until expended.
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