[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1616 Engrossed in House (EH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1616

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
  To prioritize the efforts of and enhance coordination among United 
    States agencies to encourage countries in Europe and Eurasia to 
   diversify their energy sources and supply routes, increase energy 
  security in the region, and help the United States reach its global 
             energy security goals, and for other purposes.

    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 ``European Energy Security and 
Diversification Act of 2019''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Early-stage project support.--The term ``early-stage 
        project support'' includes the following:
                    (A) Feasibility studies.
                    (B) Resource evaluations.
                    (C) Project appraisal and costing.
                    (D) Pilot projects.
                    (E) Commercial support, such as trade missions, 
                reverse trade missions, technical workshops, 
                international buyer programs, and international partner 
                searchers to link suppliers to projects.
                    (F) Technical assistance and other guidance to 
                improve the local regulatory environment and market 
                frameworks to encourage transparent competition and 
                enhance energy security.
                    (G) Long-term energy sector planning.
            (2) Late-stage project support.--The term ``late-stage 
        project support'' includes support described in section 1421 of 
        the Better Utilization of Investments Leading to Development 
        Act of 2018 (also referred to as the ``BUILD Act of 2018''; 
        enacted as division F of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 
        (Public Law 115-254)).
            (3) International financial institution.--The term 
        ``international financial institution'' has the meaning given 
        such term in section 1701(c) of the International Financial 
        Institutions Act (22 U.S.C. 262r(c)).

SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS; STATEMENT OF POLICY.

    (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the United 
States has economic and national security interests in assisting 
European and Eurasian countries achieve energy security through 
diversification of their energy sources and supply routes.
    (b) Statement of Policy.--It is the policy of the United States 
to--
            (1) advance United States foreign policy and development 
        goals by assisting European and Eurasian countries to reduce 
        their dependence on energy resources from countries that use 
        energy dependence for undue political influence, such as the 
        Russian Federation, which has used natural gas to coerce, 
        intimidate, and influence other countries;
            (2) promote the energy security of European and Eurasian 
        allies and partners of the United States by encouraging the 
        development of accessible, transparent, and competitive energy 
        markets that provide diversified sources, types, and routes of 
        energy;
            (3) encourage United States public and private sector 
        investment in European and Eurasian energy infrastructure 
        projects to bridge the gap between energy security requirements 
        and commercial demand in a way that is consistent with the 
        region's absorptive capacity;
            (4) help facilitate a well-functioning market for energy 
        resources in a way that benefits the energy security of the 
        United States and European and Eurasian allies and partners of 
        the United States; and
            (5) help facilitate the export of United States energy 
        technology and expertise to global markets.

SEC. 4. PRIORITIZATION OF EFFORTS AND ASSISTANCE FOR ENERGY 
              INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS IN EUROPE AND EURASIA.

    (a) In General.--In pursuing the policy described in section 3(b), 
the Secretary of State, in coordination with the heads of United States 
agencies that operate under the foreign policy guidance of the 
Secretary, shall, as appropriate, prioritize and expedite the efforts 
of the Department of State and such agencies in supporting the efforts 
of the European Commission and European and Eurasian countries to 
increase the energy security of such countries, including through--
            (1) providing diplomatic and political support to the 
        European Commission and such countries, as necessary to--
                    (A) facilitate international negotiations 
                concerning cross-border infrastructure;
                    (B) enhance Europe's and Eurasia's regulatory 
                environment with respect to energy; and
                    (C) develop accessible, transparent, and 
                competitive energy markets supplied by diverse sources, 
                types, and routes of energy; and
            (2) providing support to improve European and Eurasian 
        energy markets, including early-stage project support and late-
        stage project support for the construction or improvement of 
        energy infrastructure, as necessary, to--
                    (A) diversify the energy sources and supply routes 
                of such countries;
                    (B) enhance energy market integration across the 
                region; and
                    (C) increase competition within energy markets.
    (b) Project Selection.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of State, in consultation 
        with the heads of agencies described in subsection (a), shall 
        identify and, in accordance with paragraph (3), select energy 
        infrastructure projects that would be appropriate for United 
        States assistance under this section.
            (2) Project eligibility.--A project is eligible for United 
        States assistance under this section if such project is--
                    (A) related to--
                            (i) natural gas infrastructure, such as 
                        interconnectors, storage facilities, liquefied 
                        natural gas import facilities, or reverse flow 
                        capacity;
                            (ii) electricity transmission 
                        infrastructure, electricity storage projects, 
                        or smart grid projects;
                            (iii) renewable energy projects in wind, 
                        solar, tidal, or other forms; or
                            (iv) the improvement, rehabilitation, or 
                        construction of electricity generation 
                        facilities to increase the efficiency and 
                        reliability of electricity production; and
                    (B) located in a European or Eurasian country.
            (3) Preference.--In selecting among projects that are 
        eligible under paragraph (2), the Secretary of State and the 
        heads of agencies described in subsection (a) shall give 
        preference to projects that--
                    (A) improve the capacity of energy systems to 
                efficiently transfer gas and electricity within and 
                between European or Eurasian countries;
                    (B) have already been identified by the European 
                Commission as being integral for the energy security of 
                European or Eurasian countries;
                    (C) are expected to enhance energy market 
                integration and transparency;
                    (D) can attract funding from the private sector, an 
                international financial institution, the government of 
                the country in which the project will be carried out, 
                or the European Commission; or
                    (E) have the potential to use United States goods 
                and services.
    (c) Types of Assistance.--
            (1) Diplomatic and political support.--The Secretary of 
        State, in coordination with the heads of agencies described in 
        subsection (a), as appropriate, shall provide diplomatic and 
        political support to the European Commission and European or 
        Eurasian countries, as necessary, including by using the 
        diplomatic and political influence and expertise of the 
        Department of State to build the capacity of such countries to 
        resolve any impediments to the development of projects selected 
        under subsection (b).
            (2) Early-stage project support.--The Secretary of State, 
        in coordination, as appropriate, with the heads of agencies 
        described in subsection (a), including the Director of the 
        Trade and Development Agency, shall provide early-stage project 
        support to projects selected under subsection (b), as necessary 
        and in accordance with section 661 of the Foreign Assistance 
        Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2421).
            (3) Late-stage project support.--The Secretary of State, in 
        coordination, as appropriate, with the heads of agencies 
        described in subsection (a), shall provide late-stage project 
        support to projects selected under subsection (b), as necessary 
        and in accordance with section 1412 of the Better Utilization 
        of Investments Leading to Development Act (relating to the 
        establishment of the United States International Development 
        Finance Corporation).
    (d) Funding.--
            (1) Trade and development agency.--Subparagraph (A) of 
        section 661(f)(1) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 
        U.S.C. 2421(f)(1)) is amended by striking ``$48,000,000 for 
        fiscal year 2000'' and inserting ``$79,500,000 for fiscal year 
        2020''.
            (2) Countering russian influence fund.--Section 254 of the 
        Countering Russian Influence in Europe and Eurasia Act of 2017 
        (enacted as title II of the Countering America's Adversaries 
        Through Sanctions Act; Public Law 115-44; 22 U.S.C. 9543) is 
        amended--
                    (A) in subsection (a), by striking ``fiscal years 
                2018 and 2019'' and adding ``fiscal years 2020 and 
                2021''; and
                    (B) in subsection (b), by adding at the end the 
                following new paragraph:
            ``(7) To assist United States agencies that operate under 
        the foreign policy guidance of the Secretary of State in 
        providing assistance under section 4 of the European Energy 
        Security and Diversification Act of 2019.''.
    (e) Exception.--No United States assistance under this section may 
be provided to a European or Eurasian country that engages in a 
significant transaction described in subsection (a) of section 231 of 
the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (22 U.S.C. 
9525).

SEC. 5. PROGRESS REPORTS.

    Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act 
and annually thereafter for seven years, the President shall transmit 
to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee 
on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on progress 
made in providing assistance for projects under section 4 that includes 
the following:
            (1) A description of the energy infrastructure projects the 
        United States has identified for such assistance.
            (2) For each such project, the following:
                    (A) A description of the role of the United States 
                in the project, including in early-stage project 
                support and late-stage project support.
                    (B) The amount and form of any debt financing and 
                insurance provided by the United States Government for 
                the project.
                    (C) The amount and form of any early-stage project 
                support.
                    (D) An update on the progress made on the project 
                as of the date of the report.

            Passed the House of Representatives March 25, 2019.

            Attest:

                                                                 Clerk.
116th CONGRESS

  1st Session

                               H. R. 1616

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

  To prioritize the efforts of and enhance coordination among United 
    States agencies to encourage countries in Europe and Eurasia to 
   diversify their energy sources and supply routes, increase energy 
  security in the region, and help the United States reach its global 
             energy security goals, and for other purposes.