[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 672 Engrossed in House (EH)]

<DOC>
H. Res. 672

                In the House of Representatives, U. S.,

                                                     November 18, 2020.
Whereas, in 2015, 12 Central and European nations of the European Union 
        established the Three Seas Initiative to increase energy, 
        infrastructure, and digital communications autonomy and resilience 
        through support of collective financing for new infrastructure projects 
        to connect the region between the Adriatic, Baltic, and Black Seas;
Whereas the United States pledged support and willingness to serve as a 
        steadfast partner of the Three Seas Initiative's effort at the July 2017 
        Warsaw summit;
Whereas, in February 2020, the Secretary of State announced a United States 
        commitment of up to $1,000,000,000 in financing for Three Seas 
        Initiative countries to promote energy security and economic growth;
Whereas the Three Seas Initiative will advance economic growth, resilience, 
        transport and digital connectivity, and energy security in this 
        strategic region, thereby increasing the national security of the United 
        States;
Whereas the President of the European Commission recognized the Three Seas 
        Initiative as a ``catalyst for the cohesion and convergence of the EU 
        and for the strengthening of the transatlantic link'';
Whereas Soviet-imposed communist rule in Central and Eastern Europe left the 
        region with a significant infrastructure deficit, especially in the 
        realm of north-south transportation and energy lines;
Whereas the current state of infrastructure in Central and Eastern Europe 
        nations restricts energy, water, and telecommunications 
        interconnectivity across the region;
Whereas the infrastructure deficit leaves these nations overly dependent on 
        Russia for their energy and additional economic needs;
Whereas Russia seeks to undermine democratic institutions and liberty in Europe 
        through hybrid means, including using energy as a tool for coercion;
Whereas Russian gas pipeline projects, such as Nord Stream II and Turk Stream, 
        are political and seek to undermine Europe's energy security;
Whereas the Three Seas Initiative provides a positive alternative for financing 
        for transport, energy and digital connectivity projects in the Three 
        Seas region to China's 17+1 and Belt and Road Initiatives, which have 
        exported corruption, debt traps, and poor labor and environmental 
        standards;
Whereas diversification of energy sources and supply routes, including 
        development of renewable energy sources and technology, is critical to 
        bolstering energy security;
Whereas members of the Three Seas Initiative have prioritized key energy 
        projects such as the Krk, Croatia LNG terminal, Gas Interconnector 
        Republic of Poland-Republic of Lithuania, the Bulgaria-Romania-Hungary-
        Austria (BRUA) gas interconnector, and other cross-border 
        interconnections;
Whereas members of the Three Seas Initiative have also prioritized key digital 
        infrastructure and transportation projects to support modern and vibrant 
        economies including the Three Seas Initiative Digital Highway, the 
        Viking Train, the Adriatic TEN-T Core Network Corridor, and the FAIRway 
        Danube, among others; and
Whereas the Three Seas Initiative includes vital allies of the United States: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the Three Seas Initiative in its efforts to increase 
        energy resilience and infrastructure connectivity across Central and 
        Eastern Europe and to further the process of building a Europe that is 
        undivided, secure, prosperous, and free;
            (2) encourages Three Seas Initiative nations to take action on joint 
        financing of projects to strengthen energy, infrastructure, and digital 
        communications projects in Central and Eastern Europe, including through 
        national contributions to the Three Seas Initiative Infrastructure Fund;
            (3) reaffirms the authority of the President under the Build Act of 
        2018 (division F of Public Law 115-254) to provide United States 
        financing to the Three Seas Initiative and its projects in cases that 
        advance national economic or foreign policy interests of the United 
        States and would produce significant developmental outcomes or provide 
        developmental benefits to the poorest population;
            (4) reaffirms the authority of the United States International 
        Development Finance Corporation under the European Energy Security and 
        Diversification Act of 2019 (title XX of division P of Public Law 116-
        94) to provide support for the Three Seas Initiative and its energy 
        infrastructure projects in countries with upper-middle-income or high-
        income economies in cases described in paragraph (3) or if such support 
        is necessary to preempt or counter efforts by a strategic competitor of 
        the United States to secure significant political or economic leverage 
        or acquire national security-sensitive technologies or infrastructure in 
        a country that is an ally or partner of the United States;
            (5) encourages the Three Seas Initiative member nations to boost 
        cross-border cooperation and financing on diversification of energy 
        sources, including clean energy sources and infrastructure;
            (6) encourages Three Seas Initiative nations to extend this vision 
        of enhanced regional infrastructural connectivity to non-European Union 
        member states in the Three Seas region, including Ukraine, Moldova, and 
        those in the Western Balkans; and
            (7) strongly condemns any efforts of Russia to weaponize energy as a 
        means to put pressure on or to undermine liberty and democracy in 
        Europe.
            Attest:

                                                                          Clerk.