[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6910 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 6910

 To prohibit United States assistance from being made available before 
the implementation of conditions under the 2013 Brussels Agreement, and 
                          for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 2, 2024

  Ms. Tenney introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To prohibit United States assistance from being made available before 
the implementation of conditions under the 2013 Brussels Agreement, 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 ``Backing the Agreed-upon Compromises 
by Kosovo Imposed by the Negotiated Guarantees of the 2013 Brussels 
Agreement'' or the ``BACKING the 2013 Brussels Agreement Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) In 2013, the European Union moderated talks between 
        Kosovo and Serbia to normalize relations between the two 
        countries which required--
                    (A) the establishment of an Association/Community 
                of Serb-majority Municipalities to ensure the rights of 
                Kosovo Serbs;
                    (B) one police force for all of Kosovo, with 
                regional commanders in Serb-majority areas to be a 
                Kosovo Serb chosen from a list provided by the 
                municipality; and
                    (C) Kosovo Serbs comprise a majority of certain 
                judicial panels in Serb-majority areas.
            (2) After a decade, the Association/Community of Serb-
        majority Municipalities has still not been created by Kosovo in 
        violation of the 2013 Brussels Agreement.
            (3) Kosovo Serbs are frustrated by the lack of progress in 
        establishing this Association/Community of Serb-majority 
        Municipalities and as a result protested local elections in 
        April 2023.
            (4) In Serb-majority municipalities the turnout rate 
        reached only 3.39 percent, with most voters being Kosovo 
        Albanians.
            (5) Despite the lack of turnout, Kosovo Albanian mayors 
        were installed by special police, in violation of the 2013 
        Brussels Agreement.
            (6) The United States has provided Kosovo with over 
        $2,000,000,000 in foreign aid since 1999.
            (7) As the United States Ambassador to Kosovo, Jeffrey 
        Hovenier, put it, this aid was ``to ensure that all Kosovans 
        can access effective and accountable services from their 
        institutions, are empowered to demand accountability for these 
        services, and can thrive through strong economic and democratic 
        opportunities''.
            (8) Despite this intention, Kosovo has repeatedly 
        discriminated against Kosovo Serbs including--
                    (A) repossessing cars with Serbian license plates;
                    (B) removing clothing with Serbian language on it 
                from Kosovo Serbs;
                    (C) harassment of Kosovo Serbs by the Kosovo 
                Security Force;
                    (D) prejudice against Kosovo Serbs in the civil 
                service and labor markets;
                    (E) denial of fair public trials and lengthy pre-
                trial sentences; and
                    (F) failing to execute court rulings in favor of 
                Kosovo Serbs, particularly in property related 
                disputes.
            (9) Kosovo Serb civil society organizations have raised 
        concerns about the criminalization of ``the expression of 
        political views, which is a universal human right guaranteed by 
        international conventions, as well as the constitution and laws 
        of Kosovo''.
            (10) Kosovo's refusal to uphold the 2013 Brussels Agreement 
        is contributing to the destabilization of the region and 
        increasing tensions within the Balkans.

SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) the actions by the Kosovan Government and Prime 
        Minister Albin Kurti including the forcible implementation of 
        mayors, oppression of human rights, and discrimination against 
        Kosovo-Serbs in the justice system, labor market, and civil 
        service is--
                    (A) in violation of international conventions;
                    (B) in violation of Kosovan laws;
                    (C) in violation of the 2013 Brussels Agreement; 
                and
                    (D) contrary to the ideals of the United States 
                such as rule of law, democracy, self-determination, and 
                minority rights;
            (2) the actions by Kosovo undermine global efforts to 
        achieve peace and stability in Eastern Europe and the Balkans;
            (3) Kosovo's destabilization of the Balkans could lead to a 
        regional war; and
            (4) the United States rejects these undemocratic actions 
        that repress human rights and political freedoms.

SEC. 4. STATEMENT OF POLICY.

    It is the policy of the United States not to support the Government 
of Kosovo's--
            (1) failure to implement and adhere to the 2013 Brussels 
        Agreement;
            (2) ethnic discrimination of Kosovo Serbs through unequal 
        treatment in the justice system, and lack of access to the 
        labor market in violation of international law;
            (3) the seizure or appropriation of Kosovo Serbs' private 
        property; and
            (4) repression of the human right to freedom of speech, 
        including the right to express political views.

SEC. 5. LIMITATION ON ASSISTANCE.

    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no United States 
assistance is authorized to be appropriated or otherwise made available 
to the Government of Kosovo until each of the following conditions are 
met:
            (1) The Government of Kosovo implements the conditions 
        required be the 2013 Brussels Agreement, including the creation 
        of the Association/Community of Serb-majority Municipalities.
            (2) Special police are removed from northern Kosovo.
            (3) New mayoral elections are held in northern Kosovo.
            (4) The seizure of Kosovo Serb's private property, such as 
        cars and clothing, is halted.
            (5) Freedom of political expression is respected and upheld 
        for all ethnicities in Kosovo.

SEC. 6. OVERSIGHT AND ADDITIONAL REPORTING.

    Beginning with the first report submitted pursuant to section 116 
of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151n) after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall include in 
each report required by such section a description of the nature and 
extent--
            (1) of discrimination and harassment faced by Kosovo Serbs 
        by the government and police forces of Kosovo; and
            (2) of the progress made by the Government of Kosovo in 
        meeting the requirements established by section 5 of this Act.
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