[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 141 (Wednesday, September 11, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5995-S6000]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 3263. Mrs. SHAHEEN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by her to the bill S. 4638, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 
2025 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military 
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, 
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for 
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end of subtitle C of title XII, add the following:

     SEC. 1239. PROMOTING DEMOCRACY AND PROSPERITY IN THE WESTERN 
                   BALKANS.--

       (a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the 
     ``Western Balkans Democracy and Prosperity Act''.
       (b) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
       (1) The Western Balkans countries (the Republic of Albania, 
     Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of Croatia, the Republic 
     of Kosovo, Montenegro, the Republic of North Macedonia and 
     the Republic of Serbia) form a pluralistic, multi-ethnic 
     region in the heart of Europe that is critical to the peace, 
     stability, and prosperity of that continent.
       (2) Continued peace, stability, and prosperity in the 
     Western Balkans is directly tied to the opportunities for 
     democratic and economic advancement available to the citizens 
     and residents of those seven countries.
       (3) It is in the mutual interest of the United States and 
     the seven countries of the Western Balkans to promote stable 
     and sustainable economic growth and development in the 
     region.
       (4) The reforms and integration with the European Union 
     pursued by countries in the Western Balkans have led to 
     significant democratic and economic progress in the region.
       (5) Despite economic progress, rates of poverty and 
     unemployment in the Western Balkans remain higher than in 
     neighboring European Union countries.
       (6) Out-migration, particularly of youth, is affecting 
     demographics in each Western Balkans country, resulting in 
     population decline in all seven countries.
       (7) Implementing critical economic and governance reforms 
     could help enable investment and employment opportunities in 
     the Western Balkans, especially for youth, and can provide 
     powerful tools for economic development and for encouraging 
     broader participation in a political process that increases 
     trade and prosperity for all.
       (8) Existing regional economic efforts, such as the Common 
     Regional Market, the Berlin Process, and the Open Balkan 
     Initiative, could have the potential to improve the economic 
     conditions in the Western Balkans, while promoting inclusion 
     and transparency.
       (9) Corruption, including among key political leaders, 
     continues to plague the Western Balkans and represents one of 
     the greatest impediments to further economic and political 
     development in the region.
       (10) Disinformation campaigns targeting the Western Balkans 
     undermine the credibility of its democratic institutions, 
     including the integrity of its elections.
       (11) Vulnerability to cyberattacks or attacks on 
     information and communication technology infrastructure 
     increases risks to the functioning of government and the 
     delivery of public services.
       (12) The Department of State, along with other Federal 
     agencies, plays a critical role in defending the national 
     security interests of the United States, including by 
     deploying cyber hunt forward teams at the request of partner 
     nations to reinforce their cyber defenses.

[[Page S5996]]

       (13) Securing domestic and international cyber networks and 
     ICT infrastructure is a national security priority for the 
     United States, which is exemplified by offices and programs 
     across the Federal Government that support cybersecurity.
       (14) Corruption and disinformation proliferate in political 
     environments marked by autocratic control or partisan 
     conflict.
       (15) Dependence on Russian sources of fossil fuels and 
     natural gas for the countries of the Western Balkans ties 
     their economies and politics to the Russian Federation and 
     inhibits their aspirations for European integration.
       (16) Reducing the reliance of the Western Balkans on 
     Russian natural gas supplies and fossil fuels is in the 
     national interest of the United States.
       (17) The growing influence of China in the Western Balkans 
     could also have a deleterious impact on strategic 
     competition, democracy, and economic integration with Europe.
       (18) In March 2022, President Biden launched the European 
     Democratic Resilience Initiative to bolster democratic 
     resilience, advance anti-corruption efforts, and defend human 
     rights in Ukraine and its neighbors in response to Russia's 
     war of aggression.
       (19) The parliamentary and local elections held in Serbia 
     on December 17, 2023, and their immediate aftermath are cause 
     for deep concern about the state of Serbia's democracy, 
     including due to the final report of the Organization for 
     Security and Co-operation in Europe's Office for Democratic 
     Institutions and Human Rights, which--
       (A) found ``unjust conditions'' for the election;
       (B) found ``numerous procedural deficiencies, including 
     inconsistent application of safeguards during voting and 
     counting, frequent instances of overcrowding, breaches in 
     secrecy of the vote, and numerous instances of group 
     voting''; and
       (C) asserted that ``voting must be repeated'' in certain 
     polling stations.
       (20) The Organization for Security and Co-operation in 
     Europe also noted that Serbian officials accused primarily 
     peaceful protestors, opposition parties, and civil society of 
     ``attempting to destabilize the government'', a concerning 
     allegation that threatens the safety of important elements of 
     Serbian society.
       (21) Democratic countries whose values are in alignment 
     with the United States make for stronger and more durable 
     partnerships.
       (c) Sense of Congress.--It is a sense of Congress that the 
     United States should--
       (1) encourage increased trade and investment between the 
     United States and allies and partners in the Western Balkans;
       (2) expand United States assistance to regional integration 
     efforts in the Western Balkans;
       (3) strengthen and expand regional economic integration in 
     the Western Balkans, especially enterprises owned by and 
     employing women and youth;
       (4) work with allies and partners committed to improving 
     the rule of law, energy resource diversification, democratic 
     and economic reform, and the reduction of poverty in the 
     Western Balkans;
       (5) increase United States trade and investment with the 
     Western Balkans, particularly in ways that support countries' 
     efforts--
       (A) to decrease dependence on Russian energy sources and 
     fossil fuels;
       (B) to increase energy diversification, efficiency, and 
     conservation; and
       (C) to facilitate the transition to cleaner and more 
     reliable sources of energy, including renewables, as 
     appropriate;
       (6) continue to assist in the development, within the 
     Western Balkans, of--
       (A) strong civil societies;
       (B) public-private partnerships;
       (C) independent media;
       (D) transparent, accountable, citizen-responsive 
     governance, including equal representation for women and 
     youth;
       (E) political stability; and
       (F) modern, free-market based economies.
       (7) support the expeditious accession of those Western 
     Balkans countries that are not already members to the 
     European Union and to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization 
     (referred to in this section as ``NATO'') for countries that 
     desire and are eligible for such membership;
       (8) support--
       (A) maintaining the full European Union Force (EUFOR) 
     mandate in Bosnia and Herzegovina as being in the national 
     security interests of the United States;
       (B) encouraging NATO and the European Union to review their 
     mission mandates and posture in Bosnia and Herzegovina to 
     ensure they are playing a proactive role in establishing a 
     safe and secure environment, particularly in the realm of 
     defense;
       (C) working within NATO to encourage contingency planning 
     for an international military force to maintain a safe and 
     secure environment in Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially if 
     Russia blocks reauthorization of the mission in the United 
     Nations; and
       (D) a strengthened NATO headquarters in Sarajevo;
       (9) continue to support the European Union membership 
     aspirations of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North 
     Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia by supporting meeting the 
     benchmarks required for their accession;
       (10) continue to support the overarching mission of the 
     Berlin Process and locally-driven initiatives that are 
     inclusive of all Western Balkans countries and remains 
     aligned with the objectives and standards laid out by the 
     European Union as requirements for accession to the European 
     Union;
       (11) continue to support the cultural heritage, and 
     recognize the languages, of the Western Balkans;
       (12) coordinate closely with the European Union, the United 
     Kingdom, and other allies and partners on sanctions 
     designations in Western Balkans countries and work to align 
     efforts as much as possible to demonstrate a clear commitment 
     to upholding democratic values;
       (13) expand bilateral security cooperation with non-NATO 
     member Western Balkans countries, particularly efforts 
     focused on regional integration and cooperation, including 
     through the Adriatic Charter, which was launched at Tirana on 
     May 2, 2003;
       (14) increase efforts to combat Russian malign influence 
     campaigns and any other destabilizing or disruptive 
     activities targeting the Western Balkans through engagement 
     with government institutions, political stakeholders, 
     journalists, civil society organizations, and industry 
     leaders;
       (15) develop a series of cyber resilience standards, 
     consistent with the Enhanced Cyber Defence Policy and 
     Readiness Action Plan endorsed at the 2014 Wales Summit of 
     the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to expand cooperation 
     with partners and allies, including in the Western Balkans, 
     on cyber security and ICT infrastructure;
       (16) articulate clearly and unambiguously the United States 
     commitment to supporting democratic values and respect for 
     international law as the sole path forward for the countries 
     of the Western Balkans; and
       (17) prioritize partnerships and programming with Western 
     Balkan countries that demonstrate commitment toward 
     strengthening their democracies and show respect for human 
     rights.
       (d) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
     ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
       (A) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate;
       (B) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;
       (C) the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of 
     the Senate;
       (D) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
     Representatives;
       (E) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
     Representatives; and
       (F) the Committee on Financial Services of the House of 
     Representatives.
       (2) ICT.--The term ``ICT'' means information and 
     communication technology.
       (3) Western balkans.--The term ``Western Balkans'' means 
     the region comprised of the following countries:
       (A) The Republic of Albania.
       (B) Bosnia and Herzegovina.
       (C) The Republic of Croatia.
       (D) The Republic of Kosovo.
       (E) Montenegro.
       (F) The Republic of North Macedonia.
       (G) The Republic of Serbia.
       (4) Western balkans country.--The term ``Western Balkans 
     country'' means any country listed in subparagraphs (A) 
     through (G) of paragraph (3).
       (e) Codification of Sanctions Relating to the Western 
     Balkans.--
       (1) In general.--Each person listed or designated for the 
     imposition of sanctions under an executive order described in 
     paragraph (3) as of the date of the enactment of this Act 
     shall remain so designated, except as provided in paragraphs 
     (4) and (5).
       (2) Continuation of sanctions authorities.--Each authority 
     to impose sanctions provided for under an executive order 
     described in paragraph (3) shall remain in effect.
       (3) Executive orders specified.--The executive orders 
     specified in this paragraph are--
       (A) Executive Order 13219, as amended by Executive Order 
     13304 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note; relating to blocking property of 
     persons who threaten international stabilization efforts in 
     the Western Balkans); and
       (B) Executive Order 14033 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note; relating to 
     blocking property and suspending entry into the United States 
     of certain persons contributing to the destabilizing 
     situation in the Western Balkans), as in effect on such date 
     of enactment.
       (4) Termination of sanctions.--
       (A) Executive order 14033.--The President may terminate the 
     application of a sanction authorized under Executive Order 
     14033 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note; relating to blocking property and 
     suspending entry into the United States of certain persons 
     contributing to the destabilizing situation in the Western 
     Balkans) with respect to a person if the President certifies 
     to the appropriate congressional committees that--
       (i) the person is not engaging in the activity that was the 
     basis for the sanctions or has taken significant verifiable 
     steps toward stopping the activity; and
       (ii) the President has received reliable assurances that 
     the person will not knowingly engage in activity subject to 
     sanctions described in paragraph (1) in the future.
       (B) Rule of construction regarding delisting procedures 
     relating to sanctions authorized under executive orders 13219 
     and 13304.--Nothing in this Act may be construed to modify 
     the delisting procedures used by the Department of the 
     Treasury with respect to sanctions authorized under Executive 
     Order 13219, as amended by Executive

[[Page S5997]]

     Order 13304 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note; relating to blocking 
     property of persons who threaten international stabilization 
     efforts in the Western Balkans).
       (5) Waiver.--
       (A) In general.--The President may waive the application of 
     sanctions under this subsection for renewable periods not to 
     exceed 180 days if the President--
       (i) determines that such a waiver is in the national 
     security interests of the United States; and
       (ii) not less than 15 days before the granting of the 
     waiver, submits to the appropriate congressional committees a 
     notice of and justification for the waiver.
       (B) Form.--The waiver described in subparagraph (A) may be 
     transmitted in classified form.
       (6) Exceptions.--
       (A) Humanitarian assistance.--Sanctions under this 
     subsection shall not apply to--
       (i) the conduct or facilitation of a transaction for the 
     provision of agricultural commodities, food, medicine, 
     medical devices, humanitarian assistance, or for humanitarian 
     purposes; or
       (ii) transactions that are necessary for, or related to, 
     the activities described in clause (i).
       (B) Compliance with international obligations and law 
     enforcement activities.--Sanctions under this section shall 
     not apply with respect to an alien if admitting or paroling 
     such alien is necessary--
       (i) to comply with United States obligations under--

       (I) the Agreement between the United Nations and the United 
     States of America regarding the Headquarters of the United 
     Nations, signed at Lake Success June 26, 1947, and entered 
     into force November 21, 1947;
       (II) the Convention on Consular Relations, done at Vienna 
     April 24, 1963, and entered into force March 19, 1967; or
       (III) any other international agreement; or

       (ii) to carry out or assist law enforcement activity in the 
     United States.
       (C) Exception for intelligence activities.--Sanctions under 
     this section shall not apply to--
       (i) any activity subject to the reporting requirements 
     under title V of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 
     3091 et seq.); or
       (ii) any authorized intelligence activities of the United 
     States.
       (D) Exception relating to importation of goods.--
       (i) In general.--The requirement to block and prohibit all 
     transactions in all property and interests in property under 
     this section shall not include the authority or a requirement 
     to impose sanctions on the importation of goods.
       (ii) Defined term.--In this subparagraph, the term ``good'' 
     means any article, natural or manmade substance, material, 
     supply or manufactured product, including inspection and test 
     equipment, and excluding technical data.
       (7) Rulemaking.--The President is authorized to promulgate 
     such rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry out 
     the provisions of this section (which may include regulatory 
     exceptions), including under section 205 of the International 
     Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1704)).
       (8) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this section may be 
     construed to limit the authorities of the President under the 
     International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 
     et seq.).
       (9) Sunset.--This subsection shall cease to have force or 
     effect beginning on the date that is 8 years after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act.
       (f) Democratic and Economic Development and Prosperity 
     Initiatives.--
       (1) Anti-corruption initiative.--The Secretary of State, 
     through ongoing and new programs, shall develop an initiative 
     that--
       (A) seeks to expand technical assistance in each Western 
     Balkans country, taking into account local conditions and 
     contingent on the agreement of the host country government to 
     develop new national anti-corruption strategies;
       (B) seeks to share best practices with, and provide 
     training to, civilian law enforcement agencies and judicial 
     institutions, and other relevant administrative bodies, of 
     the Western Balkans countries, to improve the efficiency, 
     transparency, and accountability of such agencies and 
     institutions;
       (C) strengthens existing national anti-corruption 
     strategies--
       (i) to combat political corruption, particularly in the 
     judiciary, independent election oversight bodies, and public 
     procurement processes; and
       (ii) to strengthen regulatory and legislative oversight of 
     critical governance areas, such as freedom of information and 
     public procurement, including by strengthening cyber defenses 
     and ICT infrastructure networks;
       (D) includes the Western Balkans countries in the European 
     Democratic Resilience Initiative of the Department of State, 
     or any equivalent successor initiative, and considers the 
     Western Balkans as a recipient of anti-corruption funding for 
     such initiative; and
       (E) seeks to promote the important role of an independent 
     media in countering corruption through engagements with 
     governments of Western Balkan countries and providing 
     training opportunities for journalists on investigative 
     reporting.
       (2) Prioritizing cyber resilience, regional trade, and 
     economic competitiveness.--
       (A) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
       (i) promoting stronger economic, civic, and political 
     relationships among Western Balkans countries will enable 
     countries to better utilize existing resources and maximize 
     their economic security and democratic resilience by 
     reinforcing cyber defenses and increasing trade in goods and 
     services among other countries in the region; and
       (ii) United States investments in and assistance toward 
     creating a more integrated region ensures political stability 
     and security for the region.
       (B) 5-year strategy for economic development and democratic 
     resilience in western balkans.--Not later than 180 days after 
     the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State 
     and the Administrator of the United States Agency for 
     International Development, in coordination with the heads of 
     other relevant Federal departments and agencies, shall submit 
     to the appropriate congressional committees a regional 
     economic development and democratic resilience strategy for 
     the Western Balkans that complements the efforts of the 
     European Union, European nations, and other multilateral 
     financing institutions--
       (i) to consider the full set of tools and resources 
     available from the relevant agencies;
       (ii) to include efforts to ensure coordination with 
     multilateral and bilateral partners, such as the European 
     Union, the World Bank, and other relevant assistance 
     frameworks;
       (iii) to include an initial public assessment of--

       (I) economic opportunities for which United States 
     businesses, or those of other like-minded partner countries, 
     would be competitive;
       (II) legal, economic, governance, infrastructural, or other 
     barriers limiting United States trade and investment in the 
     Western Balkans;
       (III) the effectiveness of all existing regional 
     cooperation initiatives, such as the Open Balkan initiative 
     and the Western Balkans Common Regional Market; and
       (IV) ways to increase United States trade and investment 
     within the Western Balkans;

       (iv) to develop human and institutional capacity and 
     infrastructure across multiple sectors of economies, 
     including clean energy, energy efficiency, agriculture, small 
     and medium-sized enterprise development, health, and cyber-
     security;
       (v) to assist with the development and implementation of 
     regional and international trade agreements;
       (vi) to support women-owned enterprises;
       (vii) to promote government and civil society policies and 
     programs that combat corruption and encourage transparency 
     (including by supporting independent media by promoting the 
     safety and security of journalists), free and fair 
     competition, sound governance, judicial reform, environmental 
     stewardship, and business environments conducive to 
     sustainable and inclusive economic growth; and
       (viii) to include a public diplomacy strategy that 
     describes the actions that will be taken by relevant agencies 
     to increase support for the United States relationship by 
     citizens of Western Balkans countries.
       (C) Briefing.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall provide a 
     briefing to the appropriate congressional committees that 
     describes the progress made towards developing the strategy 
     required under subparagraph (B).
       (3) Regional trade and development initiative.--
       (A) Authorization.--The Secretary of State and the 
     Administrator of the United States Agency for International 
     Development, in coordination with the heads of other relevant 
     Federal departments and agencies, may coordinate a regional 
     trade and development initiative for the region comprised of 
     each Western Balkans country and any European Union member 
     country that shares a border with a Western Balkans country 
     (referred to in this subsection as the ``Western Balkans 
     region'') in accordance with this paragraph.
       (B) Initiative elements.--The initiative authorized under 
     subparagraph (A) shall--
       (i) promote private sector growth and competitiveness and 
     increase the capacity of businesses, particularly small and 
     medium-sized enterprises, in the Western Balkans region;
       (ii) aim to increase intraregional exports to countries in 
     the Balkans and European Union member states;
       (iii) aim to increase United States exports to, and 
     investments in, countries in the Balkans;
       (iv) support startup companies, including companies led by 
     youth or women, in the Western Balkans region by--

       (I) providing training in business skills and leadership; 
     and
       (II) providing opportunities to connect to sources of 
     capital;

       (v) encourage and promote inward and outward trade and 
     investment through engagement with the Western Balkans 
     diaspora communities in the United States and abroad;
       (vi) provide assistance to the governments and civil 
     society organizations of Western Balkans countries to 
     develop--

       (I) regulations to ensure fair and effective investment; 
     and
       (II) screening tools to identify and deter malign 
     investments and other coercive economic practices;

[[Page S5998]]

       (vii) review existing assistance programming relating to 
     the Western Balkans across Federal agencies--

       (I) to eliminate duplication; and
       (II) to identify areas of potential coordination within the 
     Western Balkans region;

       (viii) identify areas where application of additional 
     resources could expand successful programs to 1 or more 
     countries in the Western Balkans region by building on the 
     existing experience and program architecture;
       (ix) compare existing single-country sector analyses to 
     determine areas of focus that would benefit from a regional 
     approach with respect to the Western Balkans region; and
       (x) promote intraregional trade throughout the Western 
     Balkans region through--

       (I) programming, including grants, cooperative agreements, 
     and other forms of assistance;
       (II) expanding awareness of the availability of loans and 
     other financial instruments from the United States 
     Government; and
       (III) coordinating access to existing trade instruments 
     available through allies and partners in the Western Balkans 
     region, including the European Union and international 
     financial institutions.

       (C) Support for regional infrastructure projects.--The 
     initiative authorized under subparagraph (A) should 
     facilitate and prioritize support for regional infrastructure 
     projects, including--
       (i) transportation projects that build roads, bridges, 
     railways and other physical infrastructure to facilitate 
     travel of goods and people throughout the Western Balkans 
     region;
       (ii) technical support and investments needed to meet 
     United States and European Union standards for air travel, 
     including screening and information sharing;
       (iii) the development of telecommunications networks with 
     trusted providers;
       (iv) infrastructure projects that connect Western Balkans 
     countries to each other and to countries with which they 
     share a border;
       (v) the effective analysis of tenders and transparent 
     procurement processes;
       (vi) investment transparency programs that will help 
     countries in the Western Balkans analyze gaps and establish 
     institutional and regulatory reforms necessary--

       (I) to create an enabling environment for trade and 
     investment; and
       (II) to strengthen protections against suspect investments 
     through public procurement and privatization and through 
     foreign direct investments;

       (vii) sharing best practices learned from the United States 
     and other international partners to ensure that institutional 
     and regulatory mechanisms for addressing these issues are 
     fair, nonarbitrary, effective, and free from corruption;
       (viii) projects that support regional energy security and 
     reduce dependence on Russian energy;
       (ix) technical assistance and generating private investment 
     in projects that promote connectivity and energy-sharing in 
     the Western Balkans region;
       (x) technical assistance to support regional collaboration 
     on environmental protection that includes governmental, 
     political, civic, and business stakeholders; and
       (xi) technical assistance to develop financing options and 
     help create linkages with potential financing institutions 
     and investors.
       (D) Requirements.--All programming under the initiative 
     authorized under subparagraph (A) shall--
       (i) be open to the participation of Albania, Bosnia and 
     Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia;
       (ii) be consistent with European Union accession 
     requirements;
       (iii) be focused on retaining talent within the Western 
     Balkans;
       (iv) promote government policies in Western Balkans 
     countries that encourage free and fair competition, sound 
     governance, environmental protection, and business 
     environments that are conducive to sustainable and inclusive 
     economic growth; and
       (v) include a public diplomacy strategy to inform local and 
     regional audiences in the Western Balkans region about the 
     initiative, including specific programs and projects.
       (4) United states international development finance 
     corporation.--
       (A) Appointments.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, subject to the availability of 
     appropriations, the Chief Executive Officer of the United 
     States International Development Finance Corporation, in 
     collaboration with the Secretary of State, should consider 
     including a regional office with responsibilities for the 
     Western Balkans within the Corporation's plans to open new 
     regional offices.
       (B) Joint report.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act, the Chief Executive Officer of 
     the United States International Development Finance 
     Corporation and the Administrator of the United States Agency 
     for International Development shall submit a joint report to 
     the appropriate congressional committees that includes--
       (i) an assessment of the benefits of providing sovereign 
     loan guarantees to countries in the Western Balkans to 
     support infrastructure and energy diversification projects;
       (ii) an outline of additional resources, such as tools, 
     funding, and personnel, which may be required to offer 
     sovereign loan guarantees in the Western Balkans; and
       (iii) an assessment of how the United States International 
     Development Finance Corporation can deploy its insurance 
     products in support of bonds or other instruments issued to 
     raise capital through United States financial markets in the 
     Western Balkans.
       (g) Promoting Cross-cultural and Educational Engagement.--
       (1) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
       (A) promoting partnerships between United States 
     universities and universities in the Western Balkans, 
     particularly universities in traditionally under-served 
     communities, advances United States foreign policy goals and 
     requires a whole-of-government approach, including the 
     utilization of public-private partnerships;
       (B) such university partnerships would provide 
     opportunities for exchanging academic ideas, technical 
     expertise, research, and cultural understanding for the 
     benefit of the United States; and
       (C) the seven countries in the Western Balkans meet the 
     requirements under section 105(c)(4) of the Foreign 
     Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151c(c)(4)).
       (2) University partnerships.--The President, working 
     through the Secretary of State, is authorized to provide 
     assistance, consistent with section 105 of the Foreign 
     Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151c), to promote the 
     establishment of partnerships between United States 
     universities and universities in the Western Balkans, 
     including--
       (A) supporting research and analysis on foreign policy, 
     cyber resilience, and disinformation;
       (B) working with partner governments to reform policies, 
     improve curricula, strengthen data systems, train teachers 
     and students, including English language teaching, and to 
     provide quality, inclusive learning materials;
       (C) encouraging knowledge exchanges to help provide 
     individuals, particularly at-risk youth, women, people with 
     disabilities, and other vulnerable, marginalized, or 
     underserved communities, with relevant education, training, 
     and skills for meaningful employment;
       (D) promoting teaching and research exchanges between 
     institutions of higher education in the Western Balkans and 
     in the United States; and
       (E) encouraging alliances and exchanges with like-minded 
     institutions of education within the Western Balkans and the 
     larger European continent.
       (h) Peace Corps in the Western Balkans.--
       (1) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress that 
     the Peace Corps, whose mission is to promote world peace and 
     friendship, in part by helping the people of interested 
     countries in meeting their need for trained men and women, 
     provides an invaluable opportunity to connect the people of 
     the United States with the people of the Western Balkans.
       (2) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Director of the Peace Corps should 
     submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees 
     that includes an analysis of current opportunities for Peace 
     Corps expansion in the Western Balkans region.
       (i) Young Balkan Leaders Initiative.--
       (1) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress that 
     regular people-to-people exchange programs that bring 
     religious leaders, journalists, civil society members, 
     politicians, and other individuals from the Western Balkans 
     to the United States will strengthen existing relationships 
     and advance United States interests and shared values in the 
     Western Balkans region.
       (2) BOLD leadership program for young balkans leaders.--
       (A) Sense of congress.--The Department of State, through 
     BOLD, a leadership program for young leaders in certain 
     Western Balkans countries, plays an important role to develop 
     young leaders in improving civic engagement and economic 
     development in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and 
     Montenegro.
       (B) Expansion.--BOLD should be expanded, subject to the 
     availability of appropriations, to the entire Western Balkans 
     region.
       (3) Authorization.--The Secretary of State should further 
     develop and implement BOLD, which shall hereafter be known as 
     the ``Young Balkan Leaders Initiative'', to promote 
     educational and professional development for young adult 
     leaders and professionals in the Western Balkans who have 
     demonstrated a passion to contribute to the continued 
     development of the Western Balkans region.
       (4) Conduct of initiative.--The goals of the Young Balkan 
     Leaders Initiative shall be--
       (A) to further build the capacity of young Balkan leaders 
     in the Western Balkans in the areas of business and 
     information technology, cyber security and digitization, 
     agriculture, civic engagement, and public administration;
       (B) to support young Balkan leaders by offering 
     professional development, training, and networking 
     opportunities, particularly in the areas of leadership, 
     innovation, civic engagement, elections, human rights, 
     entrepreneurship, good governance, public administration, and 
     journalism;
       (C) to support young political, parliamentary, and civic 
     Balkan leaders in collaboration on regional initiatives 
     related to good governance, environmental protection, 
     government ethics, and minority inclusion;

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       (D) to provide increased economic and technical assistance 
     to young Balkan leaders to promote economic growth and 
     strengthen ties between businesses, investors, and 
     entrepreneurs in the United States and in Western Balkans 
     countries;
       (E) to tailor such assistance to advance the particular 
     objectives of each United States mission in the Western 
     Balkans within the framework outlined in this subsection; and
       (F) to secure funding for such assistance from existing 
     funds available to each United States Mission in the Western 
     Balkans.
       (5) Fellowships.--Under the Young Balkan Leaders 
     Initiative, the Secretary of State shall award fellowships to 
     young leaders from the Western Balkans who--
       (A) are between 18 and 35 years of age;
       (B) have demonstrated strong capabilities in 
     entrepreneurship, innovation, public service, and leadership;
       (C) have had a positive impact in their communities, 
     organizations, or institutions, including by promoting cross-
     regional and multiethnic cooperation; and
       (D) represent a cross-section of geographic, gender, 
     political, and cultural diversity.
       (6) Public engagement and leadership center.--Under the 
     Young Balkan Leaders Initiative, the Secretary of State shall 
     take advantage of existing and future public diplomacy 
     facilities (commonly known as ``American Spaces'') to hire 
     staff and develop programming for the establishment of a 
     flagship public engagement and leadership center in the 
     Western Balkans that seeks--
       (A) to counter disinformation and malign influence;
       (B) to promote cross-cultural engagement;
       (C) to provide training for young leaders from Western 
     Balkans countries described in paragraph (5);
       (D) to harmonize the efforts of existing venues throughout 
     Western Balkans countries established by the Office of 
     American Spaces; and
       (E) to annually bring together participants from the Young 
     Balkans Leaders Initiative to provide platforms for regional 
     networking.
       (7) Briefing on certain exchange programs.--
       (A) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall 
     provide a briefing to the appropriate congressional 
     committees that describes the status of exchange programs 
     involving the Western Balkans region.
       (B) Elements.--The briefing required under subparagraph (A) 
     shall--
       (i) assess the factors constraining the number and 
     frequency of participants from Western Balkans countries in 
     the International Visitor Leadership Program of the 
     Department of State;
       (ii) identify the resources that are necessary to address 
     the factors described in clause (i); and
       (iii) describe a strategy for connecting alumni and 
     participants of professional development exchange programs of 
     the Department of State in the Western Balkans with alumni 
     and participants from other countries in Europe, to enhance 
     inter-region and intra-region, people-to-people ties.
       (j) Supporting Cybersecurity and Cyber Resilience in the 
     Western Balkans.--
       (1) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
       (A) United States support for cybersecurity, cyber 
     resilience, and secure ICT infrastructure in Western Balkans 
     countries will strengthen the region's ability to defend 
     itself from and respond to malicious cyber activity conducted 
     by nonstate and foreign actors, including foreign 
     governments, that seek to influence the region;
       (B) insecure ICT networks that are vulnerable to 
     manipulation can increase opportunities for--
       (i) the compromise of cyber infrastructure, including data 
     networks, electronic infrastructure, and software systems; 
     and
       (ii) the use of online information operations by 
     adversaries and malign actors to undermine United States 
     allies and interests; and
       (C) it is in the national security interest of the United 
     States to support the cybersecurity and cyber resilience of 
     Western Balkans countries.
       (2) Interagency report on cybersecurity and the digital 
     information environment in western balkans countries.--Not 
     later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this 
     Act, the Secretary of State, in coordination with the heads 
     of other relevant Federal agencies, shall submit a report to 
     the appropriate congressional committees that contains--
       (A) an overview of interagency efforts to strengthen 
     cybersecurity and cyber resilience in Western Balkans 
     countries;
       (B) a review of the information environment in each Western 
     Balkans country;
       (C) a review of existing United States Government cyber and 
     digital initiatives that--
       (i) counter influence operations and safeguard elections 
     and democratic processes in Western Balkans countries;
       (ii) strengthen ICT infrastructure and cybersecurity 
     capacity in the Western Balkans;
       (iii) support democracy and internet freedom in Western 
     Balkans countries; and
       (iv) build cyber capacity of governments who are allies or 
     partners of the United States;
       (D) an assessment of cyber threat information sharing 
     between the United States and Western Balkans countries;
       (E) an assessment of--
       (i) options for the United States to better support 
     cybersecurity and cyber resilience in Western Balkans 
     countries through changes to current assistance authorities; 
     and
       (ii) the advantages or limitations, such as funding or 
     office space, of posting cyber professionals from other 
     Federal departments and agencies to United States diplomatic 
     posts in Western Balkans countries and providing relevant 
     training to Foreign Service Officers; and
       (F) any additional support needed from the United States 
     for the cybersecurity and cyber resilience of the following 
     NATO Allies: Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and 
     Croatia.
       (k) Relations Between Kosovo and Serbia.--
       (1) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
       (A) the Agreement on the Path to Normalization of 
     Relations, which was agreed to by Kosovo and Serbia on 
     February 27, 2023, with the facilitation of the European 
     Union, is a positive step forward in advancing normalization 
     between the two countries;
       (B) Serbia and Kosovo should seek to make immediate 
     progress on the Implementation Annex to the agreement 
     referred to in subparagraph (A);
       (C) once sufficient progress has been made on the 
     Implementation Annex, the United States should consider 
     advancing initiatives to strengthen bilateral relations with 
     both countries, which could include--
       (i) establishing bilateral strategic dialogues with Kosovo 
     and Serbia; and
       (ii) advancing concrete initiatives to deepen trade and 
     investment with both countries; and
       (D) the United States should continue to support a 
     comprehensive final agreement between Kosovo and Serbia based 
     on mutual recognition.
       (2) Statement of policy.--It is the policy of the United 
     States Government that--
       (A) it shall not pursue any policy that advocates for land 
     swaps, partition, or other forms of redrawing borders along 
     ethnic lines in the Western Balkans as a means to arbitrate 
     disputes between nation states in the region; and
       (B) it should support pluralistic democracies in countries 
     in the Western Balkans as a means to prevent a return to the 
     ethnic strife that once characterized the region.
       (l) Reports on Russian and Chinese Malign Influence 
     Operations and Campaigns in the Western Balkans.--
       (1) Reports required..--Not later than 180 days after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act, and every two years 
     thereafter, the Secretary of State, in coordination with the 
     heads of other Federal departments or agencies, as 
     appropriate, shall submit a report to the appropriate 
     congressional committees regarding Russian and Chinese malign 
     influence operations and campaigns carried out with respect 
     to Balkan countries that seek--
       (A) to undermine democratic institutions;
       (B) to promote political instability; and
       (C) to harm the interests of the United States and other 
     North Atlantic Treaty Organization member and partner states 
     in the Western Balkans.
       (2) Elements.--Each report submitted pursuant to paragraph 
     (1) shall include--
       (A) an assessment of the objectives of the Russian 
     Federation and the People's Republic of China regarding 
     malign influence operations and campaigns carried out with 
     respect to Western Balkans countries--
       (i) to undermine democratic institutions, including the 
     planning and execution of democratic elections;
       (ii) to promote political instability; and
       (iii) to manipulate the information environment;
       (B) the activities and roles of the Department of State and 
     other relevant Federal agencies in countering Russian and 
     Chinese malign influence operations and campaigns;
       (C) a comprehensive list identifying--
       (i) each network, entity and individual, to the extent such 
     information is available, of Russia, China, or any other 
     country with which Russia or China may cooperate, that is 
     supporting such Russian or Chinese malign influence 
     operations or campaigns, including the provision of financial 
     or operational support to activities in a Western Balkans 
     country that may limit freedom of speech or create barriers 
     of access to democratic processes, including exercising the 
     right to vote in a free and fair election; and
       (ii) the role of each such entity in providing such 
     support;
       (D) the identification of the tactics, techniques, and 
     procedures used in Russian or Chinese malign influence 
     operations and campaigns in Western Balkans countries;
       (E) an assessment of the effect of previous Russian or 
     Chinese malign influence operations and campaigns that 
     targeted alliances and partnerships of the United States 
     Armed Forces in the Western Balkans, including the 
     effectiveness of such operations and campaigns in achieving 
     the objectives of Russia and China, respectively;
       (F) the identification of each Western Balkans country with 
     respect to which Russia or China has conducted or attempted 
     to conduct a malign influence operation or campaign;
       (G) an assessment of the capacity and efforts of NATO and 
     of each individual Western Balkans country to counter Russian 
     or Chinese malign influence operations and campaigns carried 
     out with respect to Western Balkans countries;
       (H) the efforts by the United States to combat such malign 
     influence operations in

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     the Western Balkans, including through the Countering Russian 
     Influence Fund and the Countering People's Republic of China 
     Malign Influence Fund;
       (I) an assessment of the tactics, techniques, and 
     procedures that the Secretary of State determines are likely 
     to be used in future Russian or Chinese malign influence 
     operations and campaigns carried out with respect to Western 
     Balkans countries; and
       (J) any additional authorities, resources, or activities 
     that could increase the United States Government's capacity 
     to counter Russian and Chinese malign influence operations 
     and campaigns in Western Balkans countries.
       (3) Form.--Each report required under paragraph (1) shall 
     be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a 
     classified annex.
                                 ______