The U.S. House of Representatives yesterday passed with 406 votes in favor and 20 against the Georgia Support Act.
As per the bipartisan bill, the U.S. President should impose entry and property-blocking sanctions against foreign persons responsible for or complicit in serious human rights abuses in Georgia’s Russian occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia.
The President is also asked to report to Congress every 180 days on such foreign persons.
The bill also envisages the Department of State to report to Congress on various topics related to Georgia, with the reports covering U.S. assistance to Georgia and an assessment of threats to Georgia’s independence and ability to defend itself.
The Department of State should also prepare reports on cybersecurity cooperation between and U.S. and Georgia, and a strategy to help the country expand its capabilities to combat Russian disinformation and propaganda.
The draft bill was introduced in February 2021 by Gerald Connolly (D-VA) and Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), the co-chairs of the Congressional Georgia Caucus. It was adopted by the House Foreign Committee on April 5.
The document now needs to pass the Senate and should then be signed by the President before it becomes law.
Adoption of the Georgia Support Act by the House of Representatives reaffirms the strength and advances robust U.S.-Georgia strategic partnership, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili reacted to the news on Twitter.
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