22 U.S.C. § 9543 — Coordinating aid and assistance across

Page 2264 TITLE 22—FOREIGN RELATIONS AND INTERCOURSE § 9543 1 See References in Text note below. (B) to establish strategic and technical plans for addressing those vulnerabilities; (C) to ensure that the financial systems of those countries are not being used to shield illicit financial activity by officials of the Government of the Russian Federation or in- dividuals in President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle who have been enriched through corruption; (D) to investigate and prosecute cases of corruption by Russian actors; and (E) to work toward full compliance with the Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions (commonly referred to as the ‘‘Anti-Bribery Convention’’) of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development; and (10) the President of the United States should use the authority of the President to impose sanctions under— (A) the Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Ac- countability Act of 2012 (title IV of Public Law 112–208; 22 U.S.C. 5811 note); and (B) the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act (subtitle F of title XII of Public Law 114–328; 22 U.S.C. 2656 note).1 (Pub. L. 115–44, title II, § 252, Aug. 2, 2017, 131 Stat. 926.) Editorial Notes REFERENCES IN TEXT The Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act of 2012, referred to in par. (10)(A), is title IV of Pub. L. 112–208, Dec. 14, 2012, 126 Stat. 1502, which is set out as a note under section 5811 of this title. The Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, referred to in par. (10)(B), is subtitle F (§§ 1261–1264) of title XII of div. A of Pub. L. 114–328, Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2533, which is classified generally to chapter 108 (§ 10101 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 10101 of this title and Tables. § 9543. Coordinating aid and assistance across Europe and Eurasia (a) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated for the Countering Russian Influence Fund $250,000,000 for fiscal years 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023. (b) Use of funds Amounts in the Countering Russian Influence Fund shall be used to effectively implement, prioritized in the following order and subject to the availability of funds, the following goals: (1) To assist in protecting critical infra- structure and electoral mechanisms from cyberattacks in the following countries: (A) Countries that are members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization or the European Union that the Secretary of State determines— (i) are vulnerable to influence by the Russian Federation; and (ii) lack the economic capability to ef- fectively respond to aggression by the Rus- sian Federation without the support of the United States. (B) Countries that are participating in the enlargement process of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization or the European Union, including Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Macedonia, Moldova, Kosovo, Ser- bia, and Ukraine. (2) To combat corruption, improve the rule of law, and otherwise strengthen independent judiciaries and prosecutors general offices in the countries described in paragraph (1). (3) To respond to the humanitarian crises and instability caused or aggravated by the in- vasions and occupations of Georgia and Ukraine by the Russian Federation. (4) To improve participatory legislative processes and legal education, political trans- parency and competition, and compliance with international obligations in the countries de- scribed in paragraph (1). (5) To build the capacity of civil society, media, and other nongovernmental organiza- tions countering the influence and propaganda of the Russian Federation to combat corrup- tion, prioritize access to truthful information, and operate freely in all regions in the coun- tries described in paragraph (1). (6) To assist the Secretary of State in exe- cuting the functions specified in section 1287(b) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114–328; 22 U.S.C. 2656 note) for the purposes of recog- nizing, understanding, exposing, and coun- tering propaganda and disinformation efforts by foreign governments, in coordination with the relevant regional Assistant Secretary or Assistant Secretaries of the Department of State. (7) To assist United States agencies that op- erate under the foreign policy guidance of the Secretary of State in providing assistance under section 9563 of this title. (c) Revision of activities for which amounts may be used The Secretary of State may modify the goals described in subsection (b) if, not later than 15 days before revising such a goal, the Secretary notifies the appropriate congressional commit- tees of the revision. (d) Implementation (1) In general The Secretary of State shall, acting through the Coordinator of United States Assistance to Europe and Eurasia (authorized pursuant to section 5461 of this title and section 5812 of this title), and in consultation with the Ad- ministrator for the United States Agency for International Development, the Director of the Global Engagement Center of the Depart- ment of State, the Secretary of Defense, the Chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Gov- ernors, and the heads of other relevant Fed- eral agencies, coordinate and carry out activi- ties to achieve the goals described in sub- section (b). (2) Method Activities to achieve the goals described in subsection (b) shall be carried out through— Page 2265 TITLE 22—FOREIGN RELATIONS AND INTERCOURSE § 9545 (A) initiatives of the United States Gov- ernment; (B) Federal grant programs such as the In- formation Access Fund; or (C) nongovernmental or international or- ganizations, such as the Organization for Se- curity and Co-operation in Europe, the Na- tional Endowment for Democracy, the Black Sea Trust, the Balkan Trust for Democracy, the Prague Civil Society Centre, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence, the European Endowment for Democracy, and related organizations. (3) Report on implementation (A) In general Not later than April 1 of each year, the Secretary of State, acting through the Coor- dinator of United States Assistance to Eu- rope and Eurasia, shall submit to the appro- priate congressional committees a report on the programs and activities carried out to achieve the goals described in subsection (b) during the preceding fiscal year. (B) Elements Each report required by subparagraph (A) shall include, with respect to each program or activity described in that subparagraph— (i) the amount of funding for the pro- gram or activity; (ii) the goal described in subsection (b) to which the program or activity relates; and (iii) an assessment of whether or not the goal was met. (e) Coordination With global partners (1) In general In order to maximize cost efficiency, elimi- nate duplication, and speed the achievement of the goals described in subsection (b), the Secretary of State shall ensure coordination with— (A) the European Union and its institu- tions; (B) the governments of countries that are members of the North Atlantic Treaty Orga- nization or the European Union; and (C) international organizations and quasi- governmental funding entities that carry out programs and activities that seek to ac- complish the goals described in subsection (b). (2) Report by Secretary of State Not later than April 1 of each year, the Sec- retary of State shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report that in- cludes— (A) the amount of funding provided to each country referred to in subsection (b) by— (i) the European Union or its institu- tions; (ii) the government of each country that is a member of the European Union or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization; and (iii) international organizations and quasi-governmental funding entities that carry out programs and activities that seek to accomplish the goals described in subsection (b); and (B) an assessment of whether the funding described in subparagraph (A) is commensu- rate with funding provided by the United States for those goals. (f) Rule of construction Nothing in this section shall be construed to apply to or limit United States foreign assist- ance not provided using amounts available in the Countering Russian Influence Fund. (g) Ensuring adequate staffing for governance activities In order to ensure that the United States Gov- ernment is properly focused on combating cor- ruption, improving rule of law, and building the capacity of civil society, media, and other non- governmental organizations in countries de- scribed in subsection (b)(1), the Secretary of State shall establish a pilot program for Foreign Service officer positions focused on governance and anticorruption activities in such countries. (Pub. L. 115–44, title II, § 254, Aug. 2, 2017, 131 Stat. 928; Pub. L. 116–94, div. P, title XX, § 2004(d)(2), Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 3225.) Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 2019—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 116–94, § 2004(d)(2)(A), sub- stituted ‘‘fiscal years 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023’’ for ‘‘fis- cal years 2018 and 2019’’. Subsec. (b)(7). Pub. L. 116–94, § 2004(d)(2)(B), added par. (7). Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries CHANGE OF NAME Broadcasting Board of Governors renamed United States Agency for Global Media pursuant to section 6204(a)(21) of this title. The renaming was effectuated by notice to congressional appropriations committees dated May 24, 2018, and became effective Aug. 22, 2018. § 9544. Report on media organizations controlled and funded by the Government of the Rus- sian Federation (a) In general Not later than 90 days after August 2, 2017, and annually thereafter, the President shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report that includes a description of media orga- nizations that are controlled and funded by the Government of the Russian Federation, and any affiliated entities, whether operating within or outside the Russian Federation, including broadcast and satellite-based television, radio, Internet, and print media organizations. (b) Form of report The report required by subsection (a) shall be submitted in unclassified form but may include a classified annex. (Pub. L. 115–44, title II, § 255, Aug. 2, 2017, 131 Stat. 930.) § 9545. Report on Russian Federation influence on elections in Europe and Eurasia (a) In general Not later than 90 days after August 2, 2017, and annually thereafter, the President shall submit