The Congress finds that—(1) recent developments in Russia and the other independent states of the former Soviet Union present an historic opportunity for a transition to a peaceful and stable international order and the integration of the independent states of the former Soviet Union into the community of democratic nations;
(2) the entire international community has a vital interest in the success of this transition, and the dimension of the problems now faced in the independent states of the former Soviet Union makes it imperative for donor countries and institutions to provide the expertise and support necessary to ensure continued progress on economic and political reforms;
(3) the United States is especially well-positioned because of its heritage and traditions to make a substantial contribution to this transition by building on current technical cooperation, medical, and food assistance programs, by assisting in the development of democratic institutions, and by fostering conditions that will encourage the United States business community to engage in trade and investment;
(4) failure to meet the opportunities presented by these developments could threaten United States national security interests and jeopardize substantial savings in United States defense that these developments have made possible;
(5) the independent states of the former Soviet Union face unprecedented environmental problems that jeopardize the quality of life and the very existence of not only their own peoples but also the peoples of other countries, and it is incumbent on the international community to assist the independent states in addressing these problems and in promoting sustainable use of resources and development;
(6) the success of United States assistance for the independent states of the former Soviet Union depends on—(A) effective coordination of United States efforts with similar activities of friendly and allied donor countries and of international financial institutions, and
(B) reciprocal commitments by the governments of the independent states to work toward the creation of democratic institutions and an environment hospitable to foreign investment based upon the rule of law, including negotiation of bilateral and multilateral agreements on open trade and investment, adoption of commercial codes, establishment of transparency in regulatory and other governmental decision making, and timely payment of obligations carried over from previous governmental entities; and
(7) trade and investment opportunities in the independent states of the former Soviet Union will generate employment and other economic benefits for the United States as the economies of the independent states of the former Soviet Union begin to realize their enormous potential as both customers and suppliers.
(Pub. L. 102–511, title I, § 101, Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 3321.)
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law AccountabilityPub. L. 112–208, title IV, Dec. 14, 2012, 126 Stat. 1502, provided that:
[Memorandum of President of the United States, Apr. 5, 2013, 78 F.R. 22763, delegated the functions conferred upon the President by sections 404(a), 404(b), and 404(d), with respect to the determinations provided for therein; 404(c)(3); 404(c)(4), consistent with section 404(f); and 406(a)(1) of Pub. L. 112–208, set out above, to the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, and delegated the functions and authorities in sections 404(a), 404(b), and 404(d), with respect to the submission of the list, updates, and reports described in those respective sections, 404(c)(2), 404(e), and 406(a)(2) of Pub. L. 112–208 to the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury.]
Belarus DemocracyPub. L. 118–31, div. F, title LXIV, § 6406, Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 999, as amended by Pub. L. 118–159, div. G, title LXXII, § 7205, Dec. 23, 2024, 138 Stat. 2530, provided that:
“(a) Special Envoy.—The President shall appoint a Special Envoy for Belarus within the Department [of State] (referred to in this section as the ‘Special Envoy’). The Special Envoy should be a person of recognized distinction in the field of European security, geopolitics, democracy and human rights, and may be a career Foreign Service Officer.
“(b) Central Objective.—The central objective of the Special Envoy is to coordinate and promote efforts—“(1) to improve respect for the fundamental human rights of the people of Belarus;
“(2) to sustain focus on the national security implications of Belarus’s political and military alignment for the United States; and
“(3) to respond to the political, economic, and security impacts of events in Belarus upon neighboring countries and the wider region.
“(c) Duties and Responsibilities.—The Special Envoy shall—“(1) engage in discussions with Belarusian officials regarding human rights, political, economic and security issues in Belarus;
“(2) support international efforts to promote human rights and political freedoms in Belarus, including coordination and dialogue between the United States and the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the European Union, Belarus, and the other countries in Eastern Europe;
“(3) consult with nongovernmental organizations that have attempted to address human rights and political and economic instability in Belarus;
“(4) make recommendations regarding the funding of activities promoting human rights, democracy, the rule of law, and the development of a market economy in Belarus;
“(5) review strategies for improving protection of human rights in Belarus, including technical training and exchange programs;
“(6) develop an action plan for holding to account the perpetrators of the human rights violations documented in the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights report on the situation of human rights in Belarus in the run-up to the 2020 presidential election and its aftermath (Human Rights Council Resolution 49/36 [sic]);
“(7) engage with member countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the European Union with respect to the implications of Belarus’s political and security alignment for transatlantic security; and
“(8) work within the Department and among partnering countries to sustain focus on the political situation in Belarus.
“(d) Role.—The position of Special Envoy—“(1) shall only exist while United States diplomatic operations in Belarus at the United States Embassy in Minsk, Belarus are suspended; and
“(2) shall oversee the operations and personnel of the Belarus Affairs Unit.
“(e) Report on Activities.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this division [Dec. 22, 2023], and annually thereafter for the following 5 years, the Secretary [of State], in consultation with the Special Envoy, shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees [Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives] that describes the activities undertaken pursuant to subsection (c) during the reporting period.
“(f) Sunset.—The position of Special Envoy for Belarus and the authorities provided by this section shall terminate 5 years after the date of the enactment of this division.”
Pub. L. 108–347, Oct. 20, 2004, 118 Stat. 1383, as amended by Pub. L. 109–480, §§ 2–4(c)(1), 5–8, Jan. 12, 2007, 120 Stat. 3666–3672; Pub. L. 112–82, §§ 2–6, Jan. 3, 2012, 125 Stat. 1863–1867; Pub. L. 116–260, div. FF, title III, §§ 322–329, Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 3101–3113, provided that:
[Pub. L. 109–480, § 4(c)(2), Jan. 12, 2007, 120 Stat. 3668, provided that: “The amendment made by paragraph (1) [amending section 4(d)(1) of Pub. L. 108–347, set out in the note above] shall not be construed to affect the availability of funds appropriated pursuant to the authorization of appropriations under section 4(d) of the Belarus Democracy Act of 2004 [Pub. L. 108–347] (as redesignated) before the date of the enactment of this Act [Jan. 12, 2007].”
]
Presidential Report on Funding for New Independent States of Former Soviet UnionPub. L. 103–306, title II, Aug. 23, 1994, 108 Stat. 1617, provided in part that: “(o) The report required by subsection (d) under the heading ‘Assistance for the New Independent States of the Former Soviet Union’, contained in Public Law 102–391 [set out below], shall be updated at least annually and shall also contain a listing of all grants and contracts issued from funds appropriated annually for the new independent states of the former Soviet Union, to include for each grant and contract (1) a description of its purpose, (2) its amount, and (3) the country where the grant or contract funds are to be expended.”
Pub. L. 102–391, title III, Oct. 6, 1992, 106 Stat. 1650, provided in part that: “(d) Reports.—The President shall submit a report to the Committees on Appropriations containing the amount of funds obligated and expended for each project and subproject funded from amounts appropriated under this heading for the new independent states of the former Soviet Union. The report required by this subsection shall be submitted to the Committees on Appropriations no later than January 1, 1993, and an update of this report shall be submitted by the President to those Committees no later than July 1, 1993.”