MEGOBARI Act

Last action on Apr 28, 2025Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Order...

Summary

The MEGOBARI Act (Mobilizing and Enhancing Georgia's Options for Building Accountability, Resilience, and Independence Act) is a bipartisan bill that would support democracy and the rule of law in Georgia. If enacted, the bill would require the President to identify and potentially sanction Georgian government officials, their associates, and foreign persons who have engaged in significant corruption or actions undermining Georgia's security, stability, or democratic institutions. The bill would also direct the Secretary of State to develop a strategy to support Georgia's democratic institutions and Euro-Atlantic integration, and would require intelligence assessments examining Russian and Chinese influence in Georgia.

The bill's practical impact would be to impose potential consequences on individuals deemed responsible for undermining democracy in Georgia, including visa bans and economic sanctions under existing authorities like the Global Magnitsky Act. The legislation reflects U.S. support for Georgia's integration into European and NATO structures and aims to counter what supporters view as authoritarian influences from Russia, China, and Iran. The bill has passed committee review and is eligible for a Senate floor vote, though its ultimate enactment would require passage by both chambers and presidential signature.

Lifecycle of the Bill

Committee on Foreign Relations. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.

Mar 27, 2025

HearingSenateMeeting

Mar 27, 2025 · 15:00

Business meeting to consider S.860, to modify the information about countries exporting methamphetamine that is included in the annual International Narcotics Control Strategy Report, to require a report to Congress on the seizure and production of certain illicit drugs, to impose sanctions with respect to the production and trafficking into the United States, of synthetic opioids, S.868, to support democracy and the rule of law in Georgia, S.Res.86, expressing the sense of the Senate regarding United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 (XXVI) and the harmful conflation of China's "One China Principle" and the United States'"One China Policy", S.Res.98, condemning Beijing's destruction of Hong Kong's democracy and rule of law, S.Res.106, supporting the goals of International Women's Day, S.799, to establish and implement a multi-year Legal Gold and Mining Partnership Strategy to reduce the negative environmental and social impacts of illicit gold mining in the Western Hemisphere, S.821, to provide for increased reporting regarding Department of State Taiwan guidelines, S.555, to direct the Secretary of State to establish a national registry of Korean American divided families, and S.842, to counter efforts by Hezbollah to conduct terrorist activities in Latin America, S.Res.52, recognizing religious freedom as a fundamental right, expressing support for international religious freedom as a cornerstone of United States foreign policy, and expressing concern over increased threats to and attacks on religious freedom around the world, and an original resolution recognizing the 204th anniversary of the independence of Greece and celebrating democracy in Greece and the United States, and the nominations of Peter Hoekstra, of Michigan, to be Ambassador to Canada, George Glass, of Oregon, to be Ambassador to Japan, and Ronald Johnson, of Florida, to be Ambassador to the United Mexican States, all of the Department of State.

Committee

Senate Committee on Foreign Relations

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Summary

The Senate Committee on Foreign Relations convened on March 27, 2025, for a business meeting to consider a wide range of legislation and nominations. The bills under consideration addressed diverse foreign policy priorities, including measures to combat synthetic opioid trafficking and illicit gold mining in the Western Hemisphere, support democracy in Georgia and Hong Kong, establish a registry for Korean American divided families, increase reporting on Taiwan policy, counter Hezbollah activities in Latin America, and promote religious freedom internationally. The committee also considered resolutions expressing support for International Women's Day, clarifying distinctions between China's "One China Principle" and the U.S. "One China Policy," and recognizing Greece's independence and democratic traditions. Additionally, the committee reviewed nominations for three State Department ambassadors: Peter Hoekstra to Canada, George Glass to Japan, and Ronald Johnson to Mexico. As a business meeting rather than a hearing with witness testimony, this session focused on committee consideration of the proposed legislation and nominations. No witnesses were listed as providing testimony. The meeting represents the committee's initial step in evaluating these foreign policy measures, though consideration at a business meeting does not guarantee that any of the bills or nominations will advance further in the legislative process.

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Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported by Senator Risch without amendment. Without written report.

Apr 28, 2025

Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported by Senator Risch without amendment. Without written report.

Apr 28, 2025

MEGOBARI Act

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Lifecycle of the Bill

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Committee

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Cosponsors (3)

Senate Committee on Foreign Relations

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MEGOBARI Act

Summary

Lifecycle of the Bill

Committee

Summary

Video

Lifecycle of the Bill

Committee

Summary

Video

Bill Information

Sponsors & Co-sponsors (4)

Cosponsors (3)

Policy Area

Legislative Subjects (28)

Committees (1)

Senate Committee on Foreign Relations

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