In the Senate of the United States,
September 20, 2002.
Resolved, That the bill from the House of Representa-
tives (H.R. 2121) entitled ‘‘An Act to make available funds
under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to expand democ-
racy, good governance, and anti-corruption programs in the
Russian Federation in order to promote and strengthen
democratic government and civil society in that country and
to support independent media.’’, do pass with the following
AMENDMENTS:
Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Russian Democracy Act
of 2002’’.
HR 2121 EAS
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the
leadership of the Russian Federation has publicly
committed itself to building—
(A) a society with democratic political in-
stitutions and practices, the observance of uni-
versally recognized standards of human rights,
and religious and press freedom; and
(B) a market economy based on inter-
nationally accepted principles of transparency,
accountability, and the rule of law.
(2) In order to facilitate this transition, the
international community has provided multilateral
and bilateral technical assistance, and the United
States’ contribution to these efforts has played an im-
portant role in developing new institutions built on
democratic and liberal economic foundations and the
rule of law.
(3)(A) Since 1992, United States Government
democratic reform programs and public diplomacy
programs, including training, and small grants have
provided access to and training in the use of the
Internet, brought nearly 40,000 Russian citizens to
the United States, and have led to the establishment
of more than 65,000 nongovernmental organizations,
HR 2121 EAS
thousands of independent local media outlets, despite
governmental opposition, and numerous political par-
ties.
(B) These efforts contributed to the substantially
free and fair Russian parliamentary elections in
1995 and 1999.
(4) The United States has assisted Russian ef-
forts to replace its centrally planned, state-controlled
economy with a market economy and helped create
institutions and infrastructure for a market economy.
Approximately two-thirds of the Russian Federation’s
gross domestic product is now generated by the pri-
vate sector, and the United States recognized Russia
as a market economy on June 7, 2002.
(5)(A) The United States has fostered grassroots
entrepreneurship in the Russian Federation by focus-
ing United States economic assistance on small- and
medium-sized businesses and by providing training,
consulting services, and small loans to more than
250,000 Russian entrepreneurs.
(B) There are now more than 900,000 small
businesses in the Russian Federation, producing 12 to
15 percent, depending on the estimate, of the gross do-
mestic product of the Russian Federation.
HR 2121 EAS
(C) United States-funded programs have contrib-
uted to fighting corruption and financial crime, such
as money laundering, by helping to—
(i) establish a commercial legal infrastruc-
ture;
(ii) develop an independent judiciary;
(iii) support the drafting of a new criminal
code, civil code, and bankruptcy law;
(iv) develop a legal and regulatory frame-
work for the Russian Federation’s equivalent of
the United States Securities and Exchange Com-
mission;
(v) support Russian law schools;
(vi) create legal aid clinics; and
(vii) bolster law-related activities of non-
governmental organizations.
(6) Because the capability of Russian democratic
forces and the civil society to organize and defend
democratic gains without international support is un-
certain, and because the gradual integration of the
Russian Federation into the global order of free-mar-
ket, democratic nations would enhance Russian co-
operation with the United States on a wide range of
political, economic, and security issues, the success of
democracy in Russia is in the national security inter-
HR 2121 EAS
est of the United States, and the United States Gov-
ernment should develop a far-reaching and flexible
strategy aimed at strengthening Russian society’s
support for democracy and a market economy, par-
ticularly by enhancing Russian democratic institu-
tions and education, promoting the rule of law, and
supporting Russia’s independent media.
(7) Since the tragic events of September 11,
2001, the Russian Federation has stood with the
United States and the rest of the civilized world in
the struggle against terrorism and has cooperated in
the war in Afghanistan by sharing intelligence and
through other means.
(8) United States-Russia relations have im-
proved, leading to a successful summit between Presi-
dent Bush and President Putin in May 2002, result-
ing in a ‘‘Foundation for Cooperation’’.
(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are—
(1) to strengthen and advance institutions of
democratic government and of free and independent
media, and to sustain the development of an inde-
pendent civil society in the Russian Federation based
on religious and ethnic tolerance, internationally rec-
ognized human rights, and an internationally recog-
nized rule of law; and
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(2) to focus United States foreign assistance pro-
grams on using local expertise and to give local orga-
nizations a greater role in designing and imple-
menting such programs, while maintaining appro-
priate oversight and monitoring.
SEC. 3. UNITED STATES POLICY TOWARD THE RUSSIAN
FEDERATION.
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Congress
that the United States Government should—
(1) recognize that a democratic and economically
stable 
Russian 
Federation 
is 
inherently 
less
confrontational and destabilizing in its foreign policy
and therefore that the promotion of democracy in
Russia is in the national security interests of the
United States; and
(2) continue and increase assistance to the demo-
cratic forces in the Russian Federation, including the
independent media, regional administrations, demo-
cratic political parties, and nongovernmental organi-
zations.
(b) STATEMENT OF POLICY.—It shall be the policy of
the United States—
(1) to facilitate Russia’s integration into the
Western community of nations, including supporting
the establishment of a stable democracy and a market
HR 2121 EAS
in a broader United States dialogue with the Govern-
ment of the Russian Federation;
(6) to encourage the Government of the Russian
Federation to address, in a cooperative and trans-
parent manner consistent with internationally recog-
nized and accepted principles, cross-border issues, in-
cluding the nonproliferation of weapons of mass de-
struction, environmental degradation, crime, traf-
ficking, and corruption;
(7) to consult with the Government of the Rus-
sian Federation and the Russian Parliament on the
adoption of economic and social reforms necessary to
sustain Russian economic growth and to ensure Rus-
sia’s transition to a fully functioning market economy
and membership in the World Trade Organization;
(8) to persuade the Government of the Russian
Federation to honor its commitments made to the Or-
ganization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE) at the November 1999 Istanbul Conference,
and to conduct a genuine good neighbor policy toward
the other independent states of the former Soviet
Union in the spirit of internationally accepted prin-
ciples of regional cooperation; and
(9) to encourage the G–8 partners and inter-
national financial institutions, including the World
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Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the Eu-
ropean Bank for Reconstruction and Development, to
develop financial safeguards and transparency prac-
tices in lending to the Russian Federation.
SEC. 4. AMENDMENTS TO THE FOREIGN ASSISTANCE ACT
OF 1961.
(a) IN GENERAL.—
(1) DEMOCRACY
AND
RULE
OF
LAW.—Section
498(2) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22
U.S.C. 2295(2)) is amended—
(A) in the paragraph heading, by striking
‘‘DEMOCRACY’’ and inserting ‘‘DEMOCRACY AND
RULE OF LAW’’;
(B) by striking subparagraphs (E) and (G);
(C) by redesignating subparagraph (F) as
subparagraph (I);
(D) by inserting after subparagraph (D) the
following:
‘‘(E) development and support of grass-roots
and nongovernmental organizations promoting
democracy, the rule of law, transparency, and
accountability in the political process, including
grants in small amounts to such organizations;
‘‘(F) international exchanges and other
forms of public diplomacy to promote greater un-
HR 2121 EAS
derstanding on how democracy, the public policy
process, market institutions, and an independent
judiciary function in Western societies;
‘‘(G) political parties and coalitions com-
mitted to promoting democracy, human rights,
and economic reforms;
‘‘(H) support for civic organizations com-
mitted to promoting human rights;’’; and
(E) by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(J) strengthened administration of justice
through programs and activities carried out in
accordance with section 498B(e), including—
‘‘(i) support for nongovernmental orga-
nizations, civic organizations, and political
parties that favor a strong and independent
judiciary;
‘‘(ii) support for local organizations
that work with judges and law enforcement
officials in efforts to achieve a reduction in
the number of pretrial detainees; and
‘‘(iii) support for the creation of legal
associations or groups that provide training
in human rights and advocacy, public edu-
cation with respect to human rights-related
laws and proposed legislation, and legal as-
HR 2121 EAS
sistance to persons subject to improper gov-
ernment interference.’’.
(2) INDEPENDENT MEDIA.—Section 498 of the
Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2295) is
amended—
(A) 
by 
redesignating 
paragraphs 
(3)
through (13) as paragraphs (4) through (14), re-
spectively; and
(B) by inserting after paragraph (2) the fol-
lowing:
‘‘(3) INDEPENDENT MEDIA.—Developing free and
independent media, including—
‘‘(A) supporting all forms of independent
media reporting, including print, radio, and tel-
evision;
‘‘(B) providing special support for, and un-
restricted public access to, nongovernmental
Internet-based sources of information, dissemina-
tion and reporting, including providing tech-
nical and other support for web radio services,
providing computers and other necessary re-
sources for Internet connectivity and training
new Internet users in nongovernmental civic or-
ganizations on methods and uses of Internet-
based media; and
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‘‘(C) training in journalism, including in-
vestigative journalism techniques that educate
the public on the costs of corruption and act as
a deterrent against corrupt officials.’’.
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 498B(e) of
such Act is amended by striking ‘‘paragraph (2)(G)’’ and
inserting ‘‘paragraph (2)(J)’’.
SEC. 5. ACTIVITIES TO SUPPORT THE RUSSIAN FEDERA-
TION.
(a) ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS.—In providing assistance
to the Russian Federation under chapter 11 of part I of
the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2295 et seq.),
the President is authorized to—
(1) work with the Government of the Russian
Federation, the Duma, and representatives of the Rus-
sian Federation judiciary to help implement a revised
and improved code of criminal procedure and other
laws;
(2) establish civic education programs relating to
democracy, public policy, the rule of law, and the im-
portance of independent media, including the estab-
lishment of ‘‘American Centers’’ and public policy
schools at Russian universities and encourage cooper-
ative programs with universities in the United States
HR 2121 EAS
to offer courses through Internet-based off-site learn-
ing centers at Russian universities; and
(3) support the Regional Initiatives (RI) pro-
gram, which provides targeted assistance in those re-
gions of the Russian Federation that have dem-
onstrated a commitment to reform, democracy, and
the rule of law, and which promotes the concept of
such programs as a model for all regions of the Rus-
sian Federation.
(b) RADIO FREE EUROPE/RADIO LIBERTY AND VOICE
OF AMERICA.—RFE/RL, Incorporated, and the Voice of
America should use new and innovative techniques, in co-
operation with local independent media sources and using
local languages as appropriate and as possible, to dissemi-
nate throughout the Russian Federation information relat-
ing to democracy, free-market economics, the rule of law,
and human rights.
SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF ASSISTANCE FOR DEMOCRACY,
INDEPENDENT MEDIA, AND THE RULE OF
LAW.
Of the amounts made available to carry out the provi-
sion of chapter 11 of part I of the Foreign Assistance Act
of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2295 et seq.) and the FREEDOM Sup-
port Act for fiscal year 2003, $50,000,000 is authorized to
be available for the activities authorized by paragraphs (2)
HR 2121 EAS
and (3) of section 498 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961,
as amended by section 4(a) of this Act.
SEC. 7. PRESERVING THE ARCHIVES OF HUMAN RIGHTS AC-
TIVIST AND NOBEL PEACE PRIZE WINNER
ANDREI SAKHAROV.
(a) AUTHORIZATION.—The President is authorized, on
such terms and conditions as the President determines to
be appropriate, to make a grant to Brandeis University for
an endowment for the Andrei Sakharov Archives and
Human Rights Center for the purpose of collecting and pre-
serving documents related to the life of Andrei Sakharov
and the administration of such Center.
(b) FUNDING.—There is authorized to be appropriated
to the President to carry out subsection (a) not more than
$1,500,000.
SEC. 8. EXTENSION OF LAW.
The provisions of section 108(c) of H.R. 3427, as en-
acted by section 1000(a)(7) of Public Law 106–113, shall
apply to United States contributions for fiscal year 2003
to the organization described in section 108(c) of H.R. 3427.
Amend the title so as to read: ‘‘An Act to make
available funds under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961
to expand democracy, good governance, and anti-corrup-
tion programs in the Russian Federation in order to pro-
HR 2121 EAS
mote and strengthen democratic government and civil so-
ciety and independent media in that country.’’.
Attest:
Secretary.
107TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 2 ] 2 ] AMENDMENTS