I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1616 
To prioritize the efforts of and enhance coordination among United States 
agencies to encourage countries in Central and Eastern Europe to diver-
sify their energy sources and supply routes, increase Europe’s energy 
security, and help the United States reach its global energy security 
goals, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 7, 2019 
Mr. KINZINGER (for himself, Mr. KEATING, Mr. FITZPATRICK, and Mr. GON-
ZALEZ of Texas) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Foreign Affairs 
A BILL 
To prioritize the efforts of and enhance coordination among 
United States agencies to encourage countries in Central 
and Eastern Europe to diversify their energy sources 
and supply routes, increase Europe’s energy security, 
and help the United States reach its global energy secu-
rity goals, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘European Energy Se-
curity and Diversification Act of 2019’’. 
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SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) CENTRAL OR EASTERN EUROPEAN COUN-
TRY.—The term ‘‘Central or Eastern European 
country’’ includes— 
(A) Albania; 
(B) Bosnia and Herzegovina; 
(C) Bulgaria; 
(D) Croatia; 
(E) Cyprus; 
(F) the Czech Republic; 
(G) Estonia; 
(H) Greece; 
(I) Hungary; 
(J) Kosovo; 
(K) Latvia; 
(L) Lithuania; 
(M) Macedonia; 
(N) Moldova; 
(O) Montenegro; 
(P) Poland; 
(Q) Romania; 
(R) Serbia; 
(S) Slovakia; 
(T) Slovenia; and 
(U) Ukraine. 
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(2) EARLY-STAGE
PROJECT
SUPPORT.—The 
term ‘‘early-stage project support’’ includes— 
(A) feasibility studies; 
(B) resource evaluations; 
(C) project appraisal and costing; 
(D) pilot projects; 
(E) commercial support, such as trade 
missions, reverse trade missions, technical 
workshops, international buyer programs, and 
international partner searchers to link suppliers 
to projects; 
(F) technical assistance and other guid-
ance to improve the local regulatory environ-
ment and market frameworks to encourage 
transparent competition and enhance energy se-
curity; and 
(G) long-term energy sector planning. 
(3) LATE-STAGE PROJECT SUPPORT.—The term 
‘‘late-stage project support’’ includes debt financing, 
insurance, and transaction advisory services. 
SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that the United States has economic and national 
security interests in assisting Central and Eastern Euro-
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pean countries achieve energy security through diversifica-
tion of their energy sources and supply routes. 
(b) STATEMENT OF POLICY.—It is the policy of the 
United States— 
(1) to advance United States foreign policy and 
development goals by assisting Central and Eastern 
European countries to reduce their dependence on 
energy resources from countries that use energy de-
pendence for undue political influence, such as the 
Russian Federation, which has used natural gas to 
coerce, intimidate, and influence other countries; 
(2) to promote the energy security of allies and 
partners of the United States by encouraging the de-
velopment of accessible, transparent, and competitive 
energy markets that provide diversified sources, 
types, and routes of energy; 
(3) to encourage United States public and pri-
vate sector investment in European energy infra-
structure projects to bridge the gap between energy 
security requirements and commercial demand in a 
way that is consistent with the region’s absorptive 
capacity; and 
(4) to help facilitate the export of United States 
energy resources, technology, and expertise to global 
markets in a way that benefits the energy security 
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of allies and partners of the United States, including 
in Central and Eastern Europe. 
SEC. 4. PRIORITIZATION OF EFFORTS AND ASSISTANCE 
FOR ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS 
IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—In pursuing the policy described 
in section 3, the Secretary of State, in coordination with 
the heads of United States agencies that operate under 
the policy guidance of the Secretary, shall, as appropriate, 
prioritize and expedite the efforts of the Department of 
State and those agencies in supporting the efforts of the 
European Commission and the governments of Central 
and Eastern European countries to increase their energy 
security, including through— 
(1) providing diplomatic and political support to 
the European Commission and those governments, 
as necessary— 
(A) to facilitate international negotiations 
concerning cross-border infrastructure; 
(B) to enhance Europe’s regulatory envi-
ronment with respect to energy; and 
(C) to develop accessible, transparent, and 
competitive energy markets supplied by diverse 
sources, types, and routes of energy; and 
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(2) providing support to improve European en-
ergy markets, including early-stage project support 
and late-stage project support for the construction 
or improvement of energy infrastructure, as nec-
essary— 
(A) to diversify the energy sources and 
supply routes of Central and Eastern European 
countries; 
(B) to enhance energy market integration 
across the region; and 
(C) to increase competition within energy 
markets. 
(b) PROJECT SELECTION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The agencies described in 
subsection (a) shall identify energy infrastructure 
projects that would be appropriate for United States 
assistance under this section. 
(2) PROJECT ELIGIBILITY.—A project is eligible 
for United States assistance under this section if the 
project is— 
(A) related to— 
(i) natural gas infrastructure, such as 
interconnectors, storage facilities, liquefied 
natural gas import facilities, or reverse 
flow capacity; 
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(ii) electricity transmission infrastruc-
ture, electricity storage projects, or smart 
grid projects; 
(iii) renewable energy projects in 
wind, solar, tidal, or other forms; or 
(iv) the improvement, rehabilitation, 
or construction of natural gas, coal, or 
other electricity generation facilities to in-
crease the efficiency and reliability of elec-
tricity production; and 
(B) located in a Central or Eastern Euro-
pean country. 
(3) PREFERENCE.—In selecting among projects 
that are eligible under paragraph (2), the agencies 
described in subsection (a) shall give preference to 
projects that— 
(A) link the energy systems of two or more 
Central and Eastern European countries; 
(B) have already been identified by the 
European Commission as being integral for the 
energy security of Central and Eastern Euro-
pean countries; 
(C) are expected to enhance energy market 
integration; 
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(D) can attract funding from the private 
sector, an international financial institution, the 
government of the country in which the project 
will be carried out, or the European Commis-
sion; or 
(E) have the potential to use United States 
goods and services during project implementa-
tion. 
(c) TYPES OF ASSISTANCE.— 
(1) DIPLOMATIC
AND
POLITICAL
SUPPORT.— 
The Secretary of State shall provide diplomatic and 
political support to the European Commission and 
the governments of Central and Eastern European 
countries, as necessary, including by using the diplo-
matic and political influence and expertise of the De-
partment of State to build the capacity of those 
countries to resolve any impediments to the develop-
ment of projects selected under subsection (b). 
(2) EARLY-STAGE PROJECT SUPPORT.—The Di-
rector of the Trade and Development Agency shall 
provide early-stage project support with respect to 
projects selected under subsection (b), as necessary. 
(3) LATE-STAGE PROJECT SUPPORT.—Agencies 
described in subsection (a) that provide late-stage 
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project support shall do so with respect to projects 
selected under subsection (b), as necessary. 
(d) FUNDING.— 
(1) PRIVATE SECTOR INVESTMENT.—The agen-
cies described in subsection (a)— 
(A) are authorized to provide financing of 
not more than $1,000,000,000 to support pri-
vate sector investment in projects that diversify 
the energy sources and energy transport capa-
bilities of Central and Eastern European coun-
tries and to improve energy market integration 
in those countries; and 
(B) shall ensure that amounts from such 
investments are available for fiscal years 2020 
through 2024 for debt financing and insurance 
for projects under this section. 
(2) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR 
TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT AGENCY.—There are au-
thorized to be appropriated to the Director of the 
Trade and Development Agency for each of fiscal 
years 2020 through 2024— 
(A) $5,000,000 to provide assistance under 
this section; and 
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(B) such sums as may be necessary for the 
Agency to employ additional personnel to pro-
vide such assistance. 
(3) COUNTERING RUSSIAN INFLUENCE FUND.— 
Section 254(b) of the Countering Russian Influence 
in Europe and Eurasia Act of 2017 (22 U.S.C. 
9543(b)) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(7) To assist United States agencies in pro-
viding assistance under section 4 of the European 
Energy Security and Diversification Act of 2019.’’. 
SEC. 5. PROGRESS REPORTS. 
Not later than one year after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the President 
shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the 
House of Representatives a report on progress made in 
providing assistance for projects under section 4 that in-
cludes— 
(1) a description of the energy infrastructure 
projects the United States has identified for such as-
sistance; and 
(2) for each such project— 
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(A) a description of the role of the United 
States in the project, including in early-stage 
project support and late-stage project support; 
(B) the amount and form of any debt fi-
nancing and insurance provided by the United 
States Government for the project; 
(C) the amount and form of any early- 
stage project support; and 
(D) an update on the progress made on 
the project as of the date of the report. 
Æ 
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