rights, weak rule of law, absence of an independent
judiciary, and the lack of transparency in corporate
governance.
(8) In addition, while the Government of the
Russian 
Federation 
allowed 
for 
elections 
in
Chechnya to establish the Chechen civilian adminis-
tration, the perilous economic, social, and political
situation in Chechnya and the transfer of the re-
sponsibility for the conduct of the Chechen operation
from the Russian military to the Russian security
services threatens to undermine indigenous Chechen
authorities and increase human rights abuses.
(9) These developments and actions by the Gov-
ernment of the Russian Federation led more than
1,000 civic and human rights activists representing
430 groups from throughout the Russian Federation
to meet in Moscow in January 2001 to take the un-
precedented step of declaring a human rights emer-
gency in response to what they see as the growing
threat to civil liberties.
(10) Because the capability of Russian demo-
cratic forces and the civil society to organize and de-
fend democratic gains without international support
is uncertain, and because the gradual integration of
the Russian Federation into the global order of free-
market democratic nations will further 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 in-
terest of the United States and the United States
Government needs to develop a far-reaching and
flexible strategy aimed at rejuvenating Russian soci-
ety’s support for democracy and market economy,
particularly by enhancing Russian democratic insti-
tutions and education, promoting the rule of law,
and supporting Russian independent media.
(b) PURPOSES.— The purposes of this Act are—
(1) to strengthen and advance institutions of
democratic government and free and independent
media and to sustain the development of the inde-
pendent civil society in the Russian Federation
based on religious and ethnic tolerance, internation-
ally recognized human rights, and internationally
recognized rule of law; and
(2) to target United States foreign assistance to
the political and economic reality in the Russian
Federation, and, to the extent possible, to focus
United States foreign assistance programs on using
local expertise and giving local organizations a great-
er role in designing and implementing such pro-
grams, while maintaining appropriate oversight and
monitoring.
SEC. 3. UNITED STATES POLICY TOWARD THE RUSSIAN
FEDERATION.
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that the United States Government should—
(1) consider the transition undertaken by the
Russian Federation to be a work in progress, where
the influence and the prominence of the United
States can be a persuasive factor in gradual Russian
integration in Western institutions;
(2) recognize that a democratic and economi-
cally stable Russian Federation is inherently less
confrontational and destabilizing in its foreign policy
and therefore promotion of democracy in Russia is
in the national security interests of the United
States;
(3) continue and increase assistance to the
democratic forces in the Russian Federation, includ-
ing to independent media, progressive regional ad-
ministrations, democratic political parties, and non-
governmental organizations; and
(4) express its opposition to antidemocratic and
authoritarian tendencies in countries with important
relationships with the United States.
(b) STATEMENT OF POLICY.—It shall be the policy
of the United States—
(1) to engage the Government of Russian Fed-
eration and Russian society to strengthen demo-
cratic reform and institutions, and to promote good
governance principles based on the internationally
recognized norms of transparency in business prac-
tices, the rule of law, religious freedom, and human
rights;
(2) to advance a dialogue between United
States Government officials and private sector indi-
viduals and representatives of the Government of the
Russian Federation on Russian integration into the
western community of nations;
(3) to encourage United States Government of-
ficials and private sector individuals to meet regu-
larly with democratic activists, human rights activ-
ists, representatives of the independent media, rep-
resentatives of nongovernmental organizations, civic
organizers, and reform-minded politicians from Mos-
cow and the various regions of the Russian Federa-
tion;
(4) to incorporate democratic reforms, inde-
pendent media, and economic reforms in the broad
United States agenda with the Government of the
Russian Federation;
(5) to encourage the Government of the Rus-
sian Federation to address cross-border issues, in-
cluding environment, crime, trafficking, and corrup-
tion in a cooperative and transparent manner con-
sistent with internationally recognized and accepted
principles of the rule of law;
(6) to consult with the Government of the Rus-
sian Federation and the Russian Parliament on
adoption of economic and social reforms necessary to
sustain Russian economic growth since 1999;
(7) to persuade the Government of the Russian
Federation to honor its commitments made to the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Eu-
rope (OSCE) at the November 1999 Istanbul Con-
ference and to conduct a genuine good neighbor pol-
icy toward the other independent states of the
former Soviet Union in the spirit of internationally
accepted principles of regional cooperation; and
(8) to encourage the G–7 partners and inter-
national financial institutions, including the World
Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the
European Bank for Reconstruction and Develop-
ment, to develop financial safeguards and trans-
parency practices in lending to the Russian Federa-
tion.
SEC. 4. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING POLICY OF THE
RUSSIAN FEDERATION.
It is the sense of Congress that—
(1) the Government of the Russian Federation
and Russian President Putin should resolve out-
standing taxation issues that hinder deliverance of
United States assistance programs and to completely
fulfill its obligations under existing bilateral agree-
ments; and
(2) the Parliament of the Russian Federation
should adopt necessary legislation and procedures
for the exemption of United States assistance from
all forms of taxation and customs duties.
SEC. 5. AMENDMENTS TO THE FOREIGN ASSISTANCE ACT
OF 1961.
(a) AMENDMENTS.—
(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 heading, by striking ‘‘DEMOC-
RACY’’ 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 pro-
moting democracy, rule of law, transparency,
and accountability in the political process, in-
cluding grants in small amounts to such organi-
zations;
‘‘(F) international exchanges to promote
greater understanding by Russian Federation
citizens on how democracy, public policy proc-
ess, market institutions, and independent judici-
ary function in Western societies;
‘‘(G) political parties committed to pro-
moting democracy, human rights, and economic
reforms;
‘‘(H) support for civic organizations com-
mitted to promoting human rights; and’’; 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 or-
ganizations, civic organizations, and polit-
ical parties that favor a strong and inde-
pendent judiciary based on merit;
‘‘(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 Rus-
sian legal associations or groups that pro-
vide training in human rights and advo-
cacy, public education with respect to
human rights-related laws and proposed
legislation, and legal assistance to persons
subject to improper government inter-
ference.’’.
(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) though (14),
respectively; and
(B) by inserting after paragraph (2) the
following:
‘‘(3) INDEPENDENT MEDIA.—Developing a free
and independent media, including—
‘‘(A) supporting all forms of nonstate-
owned media reporting, including print, radio,
and television;
‘‘(B) providing special support for, and un-
restricted public access to, nongovernmental
Internet-based sources of information, dissemi-
nation 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 and
other civic organizations on methods and uses
of Internet-based media; and
‘‘(C) training in journalism, including in-
vestigative journalism techniques which 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. 6. 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 carry out the fol-
lowing specific activities:
(1) Work with the Government of the Russian
Federation, the Duma, and representatives of the
Russian 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, rule of law, and the im-
portance of the independent media, including the es-
tablishment of ‘‘American Centers’’ and public policy
schools at Russian universities and programs by uni-
versities in the United States to offer courses
through Internet-based off-site learning centers at
Russian universities.
(3) Support the Regional Investment Initiatives
(RII) program, which provides targeted assistance in
those regions of the Russian Federation that have
demonstrated commitment to reform, democracy,
and rule of law, and promote the concept of such
program as a model for all regions of the Russian
Federation.
(b) RADIO FREE EUROPE/RADIO LIBERTY
AND
VOICE OF AMERICA.—Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
and the Voice of America should use new and innovative
techniques, in cooperation with local independent media
sources and to the extent possible, to disseminate informa-
tion throughout the Russian Federation relating to democ-
racy, free-market economics, rule of law, and human
rights.
SEC. 7. 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 for
Russia and Emerging Eurasian Democracies and Open
Markets Support Act of 1992 for fiscal year 2002, not
less than $50,000,000 is authorized to be available for the
activities authorized by paragraphs (2) and (3) of section
498 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended
by section 5(a) of this Act.
Æ