Countering Malign Russian Activities Globally Act
Bill: H.R.9374 | Sponsor: Rep. Meeks, Gregory W. (D-NY)
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
Countering Malign Russian Activities Globally Act
This bill requires the Department of State to report to Congress a regional strategy and implementation plan outlining U.S. efforts to counter Russia's malign influence and activities in Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, and other regions as appropriate. The State Department must also report to Congress annual updates on the strategy and implementation plan.

To direct the Secretary of State to develop and submit to Congress a 
  strategy and implementation plan outlining United States efforts to 
 counter the malign influence and activities of the Russian Federation 
 and its proxies in Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, and other 
            regions as appropriate, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Countering Malign Russian Activities 
Globally Act''.

SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of Congress that the United States--
            (1) should regularly assess the scale and scope of the 
        Russian Federation's influence and activities that undermine 
        United States objectives and interests in Africa, Latin 
        America, and the Middle East, each of which is experiencing 
        such influence and activities to varying degrees, and other 
        regions as appropriate; and
            (2) determine how--
                    (A) to address and counter such influence and 
                activities effectively, including through appropriate 
                United States foreign assistance programs; and
                    (B) to hold accountable the Russian Federation and 
                other foreign governments and their officials who are 
                complicit in aiding such malign influence and 
                activities.

SEC. 3. REGIONAL STRATEGY AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN; ANNUAL REPORT.

    (a) Strategy and Implementation Plan.--Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State 
shall develop and submit to the appropriate congressional committees a 
regional strategy and implementation plan outlining United States 
efforts to counter the malign influence and activities of the Russian 
Federation and its proxies in Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, 
and other regions as appropriate, including programs and other 
initiatives designed to--
            (1) strengthen democratic institutions, improve government 
        transparency and accountability, improve standards related to 
        human rights, labor, anti-corruption initiatives, fiscal 
        transparency, monitor the use and beneficiaries of natural 
        resources and extractive industries, and other tenets of good 
        governance; and
            (2) monitor and report on Russian political influence and 
        disinformation operations and the activities of Russian, 
        Russia-connected, or Russian-funded private military 
        contractors.
    (b) Report.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for 5 years, 
        the Secretary of State, in consultation with the heads of other 
        relevant Federal departments and agencies as appropriate, shall 
        submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on 
        the regional strategy and implementation plan required by 
        subsection (a) and related efforts to counter the malign 
        influence and activities of the Russian Federation and its 
        proxies in Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, and other 
        regions as appropriate.
            (2) Elements.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall 
        include the following:
                    (A) An assessment of the scope and nature of the 
                Russian Federation's malign influence and activities 
                and related diplomatic, economic, and security 
                priorities and strategic objectives of such engagement 
                in Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, and other 
                regions as appropriate, including influence and 
                activities that involve Russian proxies, such as 
                Russian oligarchs, Russian-funded private military 
                contractors, and other individuals and entities 
                directly or indirectly employed by or financially or 
                politically associated with Russia and its officials, 
                who are involved in or aid activities to, among other 
                things--
                            (i) manipulate foreign governments and 
                        their policies, as well as the public opinions 
                        and voting preferences of their respective 
                        populations and diaspora groups, including 
                        those in the United States; and
                            (ii) invest in, engage, or otherwise 
                        control strategic sectors in identified 
                        regions, including mining and other forms of 
                        natural resource extraction and exploitation, 
                        military basing and other security cooperation 
                        agreements, and information and communications 
                        technology.
                    (B) A detailed account of United States foreign 
                assistance and other initiatives developed and 
                implemented during the preceding 3 fiscal years to 
                address Russia's malign influence and activities in 
                Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, and other 
                regions as appropriate, including the objectives and 
                details of planned programs and initiatives set out in 
                the strategy required by subsection (a).
                    (C) An analysis of policy and programmatic 
                limitations, gaps, and resource requirements to 
                effectively counter Russia's malign influence and 
                activities in Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, 
                and other regions as appropriate.
                    (D) An overview of other initiatives and assistance 
                programs funded by other international donors and 
                partner countries to counter Russia's malign influence 
                and activities in Africa, Latin America, the Middle 
                East, and other regions as appropriate.
                    (E) An identification of governments and government 
                officials in Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, 
                and other regions as appropriate, Russian government 
                officials, and other individuals and entities that have 
                facilitated payments and other prohibited activities 
                that benefit United States-sanctioned individuals and 
                entities tied to Russia, including in violation of the 
                Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act 
                (subtitle F of title XII of Public Law 114-328; 22 
                U.S.C. 2656 note), the Countering America's Adversaries 
                Through Sanctions Act (Public Law 115-44; 22 U.S.C. 
                9401 et seq.), Executive Order 14024 (86 Fed. Reg. 
                20249; relating to blocking property with respect to 
                specified harmful foreign activities of the Government 
                of the Russian Federation), and Executive Order 13848 
                (83 Fed. Reg. 46843; relating to imposing certain 
                sanctions in the event of foreign interference in a 
                United States election), and a detailed overview of 
                United States efforts to hold such governments, 
                officials, and other individuals and entities complicit 
                in violating or facilitating the evasion of United 
                States sanctions against Russia and its proxies 
                accountable through sanctions or other restrictions.
                    (F) An identification of foreign companies and 
                persons that have provided transportation, logistical, 
                administrative, border crossing, or money transfer 
                services to Russian mercenaries or armed forces 
                operating on behalf of the Russian Government in Libya, 
                and an analysis of whether such entities meet the 
                criteria for imposition of sanctions under section 1(a) 
                of Executive Order 13726 (81 Fed. Reg. 23559; relating 
                to blocking property and suspending entry into the 
                United States of persons contributing to the situation 
                in Libya).
            (3) Form.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall be 
        submitted in unclassified form but may include a classified 
        annex.

SEC. 4. APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES DEFINED.

    In this Act, the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' 
means--
            (1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
        Representatives; and
            (2) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate.
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