Balkans Security Cooperation Act
Bill: H.R.8293 | Sponsor: Rep. Torres, Ritchie (D-NY)
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
Balkans Security Cooperation Act
This bill requires the Department of Defense, with the concurrence of the Department of State, to report on security cooperation between Western Balkan countries and the United States, Russia, China, and NATO.
For the purposes of this bill, the Western Balkan countries are Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Slovenia.
The report must include (1) an assessment of how Western Balkan security cooperation with Russia and China affect the security interests of the United States and NATO; (2) an assessment of the Russian Humanitarian Center in Nis, Serbia, and any influence or coordination it may have with Russian intelligence agencies; and (3) a determination by the State Department on whether any Western Balkan country has conducted a significant transaction with a person that is part of Russia's defense or intelligence sectors.

To require a report on security cooperation with respect to Western 
                           Balkan countries.

    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 ``Balkans Security Cooperation Act''.

SEC. 2. REPORT ON SECURITY COOPERATION WITH RESPECT TO WESTERN BALKAN 
              COUNTRIES.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, with the concurrence 
of the Secretary of State, shall submit to the appropriate 
congressional committees a report on security cooperation with respect 
to Western Balkan countries.
    (b) Matters To Be Included.--The report required by subsection (a) 
shall include the following:
            (1) An assessment of security cooperation between each 
        Western Balkan country and the Russian Federation, including 
        the following:
                    (A) A list of Russian weapons systems and other 
                military hardware and technology valued at $1,000,000 
                or more that have been provided to or purchased by each 
                Western Balkan country since 2012.
                    (B) A description of the participation of each 
                Western Balkan country's security forces in training or 
                exercises with the Russian Federation since 2012.
                    (C) A description of any security cooperation 
                agreements each Western Balkan country has entered into 
                with the Russian Federation.
                    (D) An assessment of intelligence cooperation 
                between each Western Balkan country and the Russian 
                Federation.
                    (E) An assessment of how security cooperation 
                between each Western Balkan country and the Russian 
                Federation affects the security interests of the United 
                States, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), 
                the Western Balkan country, and each NATO member state 
                that borders the Western Balkan country.
            (2) An assessment of security cooperation between each 
        Western Balkan country and the People's Republic of China, 
        including the following:
                    (A) A list of Chinese weapons systems and other 
                military hardware and technology valued at $1,000,000 
                or more that have been provided to or purchased by each 
                Western Balkan country since 2012.
                    (B) A description of the participation of each 
                Western Balkan country's security forces in training or 
                exercises with the People's Republic of China since 
                2012.
                    (C) A description of any security cooperation 
                agreements each Western Balkan country has entered into 
                with the People's Republic of China.
                    (D) An assessment of intelligence cooperation 
                between each Western Balkan country and the People's 
                Republic of China.
                    (E) An assessment of how security cooperation 
                between each Western Balkan country and the People's 
                Republic of China affects the security interests of the 
                United States, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization 
                (NATO), the Western Balkan country, and each NATO 
                member state that borders the Western Balkan country.
            (3) An assessment of security cooperation between each 
        Western Balkan country and the United States, including the 
        following:
                    (A) A list of United States weapons systems and 
                other military hardware and technology valued at 
                $1,000,000 or more that have been provided to or 
                purchased by each Western Balkan country since 2012.
                    (B) A description of the participation of each 
                Western Balkan country's security forces in training or 
                exercises with the United States since 2012.
                    (C) A description of any security cooperation 
                agreements each Western Balkan country has entered into 
                with the United States.
                    (D) An assessment of intelligence cooperation 
                between each Western Balkan country and the United 
                States.
            (4) An assessment of security cooperation between each 
        Western Balkan country and NATO.
            (5) A description of each Western Balkan country's 
        participation and activities in NATO's Partnership for Peace 
        program, if applicable.
            (6) An assessment of the Russian Humanitarian Center in 
        Nis, Serbia, and any influence or coordination it may have with 
        Russian Federation Intelligence Agencies.
    (c) Assessment and Determination Relating to Conduct of Significant 
Transactions Under CAATSA.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of State, acting through the 
        President, shall include in the report required by subsection 
        (a) an assessment and determination of whether any Western 
        Balkan country has conducted a significant transaction 
        described in section 231 of the Countering America's 
        Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (22 U.S.C. 9525).
            (2) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this subsection may 
        be construed to obviate any requirement of section 231 of the 
        Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act.
    (d) Form.--The report required by subsection (a) shall be submitted 
in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex.
    (e) Definitions.--In this section--
            (1) the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' 
        means--
                    (A) congressional defense committees (as such term 
                is defined in section 101 of title 10, United States 
                Code); and
                    (B) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
                Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the 
                House of Representatives; and
            (2) the term ``Western Balkan countries'' means--
                    (A) Albania;
                    (B) Bosnia and Herzegovina;
                    (C) Croatia;
                    (D) Kosovo;
                    (E) Montenegro;
                    (F) North Macedonia;
                    (G) Serbia; and
                    (H) Slovenia.
                                 <all>