MEGOBARI Act

Bill: 119-hr-36
Sponsor: Rep. Wilson, Joe [R-SC-2]
Introduced: 2025-01-03 in the House
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Alliances
Asia
Books and print media
China
Civil actions and liability
Collective security
Congressional oversight
Criminal procedure and sentencing
Detention of persons
Digital media
Elections, voting, political campaign regulation
Europe
European Union
Federal officials
Foreign property
Georgia (Republic)
Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
Human rights
Intelligence activities, surveillance, classified information
Iran
Political parties and affiliation
Presidents and presidential powers, Vice Presidents
Protest and dissent
Rule of law and government transparency
Russia
Sanctions
Sovereignty, recognition, national governance and status
Visas and passports

Summary:
action_date: 2025-01-03
text: 

Mobilizing and Enhancing Georgia’s Options for Building Accountability, Resilience, and Independence Act or the MEGOBARI Act

This bill requires the President to impose sanctions on certain foreign persons, including Georgian government officials, who are undermining Georgia's security or stability.

Specifically, the bill requires the President to impose visa-blocking sanctions and authorizes the President to impose property-blocking sanctions on any foreign person the President determines is involved with actions or policies to undermine Georgia's security or stability. Immediate family members of a sanctioned individual are also subject to these sanctions if they benefited from the sanctioned individual's conduct. 

The bill also requires the President to impose visa-blocking sanctions on the following foreign persons if the President determines such persons knowingly engaged in significant acts of corruption or acts of violence or intimidation in relation to the blocking of Euro-Atlantic integration in Georgia: 

any individual who served as a member of the Georgian parliament or as a senior official of a Georgian political party on or after January 1, 2014;

any individual who is serving as an official in a leadership position on behalf of the Georgian government; and

any immediate family member of such officials who benefited from their conduct.

Additionally, for the purpose of potential imposition of sanctions under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, the President must determine whether there are foreign persons who, on or after the bill's enactment, have engaged in (1) significant corruption in Georgia, or (2) acts to undermine Georgia's security or stability.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2025-05-06
text: Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 70.
action_date: 2025-05-05
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2025-05-05
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 349 - 42 (Roll no. 116). (text: CR H1824-1826)
action_date: 2025-05-05
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 349 - 42 (Roll no. 116). (text: CR H1824-1826)
action_date: 2025-05-05
text: Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H1840-1841: 1)
action_date: 2025-05-05
text: At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
action_date: 2025-05-05
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 36.
action_date: 2025-05-05
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H1823-1828: 1)
action_date: 2025-05-05
text: Mr. Mast moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
action_date: 2025-01-03
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2025-01-03
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2025-01-03
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2025-01-03
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2025-01-03
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2025-01-03
text: Introduced in House