Plain Language Summary
# MEGOBARI Act Summary **What It Does:** The MEGOBARI Act authorizes the President to impose sanctions—including visa bans and property freezes—against foreign individuals, particularly Georgian government officials, who undermine Georgia's security or stability. The bill also allows sanctions against those involved in corruption, violence, or intimidation related to blocking Georgia's path toward closer ties with Europe and NATO (the Euro-Atlantic alliance). Family members of sanctioned individuals can also be targeted if they benefited from the official's conduct. **Who It Affects:** The bill primarily targets Georgian government officials and foreign persons deemed responsible for destabilizing actions in Georgia, a country that has experienced tensions with Russia and internal political disputes. It could also affect their family members and associates. The bill reflects U.S.
concerns about Georgia's democratic institutions and its orientation toward Western alliances. **Current Status:** The bill has passed the House of Representatives and is sponsored by Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC). It now moves to the Senate for consideration. The bill represents congressional efforts to pressure the Georgian government on issues of democratic governance and geopolitical alignment, though the specific triggering events or officials targeted would be determined by the President's determination of what constitutes threats to Georgia's stability.
CRS Official Summary
Mobilizing and Enhancing Georgia’s Options for Building Accountability, Resilience, and Independence Act or the MEGOBARI ActThis 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; andany 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.
Latest Action
Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 70.