In 2018, the US Congress initiated important resolutions and acts supporting Georgia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, recognizing the country’s progress in European and Euro-Atlantic integration processes, and calling to expand the partnership in economic and security fields. Since 2017, US Congressional support to Georgia has been expanding, reaching highest point by approving Georgia Support Act by the end of 2018.
On June 26, the Co-Chairmen of the Georgia Caucus, US Congressman Ted Poe (R-TX) and US Congressman Gerald Connolly (D-VA) introduced the bi-partisan Georgia Support Act H.R. 6219. The act consists of provisions which reinforce and expand the unwavering support of the United States to Georgia and oppose the illegal Russian invasion and occupation of Abkhazia and South Ossetia/Tskinvali region. The bill calls for increased security assistance to Georgia to enhance the country’s deterrence, resilience, and self-defense. It requires the Secretary of State to develop a strategy to improve Georgia’s capabilities to combat Russian disinformation and propaganda campaigns. The act proposes sanctions on Russian actors in the occupied Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia/Tskinvali region linked to serious human rights abuses. Additionally, the act addresses the U.S. Trade Representative to take measures to start negotiations on the Free Trade Agreement between the United States and Georgia. Georgia Support Act H.R. 6219 was unanimously adopted by the House of Representatives on in December of 2018, and will be reconfirmed in 2019. Congressman Poe presented Georgia Support Act supportive speech before the House floor on this occasion.
To further expand economic partnership between Georgia and the United States, a bi-partisan group of 29 U.S. Congressmen composed a letter in June, and Chairman of the House Georgia Caucus, Congressman Ted Poe (R-Texas) in October sent a separate letter addressing the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to initiate negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement with Georgia. This is an unprecedented request from Congress to elevate the Georgia-US partnership to a whole new level. While urging the USTR to deepen dialogue on high-level trade and investments with Georgia, the letter emphasizes the critical role of Georgia as a gateway to the economy of eight landlocked Central Asian countries with a market of 120 million people. In addition to economic expansion with the U.S., the letter applauds Georgia’s democracy building progress and its vigorous integration process into European and Euro-Atlantic institutions, confirming strong support from the United States of territorial integrity and sovereignty of Georgia.
In June on the occasion of Georgia’s Independence Day of May 26th, Congressman Poe made a strongly supportive speech before the House floor, underlining Georgia’s one of the most valued partnership with the United States and the European community, and emphasizing importance of the United States to remain dedicated to upholding Georgia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence. “So that in another hundred years, we will still be standing side-by-side with a democratic and prosperous Georgia,” — reads his statement.
In June the United States Congress also introduced H.Res. 955 affirming US support to the nations of Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova in their effort to retain political sovereignty and territorial integrity. The resolution urges the U.S. government, European allies, the United Nations, as well as other international partners of the United States to continue to pressure the government of the Russian Federation to uphold its international obligations. The initiation of the resolution coincided with the work visit to Washington of the chairmen of parliaments of Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. The resolution enhances cooperation between the United States and the nations of Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova, and calls for increased assistance to the Eastern European states in strengthening their capacity to resist the destabilizing activities of the Russian Federation, including in areas of defense and security. The bill opposes the Nord Stream II pipeline project in coordination with European allies, taking a mindful stance vis-a-vis the threat of this project to the security of Europe.
H.Res. 1030 was introduced in July, recognizing Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and condemning the decision by the Syrian Arab Republic, which is a client state of the Russian Federation, to recognize the independence of the regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia/Tskinvali region.
In 2018, the threat of Russia and its occupation of Georgian territories was again mentioned in the Consolidated Appropriations Act H.R. 1625.Phrasing “Occupation of Georgian territories” in so-called Omnibus Act, first took place in the Consolidated Appropriations Act in 2017 and was renewed the following year. The 2018 Omnibus Act condemns the Russian Federation for its unlawful actions in Georgia. This act prevents the central governments of nation states that have recognized the independence of Russian occupied territories Abkhazia and South Ossetia/Tskinvali region from receiving foreign aid from the United States. The act was passed by President Trump in March 2018.
Additionally, the US Senate passed its own version called the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 H.R.5515 NDAAwhich defines the policy and budgetary priorities of the US Department of Defense for the 2019 fiscal year. The 2019 NDAA refers to Georgia as a valuable friend and Ally and supports further Georgia-US cooperation.The document outlines that the US government should contribute robust security assistance for Georgia including lethal assistance, strengthening of defense capabilities and readiness of Georgia. The act calls for supporting Georgia in its quest to improve interoperability with NATO. The Senate once again affirms support for the open-door policy of NATO and calls on the US Government to make full use of NATO-Georgia Joint Training and Evaluation Center (JTEC).
As August 2018 marked the ten-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion and occupation of Georgia’s regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia, the Commission on Security and Cooperation (CSCE) in Europe known as the US Helsinki Commission held a hearing in Congress on Russia’s occupation of Georgia and the erosion of the international order on June 17th with Ambassador David Bakradze, Damon Wilson of the Atlantic Council and Luke Coffey of the Heritage Foundation speaking on the humanitarian situation in the occupied regions, implication of Russian aggression for U.S. interests, and wider European and North-Atlantic security. All witnesses agreed that Georgia should be admitted to NATO as it has met or exceeded the benchmarks of a prospective member state. They recalled the alliance’s failure at its 2008 Bucharest Summit to extend membership invitations to Georgia and Ukraine that effectively signaled to Moscow NATO’s wavering commitment to the defense of these countries. In their opening statements, US Helsinki Commissioners affirmed the bipartisan, bicameral commitment in US Congress to Georgia’s territorial integrity and NATO aspiration.
To mark the ten-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion and occupation of Georgia’s regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia, and significantly deteriorated Human Rights situation in occupied regions, Congressman Poe made a speech before the House floor and issued a press release about it. “10 years ago, Russian tanks rolled across the border into the independent nation of Georgia. I was there and saw the little green men with my own eyes… Ten years later, however, Moscow’s troops remain on Georgian territory. … They have committed horrific human rights abuses against the Georgian people, often harassing civilians and denying Georgians the ability to move about their country freely. … Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Georgia emerged as a beacon of hope in a region full of turmoil and corruption. This is exactly why Russia invaded. Russia hoped to break this beacon of hope 10 years ago, but Georgia has remained defiant. We must be defiant with our friends to prevent further acts of aggression and hopefully begin to reverse Moscow’s deadly expansionism” — underlined the Congressman.
These resolutions and acts imply the continuation of unprecedented high level of support from the U.S. Congress to Georgia from previous year. Only in 2017, American legislators proposed and amended six notably important bills and resolutions, urging support of Georgia, and propose disciplinary measures including sanctions. After this unprecedented year of US-Georgia partnership, the support level in the U.S. Congress towards Georgia has increased. The political and security cooperation between the two countries has never been better and the support of US Congressmen toward a Free Trade Agreement between US and Georgia is yet unparalleled in these bilateral relations.