HR 36: MEGOBARI Act

HR 36 in plain English: The MEGOBARI Act requires the President to impose visa-blocking sanctions on Georgian government officials and other foreign persons determined to be undermining Georgia's security, stability, or Euro-Atlantic integration. It also authorizes property-blocking sanctions and directs the President to assess whether additional sanctions under existing economic powers law are warranted.

Stated purpose

The MEGOBARI Act aims to counter the influence of China, Iran, and Russia in Georgia by requiring the President to impose sanctions on foreign persons, including Georgian government officials, who undermine Georgia's security, stability, or path toward joining the European Union and NATO.

Key points

• Requires mandatory visa-blocking sanctions on foreign persons undermining Georgia's security or stability.
• Authorizes the President to impose property-blocking sanctions on the same individuals.
• Covers Georgian parliament members and senior party officials involved in corruption or blocking Euro-Atlantic integration since January 1, 2014.
• Extends sanctions to immediate family members who benefited from a sanctioned person's conduct.
• Requires the President to assess whether broader economic sanctions under existing law are warranted for corruption or destabilization in Georgia.

Arguments supporters make

• Georgia's own constitution commits the country to joining the EU and NATO, and its current government is moving against the will of its own people — sanctions hold officials accountable for betraying that commitment.
• Countering Russian, Chinese, and Iranian influence in Georgia protects U.S. national security interests and regional stability in a strategically important part of the world.
• Targeted sanctions on specific corrupt or abusive officials punish wrongdoers directly without harming ordinary Georgian citizens who are themselves pushing for democracy.

Arguments opponents make

• Imposing sanctions and suspending diplomatic partnerships could reduce U.S. leverage over Georgia, pushing its government further toward Russia and China rather than back toward the West.
• The bill allows broad presidential discretion to designate officials based on subjective determinations, which critics say risks being applied inconsistently or for political purposes.
• Interfering in Georgia's internal governance decisions — even in support of democracy — may be seen as outside pressure that undermines Georgian sovereignty and gives the ruling party a nationalist argument against pro-Western opposition.

Tradeoffs

Using sanctions and diplomatic pressure to push Georgia toward democratic reform and Western alignment risks straining the relationship further and reducing U.S. influence, while doing nothing risks allowing authoritarian backsliding and deeper ties between Georgia and adversarial powers like Russia and China.

Current status in Congress: Passed House.

NewsClear — neutral news & congressional tracking · Bill of the Week