Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Cale
Introduced:Jan 31, 2025
Primary Sponsor
Joe Wilson
R - SC
Cosponsors
18
Quick Stats
Policy Area
International Affairs
Summary
The MEGOBARI Act requires sanctions on foreign persons undermining Georgias security and stability, including Georgian officials who engaged in corruption, violence, or intimidation to block Euro-Atlantic integration since 2014. Sanctions include visa blocking and optional property blocking. Immediate family members who benefited from sanctioned conduct are also covered. Annual reports to Congress document these activities.
Latest Action
Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 70.
AI Summary
Plain-English explanation of this bill
The MEGOBARI Act requires sanctions on foreign persons undermining Georgias security and stability, including Georgian officials who engaged in corruption, violence, or intimidation to block Euro-Atlantic integration since 2014. Sanctions include visa blocking and optional property blocking. Immediate family members who benefited from sanctioned conduct are also covered. Annual reports to Congress document these activities.
Last updated: 1/4/2026
Official Summary
Congressional Research Service summary
<p><strong>Mobilizing and Enhancing Georgia’s Options for Building Accountability, Resilience, and Independence Act or the MEGOBARI Act</strong></p><p>This bill requires the President to impose sanctions on certain foreign persons, including Georgian government officials, who are undermining Georgia's security or stability.</p><p>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. </p><p>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: </p><ul><li>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;</li><li>any individual who is serving as an official in a leadership position on behalf of the Georgian government; and</li><li>any immediate family member of such officials who benefited from their conduct.</li></ul><p>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.</p>
Key Points
Main provisions of the bill
Requires sanctions on those undermining Georgia stability
Targets Georgian officials blocking Euro-Atlantic integration
Covers corruption, violence, and intimidation
Visa-blocking and property-blocking sanctions
Family members who benefited also sanctioned
Annual reports to Congress required
How This Impacts Americans
Potential effects on citizens and communities
This bill responds to concerns about democratic backsliding in Georgia and efforts to block the countrys integration with Western institutions. It targets Georgian officials and others who have used corrupt or coercive methods to derail Georgias pro-Western path. The sanctions send a strong signal about U.S. support for Georgian democracy and Euro-Atlantic aspirations, potentially influencing behavior of Georgian political figures.
Policy Areas
Primary Policy Area
International Affairs
Related 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
+9 more
Scope & Jurisdiction
Jurisdiction Level
federal
Congressional Session
119th Congress
Citation Reference
36, 119th Congress (2025). "MEGOBARI Act". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/118-hr-36