Sec. 7032.
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/bill/114/hr/2772/rh/section-7032·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
Of the funds appropriated by this Act, not less than $2,264,986,000 shall be made available for democracy programs, as defined in subsection (c), of which not less than $312,000,000 shall be made available to support such programs in Africa. Funds made available by this Act for democracy programs may be made available notwithstanding any other provision of law, and with regard to the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), any regulation. For purposes of funds appropriated by this Act, the term democracy programs means programs that support good governance, credible and competitive elections, civil society, freedom of expression, association, assembly, and religion, human rights, independent media, and the rule of law, and that otherwise strengthen the capacity of democratic political parties, governments, nongovernmental organizations and institutions, and citizens to support the development of democratic states, and institutions that are responsive and accountable to citizens.
Funds appropriated by this Act that are made available for governance programs shall be made available only to support institutions and individuals that demonstrate a commitment to democracy. With respect to the provision of assistance for democracy, human rights, and governance activities in this Act, the organizations implementing such assistance, the specific nature of that assistance, and the participants in such programs shall not be subject to the prior approval by the government of any foreign country:
Provided , That the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), shall report to the Committees on Appropriations, not later than 120 days after enactment of this Act, detailing steps taken by the Department of State and USAID to comply with the requirements of this subsection. Funds appropriated by this Act that are made available for democracy programs shall be made available to support freedom of religion, including in the Middle East and North Africa.
Funds appropriated by this Act in title III shall be allocated and administered according to the requirements under this subsection in the report accompanying this Act for Western Hemisphere democracy promotion. The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, Department of State and the Bureau for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance, USAID, shall regularly communicate their planned programs to the NED. The Secretary of State and the USAID Administrator shall notify the Committees on Appropriations within 30 days of a decision to change the objectives or the content of a democracy and governance program or to close a program due to the increasingly repressive nature of the host country government:
Provided , That the notification shall also include a strategy for continuing support for democracy promotion if there are plans to close the program.