Sec. 2. Strengthening dialogue with the Russian people
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Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall conduct a study on how to streamline and simplify visa procedures for Russian students and persons involved in professional and cultural exchanges in order to reduce the overall visa processing period and facilitate people-to-people exchanges. Such study shall examine average visa wait times for successful visa applicants from Russia and overall rejection rates of Russian nationals applying for visas.
In conjunction with the study undertaken pursuant to subsection (a), the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of the Treasury, shall develop enhanced visa screening procedures for the following individuals: Persons identified as the most significant senior foreign political figures and oligarchs in the Russian Federation , as listed in a classified annex to a report issued on January 29, 2018, pursuant to section 241(a)(1) of the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, but who are not already included in the list of specially designated nationals and blocked persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the Department of the Treasury.
Persons who are not otherwise included in the specially designated nationals list but who promote Russian President Vladimir Putin’s policies of repression, as determined by the Secretary of State. Persons who benefit from or act as agents of Russian persons on the specially designated nationals list. Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate a report on current cultural exchange and educational programs with Russia.
Such report shall include the following: A list of existing programs funded by the United States Government dedicated to United States-Russia cultural and educational exchange and research, including funding levels for each program. Information relating to funding of the programs specified in paragraph (1), including overall history of such funding since 1991, relative to funding for other regions with such exchange and research programs. Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in concurrence with the Secretary of State, shall submit to Congress a report on efforts to strengthen strategic stability with Russia.
The Secretary of Defense, in concurrence with the Secretary of State, shall host an annual bilateral meeting, through 2023, with Russian counterparts in order to discuss relevant issues of common interest, including maintaining strategic stability and open lines for crisis communications.