Sec. 8341. Reports on Russian and Chinese malign influence operations and campaigns in the Western Balkans
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Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and every two years thereafter, the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, the Director of National Intelligence, and the heads of other Federal departments or agencies, as appropriate, shall submit a report to the appropriate committees of Congress, the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate , the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate , and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives regarding Russian and Chinese malign influence operations and campaigns carried out with respect to Balkan countries that seek— to undermine democratic institutions; to promote political instability; and to harm the interests of the United States and North Atlantic Treaty Organization member and partner states in the Western Balkans.
Each report submitted pursuant to subsection
(a)shall include— an assessment of the objectives of the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China regarding malign influence operations and campaigns carried out with respect to Western Balkans countries— to undermine democratic institutions, including the planning and execution of democratic elections; to promote political instability; and to manipulate the information environment; the activities and roles of the Department of State and other relevant Federal agencies in countering Russian and Chinese malign influence operations and campaigns; an assessment of— each network, entity and individual, to the extent such information is available, of Russia, China, or any other country with which Russia or China may cooperate, that is supporting such Russian or Chinese malign influence operations or campaigns, including the provision of financial or operational support to activities in a Western Balkans country that may limit freedom of speech or create barriers of access to democratic processes, including exercising the right to vote in a free and fair election; and the role of each such entity in providing such support; the identification of the tactics, techniques, and procedures used in Russian or Chinese malign influence operations and campaigns in Western Balkans countries; an assessment of the effect of previous Russian or Chinese malign influence operations and campaigns that targeted alliances and partnerships of the United States Armed Forces in the Western Balkans, including the effectiveness of such operations and campaigns in achieving the objectives of Russia and China, respectively; the identification of each Western Balkans country with respect to which Russia or China has conducted or attempted to conduct a malign influence operation or campaign; an assessment of the capacity and efforts of NATO and of each individual Western Balkans country to counter Russian or Chinese malign influence operations and campaigns carried out with respect to Western Balkans countries; the efforts by the United States to combat such malign influence operations in the Western Balkans, including through the Countering Russian Influence Fund and the Countering People’s Republic of China Malign Influence Fund; an assessment of the tactics, techniques, and procedures that the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Director of National Intelligence and the Secretary of Defense, determines are likely to be used in future Russian or Chinese malign influence operations and campaigns carried out with respect to Western Balkans countries; and activities that the Department of State and other relevant Federal agencies could use to increase the United States Government’s capacity to counter Russian and Chinese malign influence operations and campaigns in Western Balkans countries. Each report required under subsection
(a)shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex.