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The House voted 349-42 to pass the MEGOBARI Act, a bipartisan bill aimed at countering Russian and Chinese influence in the country of Georgia by tying U.S. aid to democratic reforms.
The MEGOBARI Act (H.R. 36) addresses concerns regarding the nation of Georgia's recent shift away from democratic standards and toward closer ties with Russia, China, and Iran. The bill proposes that the U.S. government review all financial and security assistance to Georgia and potentially suspend a major diplomatic commission if the Georgian government does not recommit to democratic principles and its goal of joining the European Union and NATO. This vote was conducted under a procedure called 'suspension of the rules.' This is a fast-track method used in the House of Representatives for bills with broad support. Because it skips several standard legislative hurdles, it requires a higher success threshold of two-thirds of those voting rather than a simple majority. The bill passed with an overwhelming bipartisan majority, easily clearing the required 261-vote threshold. This indicates a strong consensus in Congress regarding U.S. foreign policy in the Caucasus region. The legislation now moves to the Senate for further consideration.
The bill has been received in the Senate and placed on the legislative calendar, where it awaits further debate or a vote.
OPEN BILL →Why it matters. This bill reflects a significant shift toward a tougher U.S. stance on Georgia, linking continued aid and diplomatic partnership to the country's commitment to democratic values.
Who’s affected. Government of Georgia: Faces potential loss of U.S. financial and security assistance if it continues to deviate from democratic norms. · Georgian Civil Society: Would see continued U.S. support for democratic institutions and aspirations for Western integration. · U.S. Intelligence Agencies: Required to produce new reports on foreign influence and develop a five-year regional strategy.
Democrats. The Democratic caucus overwhelmingly supported the bill, with 85 members voting in favor and only 4 opposed.
Republicans. A large majority of Republicans voted for the bill, though a small group of 17 members voted against it.
On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass
May 5, 2025
The House voted 349-42 to pass the MEGOBARI Act, a bipartisan bill aimed at countering Russian and Chinese influence in the country of Georgia by tying U.S.
aid to democratic reforms.
This vote used 'suspension of the rules,' a process that speeds up legislation by bypassing standard committee hurdles. To pass, the bill required a two-thirds supermajority of members present and voting.
The bill has been received in the Senate and placed on the legislative calendar, where it awaits further debate or a vote.
This bill reflects a significant shift toward a tougher U.S. stance on Georgia, linking continued aid and diplomatic partnership to the country's commitment to democratic values.
The vote showed strong bipartisan agreement, with the vast majority of both Democrats and Republicans supporting the measure.
The Democratic caucus overwhelmingly supported the bill, with 85 members voting in favor and only 4 opposed.
A large majority of Republicans voted for the bill, though a small group of 17 members voted against it.
The single independent member in the House voted in favor of the bill.