Western Balkans Democracy and Prosperity Act
Sponsored By: Representative Keating
Introduced
Summary
Strengthening democratic governance and resilience in the Western Balkans is the bill's central goal. It would deepen U.S. engagement across anti-corruption, trade, energy diversification, cyber resilience, and youth and educational programs.
Show full summary
- Would expand people-to-people and workforce pathways by broadening the Young Balkan Leaders Initiative, authorizing fellowships for young leaders ages 18–35, and directing a Peace Corps expansion report within 180 days.
- Would create an Anti-Corruption Initiative led by the Secretary of State to support judicial independence, election oversight, public procurement integrity, independent media, and require a public 5-year strategy within 180 days that prioritizes cyber resilience, regional trade, and economic competitiveness.
- Would strengthen security and economic tools by codifying sanctions authorities with an 8-year sunset, ordering interagency cyber resilience reporting within one year, and authorizing a regional trade and development program to boost U.S. exports and deter malign investment.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
6 provisions identified: 5 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Anti-corruption push in Western Balkans
The State Department would set up an anti-corruption program in each Western Balkans country. It would train police, courts, and agencies, and support free media and journalist training. Extra technical help would only expand if a host government agrees to make a new national anti-corruption strategy. The work would reinforce judicial oversight, election oversight, and clean public procurement, and could tap the European Democratic Resilience Initiative for funding. It would start upon enactment.
More exchanges for Balkan students and youth
The government would fund partnerships between U.S. and Western Balkans universities. Grants could support research on policy, cyber resilience, and disinformation, plus curriculum reforms, English teaching, and job skills for at-risk youth, women, and people with disabilities. The BOLD program would expand into a Young Balkan Leaders Initiative with fellowships for ages 18–35, a flagship center using American Spaces, and annual events. This expansion would depend on available appropriations and could use existing Mission funds. The Peace Corps Director would report within 180 days on options to expand Peace Corps work in the region.
Plan to grow Balkan trade and startups
State and USAID would deliver a regional economic and democratic resilience strategy within 180 days, with a progress briefing in 90 days. The plan would coordinate with the EU and others, and cover clean energy, agriculture, small businesses, health, and cybersecurity, plus a public diplomacy plan. Alongside this, they would run a regional trade and development program for the Western Balkans and bordering EU states. It would help small and medium businesses, support youth- and women-led startups, engage diaspora investors, and screen out malign investments while avoiding overlap in U.S. aid.
Sanctions rules with humanitarian carve-outs
This would keep certain Western Balkans sanctions designations in place under prior executive orders and keep those authorities active. It would exclude the importation of goods from blocking and create humanitarian exceptions for food, medicine, medical devices, and related transactions. The President could waive sanctions for up to 180 days with 15 days’ notice to Congress and could end sanctions if conditions are met. Intelligence and some law enforcement activities would be exempt. These sanctions rules would last for 8 years after enactment.
Defines which countries count as Western Balkans
The bill would define the Western Balkans as Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia. These definitions would set which countries could get help or face rules under this Act. They would take effect upon enactment.
Regular reports on foreign influence and cyber
The Secretary of State would report within 180 days, and every two years after, on Russian and Chinese influence operations in the Western Balkans. The reports would assess goals, tactics, effects on alliances, and U.S. countermeasures, and recommend next steps. A separate interagency report would be due within 1 year on cybersecurity and the information environment. It would review election safeguards, ICT infrastructure, threat information sharing, training needs, and staffing of cyber experts at embassies.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Keating
MA • D
Cosponsors
Malliotakis
NY • R
Sponsored 9/10/2025
Goldman (NY)
NY • D
Sponsored 9/10/2025
Fitzpatrick
PA • R
Sponsored 10/17/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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