Title 22 — Foreign Relations and IntercourseRelease 119-73

§10708 Supporting cybersecurity and cyber resilience in the Western Balkans

Title 22 › Chapter CHAPTER 114— - WESTERN BALKANS DEMOCRACY AND PROSPERITY › § 10708

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of State, working with the Secretaries of Defense and Homeland Security and other federal agencies, must send a report to Congress and the Senate Armed Services Committee not later than 1 year after December 18, 2025. Congress says U.S. help for cybersecurity, cyber resilience, and secure tech in Western Balkans countries will help them defend against harmful cyber actions by nonstate actors and foreign governments. It also says weak networks can lead to hacked infrastructure, stolen data, and online influence campaigns that hurt U.S. allies. The United States sees it as a national security interest to support these countries, including against threats from the Russian Federation, the People’s Republic of China, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The required report must summarize U.S. agency work in the Western Balkans; review the information environment in each country; review current U.S. cyber and digital programs (including efforts to counter influence, protect elections, strengthen ICT and cybersecurity, support democracy and internet freedom, and build partner cyber capacity); assess cyber threat information sharing; assess options to improve U.S. assistance and the pros and cons of posting and training cyber staff at U.S. diplomatic posts; and identify any extra support needed for the NATO allies Albania, Montenegro, and North Macedonia.

Full Legal Text

Title 22, §10708

Foreign Relations and Intercourse — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)It is the sense of Congress that—

(1)United States support for cybersecurity, cyber resilience, and secure ICT infrastructure in Western Balkans countries will strengthen the region’s ability to defend itself from and respond to malicious cyber activity conducted by nonstate and foreign actors, including foreign governments, that seek to influence the region;

(2)insecure ICT networks that are vulnerable to manipulation can increase opportunities for—

(A)the compromise of cyber infrastructure, including data networks, electronic infrastructure, and software systems; and

(B)the use of online information operations by adversaries and malign actors to undermine United States allies and interests;

(3)it is in the national security interest of the United States to support the cybersecurity and cyber resilience of Western Balkans countries; and

(4)it is in the national security interest of the United States to support continued progress to enhance cybersecurity infrastructure in Western Balkan countries in response to threats posed by state and non-state actors, including threats originating from the Russian Federation, the People’s Republic of China, the Islamic Republic of Iran, or the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

(b)Not later than 1 year after December 18, 2025, the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the heads of other relevant Federal agencies, shall submit a report to the appropriate committees of Congress and the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate that contains—

(1)an overview of interagency efforts to strengthen cybersecurity and cyber resilience in Western Balkans countries;

(2)a review of the information environment in each Western Balkans country;

(3)a review of existing United States Government cyber and digital initiatives that—

(A)counter influence operations and safeguard elections and democratic processes in Western Balkans countries;

(B)strengthen ICT infrastructure, digital accessibility, and cybersecurity capacity in the Western Balkans;

(C)support democracy and internet freedom in Western Balkans countries; and

(D)build cyber capacity of governments who are allies or partners of the United States;

(4)an assessment of cyber threat information sharing between the United States and Western Balkans countries;

(5)an assessment of—

(A)options for the United States to better support cybersecurity and cyber resilience in Western Balkans countries through changes to current assistance authorities; and

(B)the advantages or limitations, such as funding or office space, of posting cyber professionals from other Federal departments and agencies to United States diplomatic posts in Western Balkans countries and providing relevant training to Foreign Service Officers; and

(6)any additional support needed from the United States for the cybersecurity and cyber resilience of the following NATO Allies: Albania, Montenegro, and North Macedonia.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

22 U.S.C. § 10708

Title 22 — Foreign Relations and Intercourse

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73