Title 22, Foreign Relations and IntercourseRelease 119-110

§10708 Supporting Cybersecurity and Cyber Resilience in the Western Balkans

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

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Within one year after December 18, 2025, 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. The report must explain U.S. interagency efforts to improve cybersecurity and resilience in Western Balkans countries, review each country’s information environment, describe existing U.S. cyber and digital programs (such as work to fight influence operations, protect elections, strengthen networks and access, support democracy and internet freedom, and build partner cyber skills), assess how the United States shares cyber threat information with those countries, evaluate options to improve U.S. assistance and the pros and cons of putting cyber staff at U.S. diplomatic posts and training diplomats, and note any extra help needed for NATO Allies Albania, Montenegro, and North Macedonia. Congress also says U.S. help to secure cyber and ICT systems in the Western Balkans will make the region better able to defend against harmful cyber activity by nonstate groups and foreign governments. Weak networks can let attackers damage systems or run online influence campaigns that hurt U.S. allies. Supporting cybersecurity in the region is in the United States’ national security interest, including against threats from the Russian Federation, the People’s Republic of China, the Islamic Republic of Iran, or the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

Full Legal Text

Title 22, §10708

Foreign Relations and Intercourse, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Sense of Congress

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)Interagency report on cybersecurity and the digital information environment in Western Balkans countries

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

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110