[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 833 Engrossed in House (EH)]

<DOC>
H. Res. 833

                In the House of Representatives, U. S.,

                                                        April 27, 2022.
Whereas the Republic of Moldova gained independence from the Soviet Union in 
        1991;
Whereas the United States established diplomatic relations with Moldova on 
        February 18, 1992, and the 2 countries have since enjoyed expanded and 
        positive relations;
Whereas United States assistance to Moldova and the Strategic Dialogue between 
        the United States and Moldova, which was launched on March 3, 2014, has 
        strengthened the relationship between the 2 countries and focused on 
        advancing shared interests in democracy, good governance, rule of law, 
        anticorruption, energy independence, economic development, and security 
        cooperation;
Whereas Congress and State and local communities have a history of engaging with 
        Moldovan young leaders, civil society, and Members of Parliament through 
        official exchanges;
Whereas Moldova ratified an association agreement containing comprehensive free 
        trade provisions with the European Union in 2014 and the agreement 
        became fully effective in July 2016;
Whereas Moldova's main trading partner is the European Union;
Whereas Moldova is a member of the European Union's Eastern Partnership;
Whereas since the Russian Federation's unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine 
        on February 24, 2022, Moldova has opened its border to refugees fleeing 
        Ukraine;
Whereas, on March 3, 2022, Moldova submitted an application to become a member 
        of the European Union;
Whereas the Moldovan 2020 Presidential and 2021 parliamentary elections resulted 
        in a government with a mandate to fight corruption, reinvigorate 
        economic reforms, enhance judicial independence, revitalize European 
        integration efforts, and strengthen relations with the United States;
Whereas, in November 2020, Moldova elected its first female President, Maia 
        Sandu, and since August 6, 2021, women serve as both Moldova's head of 
        state and head of government;
Whereas according to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's 
        Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, the most recent 
        elections were ``well administered, competitive and fundamental freedoms 
        were largely respected'';
Whereas in a judgment in 2004, the European Court of Human Rights found that 
        Moldova's separatist region of Transnistria was created with the support 
        of the Government of the Russian Federation and considered it ``under 
        the effective authority or at least decisive influence'' of the Kremlin;
Whereas the United States supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of 
        Moldova and on that basis participates as an observer in the ``5+2'' 
        negotiations to find a comprehensive settlement that will provide a 
        special status for Transnistria within Moldova's internationally 
        recognized borders;
Whereas the Government of the Russian Federation maintains a contingent of 
        military forces and a stockpile of military equipment and ammunition 
        within the Transnistrian region constituting an occupation of Moldovan 
        territory and a violation of Moldova's territorial sovereignty;
Whereas the Council of Europe, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in 
        Europe Mission to Moldova, and the Government of Moldova have called 
        upon the Kremlin to remove its troops from the territory of Moldova;
Whereas, in July 2017, the Moldovan Parliament adopted a declaration calling on 
        the Kremlin to withdraw its troops from Moldova;
Whereas, on September 22, 2021, Moldovan President Maia Sandu addressed the 
        United Nations General Assembly and called for the Kremlin to withdraw 
        its troops from the Transnistrian region;
Whereas Moldova has been a valued and reliable partner in promoting global 
        security by participating in United Nations peacekeeping missions in the 
        Central African Republic, Kosovo, and South Sudan, supporting United 
        States efforts to increase international cooperation in combating 
        terrorism, and providing demining units and postconflict humanitarian 
        assistance in Iraq;
Whereas, since 1996, Moldova's Armed Forces have participated in the United 
        States National Guard State Partnership Program as a partner to the 
        North Carolina National Guard, which led to the creation of the Moldova-
        North Carolina Bilateral Partnership, which has facilitated cooperation 
        in the areas of civil emergency operations, expansion of markets, 
        coordination of humanitarian efforts and cultural, scientific, and 
        academic exchanges;
Whereas Moldova cooperates with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization through 
        the Partnership for Peace program, including participation in the 
        Defense and Related Security Capacity Building Initiative, a flagship 
        defense reform partnership focused on reforming and modernizing 
        Moldova's Armed Forces to improve expertise, interoperability, and 
        peacekeeping capabilities; and
Whereas, on September 21, 2021, President Biden addressed the 76th United 
        Nations General Assembly stating that the democratic world ``lives in 
        the proud Moldovans who helped deliver a landslide victory for the 
        forces of democracy, with a mandate to fight graft, to build a more 
        inclusive economy'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) urges the United States Government, European Union, and other 
        transatlantic partners to increase cooperation, coordination, and 
        support for the Republic of Moldova's democratic development, economic 
        and energy independence, and efforts to root out corruption;
            (2) reaffirms that it is the policy of the United States to support 
        the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Moldova and 
        the inviolability of its borders;
            (3) affirms Moldova's sovereign right to determine its own 
        partnerships free of external coercion and pressure, and affirms 
        Moldova's right to associate with the European Union or any regional 
        organization;
            (4) encourages increased activity related to the Strategic Dialogue 
        as a means to strengthen relations between Moldova and the United 
        States;
            (5) supports the Joint Commercial Commission between the United 
        States and Moldova to strengthen the bilateral trade and investment 
        relationship between the 2 nations and improve Moldova's investment 
        climate;
            (6) encourages the United States Government to engage at a 
        leadership level to enhance United States partnerships with the 
        Government of Moldova and civil society organizations;
            (7) encourages the Secretary of State, the Administrator of the 
        United States Agency for International Development, the Chief Executive 
        Officer of the Development Finance Corporation, the Secretary of Energy, 
        and the United States Trade Representative to increase and focus 
        assistance on justice sector reform, strengthening democratic 
        institutions, promoting an open and transparent government, fostering 
        indigenous independent media and an open information environment, 
        increasing domestic energy development, diversification of energy 
        supplies and energy efficiency, improving transport and communication 
        infrastructure, as well as the promotion of trade and investment 
        opportunities, along with inclusive economic growth focusing on the 
        rural areas beyond the capital;
            (8) commends Moldova's efforts to take in Ukrainian refugees and 
        urges increased assistance by the United States, European Union, and 
        other allies and partners to Moldova to assist with those efforts;
            (9) reaffirms the importance of free, fair, and transparent 
        elections in Moldova;
            (10) urges the Secretary of State, the Administrator of the United 
        States Agency for International Development, the Chief Executive Officer 
        of the United States Agency for Global Media, and other heads of Federal 
        departments and agencies to continue to work with the Government of 
        Moldova and Moldovan civil society to strengthen independent media and 
        combat Russian disinformation and propaganda;
            (11) calls upon the Government of the Russian Federation to fulfill 
        its commitments made at the Organization for Security and Co-operation 
        in Europe's Istanbul summit in 1999, and to withdraw its military forces 
        and munitions from within the internationally recognized territory of 
        Moldova;
            (12) calls upon the Government of the Russian Federation to refrain 
        from military and economic threats to Moldova and cease any and all 
        actions that support the so-called ``authorities'' in the separatist 
        region of Transnistria;
            (13) supports a results-oriented 5+2 process as a constructive 
        format for resolving the Transnistria conflict through a comprehensive 
        settlement that secures Moldova's sovereignty and territorial integrity; 
        and
            (14) affirms that lasting stability and security in Moldova is in 
        the strategic interest of the United States and that these can only be 
        achieved if the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Moldova and all 
        European countries are respected.
            Attest:

                                                                          Clerk.