Mobilizing and Enhancing Georgia's Options for Building Accountability, Resilience, and Independence Act
Floor Speech
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Mr. COHEN. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Madam Speaker, Georgia has long been a great friend to the United States. I went to Georgia for their election when they elected the Georgian Dream ticket about 12 years ago, but the Georgian Dream party has turned into the Georgian nightmare.
In America, Dr. King had a dream, and that dream still lives. Yet, the dream in Georgia, the country, is no longer alive and is pulling that country closer to our adversaries.
The illegitimate Georgian Dream party led by Ivanishvili rigged the October 2024 election, and they truly did rig it in that situation. It has been facing mass protests ever since. Every Sunday, there are mass protests in Georgia protesting deprivation of freedoms and liberties.
The Georgian Dream has orchestrated crackdowns on citizens, including banning the freedom of speech and assembly in Georgia, using violence against protesters, and abusing the court process to wrongfully imprison and charge protesters.
The Georgian people have protested for over 150 consecutive days and are still protesting today, especially on Sundays. They are calling for free and fair elections and the release of political prisoners.
The United States has long supported freedom in Georgia and now is no different. The MEGOBARI Act is an expression of that support.
As ranking member of the Helsinki Commission, I am proud to be the lead Democrat on the MEGOBARI bill along with my friend, Representative
Joe Wilson.
This Act will evaluate all Georgian Dream officials for sanctions. If they are found to have undermined Georgian democracy or engaged in corruption, they will be sanctioned.
It also creates a report on Russian intelligence assets in Georgia and Russia-China cooperation undermining Georgian sovereignty. What is going on is basically a revolution where Ivanishvili, who runs the party and has investments in Russia, is trying to bring them closer to Russia and Putin.
Lastly, the bill envisions a stronger U.S.-Georgia relationship once Georgia returns to its traditional Euro-Atlantic path mandated in its own constitution and demanded by its people.
Madam Speaker, I thank Congressman Joe Wilson and the other co- leads of this important legislation, Congressman Veasey and Congressman Hudson, and I urge its passage.
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