The U.S. House of Representatives has reviewed and passed the Mobilizing and Enhancing Georgia’s Options for Building Accountability, Resilience, and Independence Act or the MEGOBARI Act.

The bill was supported by 349 congressmen – 168 Republicans and 181 Democrats. Another 42 congressmen voted against it, and 42 abstained.

MEGOBARI Act is the abbreviation of the Mobilizing and Enhancing Georgia’s Options for Building Accountability, Resilience, and Independence Act, which means “friend” in Georgian; the official title of the bill is “To counter the influence of the Chinese Communist Party, the Iranian Regime, and the Russian Federation in the nation of Georgia.”

The MEGOBARI Act proposes sanctions and visa restrictions on high-ranking Georgian officials.

Specifically, it includes the following provisions:

• Initiate a comprehensive review of U.S.-Georgian relations, including all assistance programs.
• Acknowledge the Georgian people’s support for the country’s commitment to Euro-Atlantic integration, as enshrined in its constitution.
• Mandate the U.S. President to impose sanctions on Georgian Dream officials and their supporters who have engaged in corruption that diverts Georgia from its Euro-Atlantic integration path, undermines Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, or engages in other corrupt practices that undermine Georgia’s stability.
• Strengthen people-to-people ties and defence cooperation as Georgia continues to act under its constitutional requirements.
• Express support for the full sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia under Russia’s illegal occupation.
• Provide support for civil society, which protects the Georgian people and the Constitution of Georgia from abuse of power by the Georgian Dream government.

The following individuals spoke during the discussion of the MEGOBARI Act: Republican Congressman Brian Mast from Florida, Democratic Congressman Johnny Olszewski from Maryland, Democratic Congressman Steve Cohen from Tennessee, Republican Congressman Joe Wilson from South Carolina, and Republican Congressman Warren Davidson from Ohio.

Previously, on March 27, 2025, the document was approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

The bill was initially introduced last year by Congressman Joe Wilson and was reintroduced this year in the 119th Congress by Congressman Steve Cohen, Congressman Richard Hudson, and Congressman Marc Veasey.

After passing the House of Representatives, the bill must now be considered and voted upon in the Senate. If both chambers approve it, it will be sent to the President of the United States for signature.